Thailand Records 741 Dead In Work-related Accidents

[sriracha john]

Thailand records over 700 dead in work-related accidents

NAKHON PATHOM, May 1 (TNA) - Over 700 workers died across Thailand in work-related accidents last year, according to official statistics.

Nationwide 198,652 persons were injured or became seriously ill at work during 2007. Thailand’s work-related accidents last year included not only the 741 persons who died unnecessarily, 16 became permanently handicapped, and 3,259 workers losing body parts, such as hands, arms or legs,

Speaking at a "Safety and Healthcare for Workers" campaign event in this central province marking Labour Day, Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab, said 198,652 persons nationwide were injured or became seriously ill at work during 2007. Thailand’s work-related accidents last year included not only the 741 persons who died unnecessarily, 16 became permanently handicapped, and 3,259 workers losing body parts, such as hands, arms or legs.

The official statistics show the highest number of accidents occurred at work due to construction materials or other objects falling on workers. The eyes are the most vulnerable and affected organs. Most work-related accidents occur in businesses involving steel construction materials or mishandled equipment. The workers most frequently injured are machine operators.

Nakhon Pathom last year earned the distinction of having the highest death rate and injury toll in the country.

Mr. Chaiya said his policy as public health minister is to support safety and healthcare measures for labourers in order to reduce economic and social losses and improve quality of life in the workplace.

The ministry, he said, will encourage workers to use protective equipment to prevent potential accidents. Workers should not drink alcohol or take drugs at work, to help them work more efficiently and safely. (TNA)

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As a sad but poignant illustration of the above, the website for....

สมาคมปลอดภัยไว้ก่อน ( Safety First Association )

only has this on display....

Coming Soon ...

[david96]

Thailand like other countries (China) has non existant WH&S legislation. Until employers and employees are made accountable for their actions in the workplace and legisation is enforced by the government it will not improve.

Employees must be trained and competent in their trade or profession for a start.

If you applied Western standards to most Asian companies they would fail.

[sriracha john]

Thousands ailing all because of work

About 200,000 workers across the country are suffering with chronic ailments as a result of their jobs, a recent survey revealed.

In addition, 741 workers have died and 3,259 have been disabled by accidents.

The Public Health Ministry survey also shows that employees' eyes are the body part most affected by work. Metal plants are the most dangerous for injuries while machine controllers and setters have the most risky jobs.

Nakhon Pathom province has the highest rate of injuries among workers, followed by Samut Prakan, Rayong, Samut Sakhon, and Chachoengsao respectively.

Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab says he has assigned provincial health offices to conduct a massive campaign aimed at raising awareness among workers about reducing injuries in the workplace.

However, not only workers in the formal sector are at risk of injuries, says Dr Kamchad Ramkul, head of the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases.

He says about 27 million people work in the informal labour sector. Most are farmers at risk from pesticide, which can cause cancer and other chronic symptoms. About 3,000 patients a year are admitted to hospital after inhaling too much pesticide for a long time.

Kamchad warned of the dangers stone cutters face when they do not use masks to keep out dust. They risk suffering silicosis, a lung disease that caused the death of one worker in Nakhon Ratchasima.

- Daily Xpress (today)

[soundman]

If you applied Western standards to most Asian companies they would fail.

And all our consumer goods would probably double or treble in price.

[kmart]

If you applied Western standards to most Asian companies they would fail.

And all our consumer goods would probably double or treble in price.

Yep. Just think how much your trainers would cost if adults had to make them...? Little brown fingers do not snag / stop conveyor belts.

[stattointhailand]

Nationwide 198,652 persons were injured or became seriously ill at work during 2007

well you could have knocked me over with a feather .....

how the *ell did that 'appen.

Choked on Somtam?

Cut finger on beer bottle cap?

Rolled of reed mat and hit head on floor?

Got Lockjaw from talking to neighbours and passers by?

Burnt leg on exhaust pipe during 5th visit to same shop in 3 hours?

