Workshop to enhance workplace safety during recovery
February 24, 2025 11:12 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Ezra Toara.
A four-day workshop was held last week to assist the government and workers in ensuring workplace safety, particularly in light of the ongoing emergency recovery efforts following the earthquake.
A senior specialist on occupational safety and health from the International Labour Organization (ILO), Dr. Yuka Ujita, facilitated the workshop.
She highlighted the ILO’s mandate as a United Nations (UN) specialized agency focused on labor issues, emphasizing the importance of promoting a safe and healthy working environment.
“The safe and healthy working environment is one of the fundamental principles and rights at work, alongside other core labor rights such as freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the elimination of forced labor, child labor, and discrimination,” Dr. Ujita stated.
“My responsibility is to assist governments, employers, and workers in ensuring and promoting these standards.”
Dr. Ujita pointed out that, with the recent earthquake placing the country in a recovery phase, numerous urgent issues are being addressed.
She noted that the government is particularly concerned about the health and safety of workers engaged in demolition and deconstruction work. In response to a specific request from the government, the ILO Office in Suva deployed a specialist to provide support.
“The main objective of my mission is to consult with all relevant government agencies, not just the Labour Department, because the recovery phase involves multiple ministries, departments, and stakeholders. First, I aim to understand the current situation, identify priority areas, assess existing gaps, and determine how the ILO can provide policy advice and targeted support,” she explained.
The workshop served as one of the key activities in this initiative. Dr. Ujita emphasized the importance of collaboration among the government, employers, and workers in addressing workplace safety concerns.
“While I have already engaged individually with our tripartite constituents, we must work together and maintain open communication. This workshop provides a crucial forum for our partners to discuss and identify gaps, as well as to agree on practical next steps for the coming months and years,” she said.
Dr. Ujita further stressed that workplace safety is not limited to the construction sector but extends to all industries and occupations.
She noted that occupational health and safety cannot be separated from public health, as many workplaces are closely linked to living environments.
“Although construction is a priority area in the recovery phase, a broader strategic approach to occupational safety is necessary,” she stated. “We need to implement practical measures not just for construction workers but for all sectors to ensure long-term safety and health at work.”
Recognizing the diverse needs of different countries, Dr. Ujita underscored the importance of tailoring policies and programs to suit specific national contexts.
“The ILO operates across 187 member states and has extensive experience in occupational safety and health. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, we can draw from best practices in the Pacific region and beyond to develop customized strategies that meet the specific needs of the country,” she added.
