Hot on the heels of the release of the ISO 45001 international standard for occupational health and safety, Fiji commits to improving the health and safety of its workforce.At the first ever National Conference for Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) a collaboration between the Ministry for Industrial Relations, the National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC) of Fiji National University and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was announced. The aim of the conference was to bring as many like-minded people together to discuss current and future OHS issues for Fiji.

The ILO recognises young workers make up 15% of the world’s 540 million workforce, and in many countries this group are largely “invisible” and deprived of bargaining power and effective representation.

Fiji workplace statistics reported through the Workers Compensation Service total 1636 injury cases for 2017 and seven fatalities over the past three years. Over 50% of reported accidents involve young workers in the 20 to 30-year age group. As a result, the theme of the 2018 World Day for Safety and Health at Work is on improving the health and safety of young workers.

The Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Hon. Jone Usamate said
“Fiji needs a national occupational health and safety culture. A culture in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels and at all times. We need the culture where we all take action to maintain and develop occupational health & safety.”

Conference organiser, the National Training & Productivity Centre (NTPC) at the Fiji National University trains over 1000 workers in the area of vocational health and safety annually. The conference provided an opportunity to brief the over 100 institutions represented at the conference on the recently released ISO 45001 OHS management systems international standard. During July 2018, the NTPC will be running a training course for businesses to understand current OSH practice and how to meet the requirements of this ISO 45001 standard.

My thanks go to the NTPC for inviting me to address the conference. I wish the Ministry all the best for their efforts in raising the health and safety of workplaces in Fiji.