[Scott]

But the ones who took a dive from high rise buildings don't count, because they are listed as suicides!

[david96]

"Duty of care" as in developed countries WH&S does not exist in NICs in Asia.

And Westerners should remember not to forget that duty of care and responsibility of ones actions when in Asian countries,

whether on business or as a visitor.

[sriracha john]

Labour Ministry to educate laborers about safety in working environment

The Labour Minister, Mrs. Uraiwan Thienthong, says all laborers must have knowledge on safety in the working environment to avoid injuries from working.

Uraiwan reported that a number of laborers are injured in their workplace every year *yep... a "number" that stands, at a bare minimum of... 200,000*, partly due to their employer’s negligence to safety standards. *"partly" which likely means 98%*. This problem might obstruct Thailand in terms of trade in the international forums.

Uraiwan says the Ministry of Labour has attempted to reduce accidents in workplace to two percent by focusing on educating laborers about safety and disciplines in the working environment. She expresseed her confidence that the number of accidents will decrease by half. *and we'll manipulate the numbers however necessary to reflect that*

The Labour Ministry will also arrange the 22nd National Working Safety Week from May 8th-11th at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani to promote safety among laborers.

- ThaiNews

[Scott]

Well, I am sure that a lot of projects will be closed down so that the labourers can go to Impact Arena to attend the conference!

[skooldaze]

Oh this number is complete Bull***

Thailand, I guarantee had many more workplace deaths than this. In California alone last year year, a state with about 36 million there were 580 workplace deaths. And that is in a US state with some of the most stringent safety standards around. Let's compare that to Thailand with well, uh... no safety standards.

Thailand has about 61M people. So this number of 740 is complete baloney. It's has to be several times this amount. But as with everything in Thailand, you can never trust the numbers. They are always lowballed because employers don't report deaths and there is no such thing as a strident occupational safety and health administration that polices workplace safety. You know in the US back at the turn of the last century more than 100 women died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in New York city. There was such outrage it led to the creation of OSHA and workers' compensation insurance.

Here in Thailand in the early 1990s 200 people died in a toy factory fire, the bodies were laid out on the parking lot for the media to photograph. But there was no lightbulb moment like there was in the US more than 100 years ago. Safety is and never will be a priority here because people in Thailand don't want to take responsibility for their action ... like perpetual children. There is no foresight and no logic into the consequences of one's actions.

Sad sad sad.

But, hey, mai bpen rai right?

[skooldaze]

If you applied Western standards to most Asian companies they would fail.

And all our consumer goods would probably double or treble in price.

Untrue. The safety standards applied at many western companies do not cost much. One of the most successful Thai companies, Siam CEment, has some of the most progressive safety standards around in this country, rivaling those of multinational corporation. That is a false argument that things would cost more. It costs more to hire and train new people in the same job and the disruption to productivity when someone is killed on the job is immense.

[waza]

This isnt just a Thai problem, poor safety practices of employers is rife in Australia as well. "More than 2,000 Australians lose their lives in a workplace accident or through work-related disease each year. This is a terrible statistic that means there are more than five work-related deaths every day in Australia."ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: This is a common problem that exists every where and will continue to exist whilst the cost of a dead worker is less than the cost of making a work place safe.

[selftaopath]

Thailand records over 700 dead in work-related accidents

NAKHON PATHOM, May 1 (TNA) - Over 700 workers died across Thailand in work-related accidents last year, according to official statistics.

Nationwide 198,652 persons were injured or became seriously ill at work during 2007. Thailand's work-related accidents last year included not only the 741 persons who died unnecessarily, 16 became permanently handicapped, and 3,259 workers losing body parts, such as hands, arms or legs,

Speaking at a "Safety and Healthcare for Workers" campaign event in this central province marking Labour Day, Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab, said 198,652 persons nationwide were injured or became seriously ill at work during 2007. Thailand's work-related accidents last year included not only the 741 persons who died unnecessarily, 16 became permanently handicapped, and 3,259 workers losing body parts, such as hands, arms or legs.

