Second Hemispheric Workshop on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) "The Challenges of Occupational Health and Safety (OPS) in relation to the IV Summit of the Americans mandates and subregional experiences"

Topics: 
LABOR
Enforcement and awareness of labor legislation
Working conditions
Occupational safety and health
Event date: 
05/16/2006 to 05/17/2006
Place: 
San Salvador
Host Country: 
El Salvador
Organizers: 

This Workshop was an initiative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Prevision of El Salvador, as Chair of Working Group 2 of the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML) of the OAS. It was co-organized by the Department of Social Development and Employment of the Organization of American States (OAS), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the International Labor Organization (ILO) and FUNDACERSSO, and it was funded by the Labor Program of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.
 
The Workshop is part of the activities of the Inter-American Network for Labor Administration (RIAL), which is the cooperation mechanism of the OAS Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor (IACML).

Participants: 
The workshop was attended by representatives of the Ministries of Labor of 23 countries of the Americas, with the special participation of the Ministers of Labor of El Salvador and St. Lucia, and the Vice-Ministers of Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. Also present were representatives from COSATE and CEATAL, as well as occupational health and safety centres (Fundacentro, Asociación Chilena de Seguridad, SALTRA, CCOHS) and international agencies.
Presentations: 

Opening Session

Welcoming remarks by:

President of El Salvador, Lic. Elías Antonio Saca
Minister of Labor and Social Prevision of El Salvador, Lic. José Roberto Espinal Escobar
Mr. Rogelio Sotela, Director of the Office of the Organization of American States (OAS) in El Salvador
Sr. Ajit Mehat, Director General, National Labour Operations Directorate, Labour Program, Human Resources and Social Development Canada

Also in the inaugural session:

Ing. Harry Philippeaux, Advisor in Sustainable Development and Environment, Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) in El Salvador
Dr. Valentina Forastieri, Principal Specialist on Labor and Occupational Health and Safety Conditions, Sub-regional Office for Central America , Haiti , Panama and the Dominican Republic of the International Labour Organization (ILO)

Current overview of OHS in the Americas

Organization of American States (OAS) - Achievements in the incorporation of OHS in Declarations and Plans of Action of the main hemispheric fora. Mrs. Maria Claudia Camacho, Specialist, Department of Social Development and Employment, OAS. (15')
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) - Main strategic alliances on occupational health and safety as a mandate for sustainable development. Dr. Maritza Tennasse,Regional Advisor on Workers Health, and Dr. Manuel Anton , Consultant in Workers Health and Safety, PAHO. (20')
International Labour Organization (ILO) - Main challenges for OHS in the framework of economic integration processes. Dr. Valentina Forastieri, ILO. (20')
FUNDACERSSO - Achievements and experiences from Fundacersso, as a continuity of the CERSSO Project (Centro Regional de Seguridad y Salud Ocupacional en Centro América y República Dominicana). Lic. Carlos Rivera, Executive Director of FUNDACERSSO. (20')

Implementation of Occupational Health and Safety management systems

CANADA - Occupational Health and Safety in Canada - a Shared Responsibility. Mr. Ajit Mehat, Canada . (20')
FUNDACENTRO - Legislation, policies, national programs and the role of governmental inspection on OHS, Dr. Arline Arcuri , Technical Director of Fundacentro (Foundation Jorge Duprat Figueiredo on Occupational Safety and Medicine)
BRAZIL - Dr. Junia Maria Barreto, Labor Inspector, Regional Labor Commissariat of Minas Gerais (DRT/MG), Brazil
EL SALVADOR - The role of OHS tripartite national entities. Lic. Carlos Rodríguez , Representative of CONASSO, El Salvador. (20')
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) - OHS education and promotion. Dra. Marianela Corriols,Coordinator of the Workers Sanitary Intelligence Center and Health Focal Point, OPS Nicaragua. (15')
ARGENTINA - Strategies for the introduction of a preventive culture in the SMEs and informal sectors. Lic. Claudio San Juan, Deputy Prevention Manager of the Super- intendancy of Work Risks, Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Argentina (15')
Successful OHS management programs in the workplace, as essential elements of Corporate Social Responsibility. Dr. Miguel Ángel González Osuna, Employers Representative(CEATAL), (15'); and Mr. Vicente Juarez Rivera, Workers Representative (COSATE) (15')

