Nearly a year ago, while dredging a drainage hole on the sidewalk in Pham Van Hai Commune of Ho Chi Minh City’s Binh Chanh District, a worker in District 6 unfortunately had an occupational accident and passed away. Since then, his wife has been working hard to raise their two small children.
They had led a difficult life and now it became even more difficult when the breadwinner of the family passed away. Although the wife still cannot overcome the pain of losing her husband, she still tries her best to work for the future of her two young children.
Suffering the pain after her husband’s death due to an occupational accident while working at a construction project in District 7, his bereaved wife in Binh Khanh Commune of Can Gio outlying district still lives alone in the house. The couple had led a harsh life; after her husband died, Mrs. Nga could not find a job, so her life became even more worse.
Sympathizing with her poor economic condition, the Inspector of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs encouraged the homeowner to decrease rent and neighbors to help the family while the local government was also helping her find a stable job.
According to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, in 2023, there will be 703 occupational accidents in the city, killing 44 people.
The total cost of work injuries in 2023 was more than VND17 billion (US$. This figure includes medical expenses of VND2 billion, wage and productivity losses of VND3 billion and compensation costs of VND11 billion
Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Luong Thi Toi admitted that although statistics on occupational accidents in 2023 decreased compared to the previous year, Ho Chi Minh City is still one of the localities with the highest number of deaths from occupational accidents.
She also pointed out the main cause of occupational accidents that is a violation of safe working procedures and measures; no safety procedures or safe work practices without personal protective equipment.
Occupational injuries are a public health problem, causing many more cases of disability. Hazardous conditions in the workplace were responsible for fatal unintentional occupational injuries.
Though the consequences of occupational accidents are very serious, not only affecting the work but also the lives of workers, employers have not paid much attention to their workers’ labor safety in construction projects.
At many construction projects in Ho Chi Minh City, workers are seen not to be fully equipped with protective equipment. On the morning of May 8, at a house being repaired at the corner of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Nguyen Du Street in HCMC’s District 1 a worker was wearing slippers and did not have any labor protection equipment on him while he climbed to the railing on the second floor to weld the iron bar. Sparks from the welding rod shot everywhere and fell downwards.
Previously, at another project on Nguyen Du Street, two workers dismantled scaffolding on the fourth floor without labor protection.
Chief Inspector Nguyen Thanh Lam of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the unit regularly inspects and handles violations of regulations on labor safety and hygiene and detects and handles many violations.
From the beginning of the year until now, Inspectors of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City have inspected 67 units. Some 25 units received administration fines for violating regulations on labor safety and hygiene with a total amount of VND663 million. Along with inspection and sanctions, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Inspectorate also strengthen propaganda on awareness of compliance with safety training regulations in construction.
Inspectors are tougher in handling administrative violations when businesses violate labor safety and hygiene regulations. Furthermore, if criminal violations are detected, inspectors will transfer files to the police for criminal handling, Mr. Lam affirmed.
According to Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Duong Anh Duc, in recent years, city leaders and authorities at all levels have paid great attention and attached great importance to propaganda and legal education on occupational safety and hygiene.
City leaders directed relevant units to strengthen management, inspection and handling of many cases of violation of labor safety and hygiene laws with the orientation towards building a culture of labor safety. In particular, the responsibility of a leader for occupational safety and hygiene is highlighted with important significance in socio-economic development and ensuring human security, contributing to the sustainable development of businesses and society.
