VietNamNet Bridge – On May 10, one worker died after falling from the fourth floor of a house in Tran Xuan Hoa Street in District 5 in Ho Chi Minh City, which set off alarm bells on the total lack of safety measures in workplace across the country.

Labor accidents often happen to construction workers who don’t wear protective clothing. (Photo: SGGP)

According to the Department of Employment and Labor Safety, around 6,800 workplace accidents in 2012 across the country killed 606 people and injured 1,470 workers, with additional damage to property amounting to  VND11 billion (US$528,000).

Ho Chi Minh City is presently leading with 1,568 cases in which 98 people lost their lives. Since the beginning of the year there have been several work-related accidents in Ho Chi Minh City. For instance, on May 2, a 17-year-old worker died inside a stuck elevator while at work in a company that manufactures screws and bolts in District 10.

Last April, three workers suffocated to death after falling into a pond full of chemicals in Hao Duong Company in Hiep Phuoc Industrial Zone.

Of the 552 work-related accidents in 2012, only 149 were documented and forwarded to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and only two employers were prosecuted for violation of labor safety laws.

While accidents at workplace are on the increase, related agencies show lax behavior and instead of raising awareness of employers who are responsible for protecting employees, they continue to overlook most of these incidents.

According to the government decree on administrative fines against abuse of labor regulations, employers should be fined VND30 million ($1,440) for violating safety rules. In addition, the name of any such enterprise should be made public.

However, VND30 million is a small amount which does not deter enterprises, who willingly pay the fine and continue to disregard safety measures.

Source: SGGP