Open dialogue on the implementation of OHS management systems, and future actions

Moderator: Lic. José Roberto Espinal Escobar, El Salvador ,Minister of Labor and Social Prevision of El Salvador
 
Rapporteur: Lic. Claudio San Juan , Deputy Prevention Manager of the Super- intendancy of Work Risks, Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Argentina

MMechanisms to strengthen the information systems on Occupational Health and Safety

International Labour Organization (ILO) - Situation of the information systems on work-related injuries in the Americas : Pilot project of the ILO. Dr. Edin Pop, International Consultant, ILO. (30')
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) - Presentation of research results on work-related injuries indicators and intoxication with pesticides, by PAHO, as a potential basis to strengthen information systems. Dr. Oscar Nieto, International Consultant, PAHO. (30')
CHILE - Successful experience on the implementation of an information system on work-related injuries. Dr. Eugenio Cantuarias, Manager of Operations Division, Chilean Safety Association (ACHS ), Chile. (30')
CANADA - Platform for strengthening information systems on occupational health and safety. Dr. Patabendi K Abeytunga,Vice-president and Director General, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), Canada. (30')

Open dialogue on the mechanisms to strengthen the information systems on OHS, and future actions

Moderator: Dr. Valentina Forastieri, ILO
 
Rapporteur: Mrs. Junia Barreto , Labor Inspector, Regional Labor Commissariat of Minas Gerais (DRT/MG), Brazil

HIV in the workplace

International Labour Organization (ILO) - The impact on the population and the workforce. Dr. Valentina Forastieri, ILO (20')
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) - Regional Plan on HIV/ITS for the Health Sector and determining factors for exposure to and infection by HIV/AIDS. Dr. Carol Vlassoff, Chief of the HIV/AIDS Unit, PAHO (20')
HONDURAS - Initiatives to address the issue of HIV-AIDS in OHS National Policies and Programs. Dr. Rudy Rosales, Focal Point for HIV, Ministry of Health of Honduras. (20')

Open dialogue on HIV-AIDS in the workplace, and future actions

Moderator: 
Anslem de Bourge, Ministry of Education and Labour of Grenada
Rapporteur: Devnath Roopnarine, Industrial Inspections Supervisor, Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development, Trinidad & Tobago

Formulation of Strategic Guidelines to be implemented in the years to follow

  • Presentation of the 3 documents elaborated by the rapporteurs on each topic
  • Discussion among all participants to complement those documents and to formulate strategic lines, including horizontal cooperation initiatives that will provide a practical and integrated response to the OHS issue in the Americas .
Moderator: 
Dr. Marianela Corriols and Dr. Manuel Antón, PAHO

Closing remarks

Lic. José Roberto Espinal Escobar, Minister of Labor and Social Prevision of El Salvador

Conclusions and Strategic Guidelines

The Second Hemispheric Workshop on OHS was focused on the consideration and analysis of three key topics: 
 
Topic 1 – Implementation of occupational health and safety management systems
 
Topic 2 – Mechanisms to strengthen information systems in occupational health and safety
 
Topic 3 – HIV in the workplace
 
Presentations were made on each of these topics by specialists in the field and participants had the opportunity to openly exchange experiences and discuss strategic guidelines.
 
In the last session of the workshop, the rapporteurs of the three topics presented proposals for strategic guidelines that were discussed and supported by all the participants and are posted below. These guidelines will serve to promote and guide the work of governments, OHS centers and international agencies in each of the topics, through activities at the national, subregional and hemispheric levels.

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