Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana will be jetting off to South
Korea tomorrow to attend the 18th World Congress on Safety and Health
at work.
The event, which starts in Seoul on June 29, and ends on July 02, is
being jointly organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO),
the International Social Security Association and Korea Occupational
Safety and Health Agency.
Minister Mdladlana will also use that opportunity to meet his South
Korean counterpart, Mr Lee Sang Soo, with an intention of possible
bilateral relations with South Korea.
The congress takes place against the backdrop of recent comments by
the Minister that “The health and safety of workers is non negotiable.
This is because worker rights are human rights. It is therefore
important for the Nedlac social partners from government, business and
labour to live up to the letter and spirit of the Occupation Health and
Safety Accord that was launched in 2003 and 2004 to create a healthy
and safe working environment. This is why we have targeted high-risk
industries like construction, iron and steel, agriculture, as well as
food and beverage for our blitz inspections.”
In his message ahead of the congress, Juan Somavia, ILO
Director-General said: “The congress offers an important opportunity to
share information, to learn, to network and help build prevalence
culture that is key to assuring workers protection from work related
illness, injury and death.”
Participants will include safety engineers, technicians, hygienists,
inspectors and occupational scientists.
The congress will be held under the aegis: Safety and Health at
Work: Societal responsibility
Among the topics will be Safety and Health Management, Impact of
Changing Working Conditions on Worker’s Protection, New Challenges and
Opportunities in Occupational Safety and Health, Strategies and
Programmes of safety and Health for the future.
