Kingdom of Thailand
Occupational Safety and Health Management in Thai Manufacturers
CHAIYUTH CHAVALITNITIKUL1*,
PREEYANUN LIKHITSAN2*,
WILERT JETIYANUWAT2,
JARUNCHAI KORSRIPIPAKKUL3,
NIPAPORN WONGMANEE1
Background
The study of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Management in Thai manufacturers has been conducted in order to determine the current situation and application of OSH management among manufacturers in Thailand. In this regard, the government sector has intended to set up integrated policy and strategy for manufacturers. This would help them to conform to the custom requirement of foreign countries, especially the OSH management part. Since the free trade conditions and higher competition can create technical barriers, Thai manufacturers shall follow all the requirements of international standard. These standard typically consist issues on labour protection and welfare, including occupational safety, health and working environment conditions for workers and so on. Under these circumstances, Thai manufacturers and concerned government agencies have recognized the situation and worked together closely to promote the export of Thai goods those has proceeded in acceptable standards.
Methods
This is cross sectional descriptive study that divided into 2 parts. The first part is quantitative study using a survey questionnaire. Total of 5,000 questionnaires were sent to government enterprises and private manufacturers those employed over 100 workers. The second part is qualitative study by visiting total of 20 manufacturers to carry out interview and observe their OSH management system. The interpretation of study results was performed by scoring the point for each survey topic. The total scores were classified in 3 levels of OSH management, good, fair, and poor or immediately need improvement. The qualitative study referred to the ILO-OSH management system guideline (13 parts) to apply for scoring of interview and observation at manufacturers. The final interpretation for each manufacturer was done using average score assigned by 3 OSH inspectors and then classified into a level of OSH management, the same way as the interpretation of quantitative study.
Results
- For quantitative study, 26.4% of questionnaires were completed and returned.
- The interpretation revealed that: For the government enterprises, 45% employed good level of OSH management system. 76% of them on the OSH and working environment management policy, 74.8% on Occupational safety protection and administration, 70.25% on occupational health protection and administration, and 66.4% on working environment measurement and management.
- For the private manufacturers, 45.3% were in good OSH management system level. 28.6% and 24.75% were in fair and poor level, respectively.
- The high score, 85.5%, is on OSH and working environment management and policy. 79.1%, 66.2% and 66% on occupational safety protection and administration, occupational health protection and administration, and working environment measurement, respectively.
- For qualitative study, 40 % were fallen into good OSH management system level, 50% in fair level and 10% in poor level or must be improved immediately. Due to observation, machine and hand-tool safety as well as hazard analysis were among the serious issues that need immediate improvement.
Conclusions
Recommendations from this study were formulated mainly for the improvement of OSH management employed by the Thai manufacturers. The development of such OSH management system will be consistent to the enforcement of relevant OSH laws. This aims at the promotion of occupational health and diseases prevention system, providing the occupational safety protection and prevention guidelines especially for small enterprises, development of practical bipartite system for all manufacturers, setting up the OSH protective measures for every workers, creating the equity of workers’ right along with the satisfactory OSH culture, motivating Thai manufactures to invest in the OSH activities for their own workers. This may be achieved by promotion of tax incentive or reduction/exemption of the contribution made to workmen compensation fund. In addition, the development of OSH information technology, establishment of the OH surveillance system which related to the risk exposures, and revision of the law enforcement would also help in improvement of the present situation.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank all manufacturers those participated in this study, all involved provincial/area offices of labour protection and welfare for the assistance in cooperation with manufacturers. Additionally, we would like to extend special thank to the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, Ministry of Labour, for the support of budget and the promotion of this study project.
1 Office of Labour Protection
2 National Institute for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment
3 The office on Occupational Safety and Health Committee
