Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is an important aspect to be implemented in the workplace to support the achievement of a healthy and productive working society, as well as the progress of development and industrialization, especially in Indonesia. However, both global and national data show that the number of work accidents and work-related diseases continues to increase. No less than 2.3 million workers experience work-related accidents and illnesses, and cause 6,000 deaths every day. Even in Indonesia, the number of work accidents is still relatively high, reaching 153,044 cases of work accidents in 2020 and 155,327 cases in 2019. The cause of these incidents is the lack of OSH implementation in the workplace, mainly due to a lack of OSH knowledge and skills.
The construction sector is the sector with the highest number of work accidents in Indonesia. Apart from the high employee turn-over, a study from the OSH Department of FPH UI found that there is a group of young workers aged 15-19 who are prone to accidents and work-related illnesses. Several previous studies found that a lack of understanding of OSH among young workers (Gyekye, 2009), lack of access to OSH (Italy), the courage to take risks (2017), is the cause of weak OSH awareness among young workers which can have an impact on high accident rates. and work-related illnesses.
For this reason, the Occupational Safety and Health Center of Excellence (OSH CoE) QHSE Forum for BUMN Construction – Universitas Indonesia. On Monday, 13 February 2023, the Faculty of Public Health (FPH), University of Indonesia (UI) inaugurated this Occupational Health and Safety Center of Excellence (OSH CoE).
The OSH CoE was inaugurated directly by the Deputy Chancellor 1 for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. err. nat. Abdul Haris, who also gave a speech at this inauguration. “Don’t let this Center of Excellence become a Center of Emptiness, we must bring what doesn’t exist into existence, that’s the challenge. Hopefully this Center of Excellence can provide the best learning combined with knowledge from friends in the industrial world,” said Prof. Abdul Haris in his speech. Prof. further Abdul Haris hopes that the synergy between industry and universities can create long life learning, where continuing education can be carried out anytime, anywhere, by anyone, not limited to age and time, or lifelong education.
Dean of FPH UI, Prof. dr. Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, M.S., D.Sc., through his speech also expressed his hope that the OSH CoE would be formed. “The emergence of various problems in the OSH area is of concern to us as academics to find the best solution, one of which is working with industry partners to form this OSH CoE. We hope that this can become a pilot for a center of excellence that can help solve problems in the OSH field and become a learning center for anyone,” said the Dean of FPH UI in his remarks.
In addition, the Chairman of the BUMN Construction QHSE Forum, Subkhan, S.T., MPSDA., IPM., also expressed his hope that the OSH CoE would be able to provide input and knowledge for construction industry workers so that they are able to maximize competence in working in the field safely, and this does not would have been realized without the support of the university.
It is hoped that the collaboration between FPH UI and the BUMN Construction QHSE Forum will become a center for OSH education, training, and research, which will provide benefits not only to FPH UI and the Construction BUMN QHSE Forum but also to society in general. OSH CoE Program SOE QHSE Forum Construction – University of Indonesia optimizing the safety training facilities already owned by the Construction SOE QHSE Forum as a teaching industry; increasing the capacity of the OSH Laboratory at FPH UI to become a center of excellence for OSH, as well as involving students and lecturers in OHS research at the BUMN Construction QHSE Forum to provide solutions to improve OHS performance in the construction sector. (aap)