The official statistics show the highest number of accidents occurred at work due to construction materials or other objects falling on workers. The eyes are the most vulnerable and affected organs. Most work-related accidents occur in businesses involving steel construction materials or mishandled equipment. The workers most frequently injured are machine operators.

Nakhon Pathom last year earned the distinction of having the highest death rate and injury toll in the country.

Mr. Chaiya said his policy as public health minister is to support safety and healthcare measures for labourers in order to reduce economic and social losses and improve quality of life in the workplace.

The ministry, he said, will encourage workers to use protective equipment to prevent potential accidents. Workers should not drink alcohol or take drugs at work, to help them work more efficiently and safely. (TNA)

================================================================================

As a sad but poignant illustration of the above, the website for....

สมาคมปลอดภัยไว้ก่อน ( Safety First Association )

only has this on display....

Coming Soon ...

Re: The ministry, he said, will encourage workers to use protective equipment to prevent potential accidents. ...

I would venture to guess that workers would wear/use protective equipment e.g. safty glasses etc if they were supplied by the company. However many workers can not afford to purchase such things that safty standards should require.

Re: "Workers should not drink alcohol or take drugs at work, to help them work more efficiently and safely. (TNA)" - does this include police?

[david96]

This isnt just a Thai problem, poor safety practices of employers is rife in Australia as well. "More than 2,000 Australians lose their lives in a workplace accident or through work-related disease each year. This is a terrible statistic that means there are more than five work-related deaths every day in Australia."ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: This is a common problem that exists every where and will continue to exist whilst the cost of a dead worker is less than the cost of making a work place safe.

This statistic is misleading.Of those 2000 per year how many were actually killed at work, do not include those going to work or going home from work. "work related diseases" such as th effects of working with asbestos etc may take 20 to 30 years to appear. How many were injured requiring hospitalisation, no mention of that.

Take traffic accidents in Australia, 3000 dead, 30000 require hospitalisation, is a fair guide. Pop.21M.

Yet Australians honour a soldier in the defence forces who is killed by the discharge of his own firearm while in the safety of his barracks in Iraq. He ignored firearm safety. Australian forget those killed and injured during the normal couse of their work.There is no difference being killed in the defence forces and being killed as a civilian, in both cases you are dead.

Edited May 5, 2008 by david96

[sriracha john]

He says about 27 million people work in the informal labour sector. Most are farmers at risk from pesticide, which can cause cancer and other chronic symptoms.

- Daily Xpress (today)

Toxic chemical residue found in Thai farmers blood

BANGKOK, May 5 (TNA) - A senior medical doctor at Thailand's Ministry of Public Health expressed concern following considerable amounts of toxic residue is found in blood samples of farmers who have used insecticide on their farms in the North.

Dr. Kamchad Ramkul, director of the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, said many farmers are now using insecticides on their farms with the objective of boosting output as rice prices are soaring.

But many agricultural workers do not wear protective gear, shirts or boots while using insecticides and this is dangerous because the chemical substances could penetrate the body through the skin, causing the user to suffer from brain diseases and eventually cancer, said Dr. Kamchad.

Blood tests on farmers in four northern provinces were conducted recently and more than 3,000 farmers were found to have chemical toxins in their bloodstreams, he added.

[john b good]

If you applied Western standards to most Asian companies they would fail.

And all our consumer goods would probably double or treble in price.

That is not a foregone conclusion.

Even if the families of the 741 received an insultingly low amount of compensation the money still has to come from somewhere.

That somewhere is out of profits.

Likewise with thousands being hospitalised and many never returning to meaningful work that is a again a loss to the industry.

Good health, safety and environmental standards make good business sense.

There were more than 3,000 fatalities (initially, and more than 15,00 ultimately) at Bhopal and Union Carbide had to pay out more than $350 million for starters. Where did this money come from "not from a money tree" it came from profits.

Edited May 7, 2008 by john b good