Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the launch of the national week (Photo: VNA)Hung Yen (VNA) – The National Week for Occupational Safety and Health – Fire and Explosion Prevention began in the northern province of Hung Yen on March 20.
At the launch, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said occupational safety is a fundamental right on which the State’s, businesses’ and labourers’ rights, obligations and responsibilities are fully specified in the law.
Occupational safety and health, and fire and explosion prevention must be reinforced all year round at all places, he said.
He added that the 18th annual week was to urge workers and enterprises to improve their own sense of responsibility while asking for stringent supervision and punishments for violations.
More than 7,600 work accidents and 2,000 fires were reported in Vietnam in 2015, according to the steering board for the national week.
The incidents were attributable to employers’ ignorance of safety measures and training for workers. Meanwhile, labourers themselves also violated safety standards and did not use protective equipment.
State agencies were also lax on supervision and punishments, and their responses to labour accidents were late, the steering board added.-VNA
