HÀ NỘI — Young workers face higher rates of diseases and accidents than older workers, but fatalities among young workers are less common, according to experts at the forum “For a generation of safe and healthy workers: Improving work safety conditions for young workers” held in Hà Nội on April 16.

The forum was organised by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The forum was held in response to the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which will fall on April 28.

During the forum, experts exchange information and experiences related to safe work conditions for young workers, who are between 15 and 24 years old.

Hà Tất Thắng, director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said that as a country with a great number of young workers, Việt Nam had issued different policies and regulations related to ensuring work safety for young workers over the past few years.

The policies and regulations state that enterprises and employers must provide training about work safety for young workers and safe work condition norms in the agricultural, forestry and fishery sectors.

“However, the country still faces challenges in preventing and limiting work accidents in general, and work accidents for young workers in particular, including challenges in improving awareness and skills on work safety,” he said.

Thắng expressed his hope that during the forum, experts would find solutions to resolve the challenges and not only improve working conditions and health for young workers, but also promote sustainable work options for them.

“Efforts from the community will be connected to prevent risks and different forms of child labour,” said Thắng.

Valentine Offenloch of the ILO said that more than 2.3 million people in the world died annually as a result of work accidents and diseases. Ever year, an additional 313 million people suffer non-fatal work accidents that nonetheless leave serious consequences.

Valentine suggested including content about safe working conditions in curricula in high schools and vocational schools to set up a generation of safer and healthier workers.

Young workers should be encouraged to discuss and raise their opinions about work safety, she said.

Youth and their organisations should be allowed to join the construction and implementation of work accidents and disease-preventing programmes.

Việt Nam saw more than 8,900 work accidents last year, killing and injuring more than 9,100 people, according to the MOLISA. — VNS