The government of South Korea has agreed to fund $3.4 million for a $9.4-billion project on improving occupational safety in Vietnam from September 2013 to September 2016. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Training Center (OSHTC) under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), tens of millions of seasonal and rural laborers in Vietnam have yet to receive training and education in occupational safety and health. Director of MoLISA’s Bureau for Safe Work Ha Tat Thang attributed the situation to insufficient facilities and instructors as well as impractical training materials and curriculum. General Director of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency Lim Seung Up affirmed that his government will support Vietnam in upgrading the OSHTC to a leading center of its kind in the ASEAN. Vietnam is estimated to lose VND93.6 billion ($4.5 million) from workplace accidents last year. The country reported 6,777 workplace accidents during the year, claiming the lives of 606 people and caused serious injuries to more than 6,000 others. Most of the workplace accidents were reported in construction, mineral exploitation, metal processing sectors and mechanics. According to the ministry, employers failing to provide safety equipment, apply required labor safety procedures and train their employees on labor safety requirements were responsible for 24% of those accidents while workers were responsible for over 38% of the accidents due to violations of labor safety measures and procedures. (Dau Tu Nov 1 p2, Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam Oct 31p3)
