Directive No. 02/CT-BXD on Strengthening the Implementation of Regulations Ensuring Occupational Safety and Health and Fire Prevention in the Construction Industry

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening the Implementation of Regulations Ensuring Safety - Labor Hygiene and Fire Prevention in the Construction Industry

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In recent years, along with economic development, the number of construction projects, works being implemented, completed and put into operation and use has increased significantly. Many of these projects have large scales and complex construction techniques; the workforce participating, including foreign laborers, has rapidly increased. Advanced construction technologies and equipment have been widely applied on many projects, bringing high productivity and efficiency, shortening construction schedules, improving project quality considerably, creating conditions for the Construction Industry to gradually integrate with the region and the world. Work on safety - labor hygiene (SLH) and fire prevention (FP) has been emphasized and strengthened to minimize accidents.

However, at some units, the implementation of regulations on SLH and FP has not been taken seriously. Not a few units organize training and implementation of regulations ensuring SLH and FP for staff and workers, but such activities still have a formalistic nature, with low effectiveness. The situation of inadequate SLH during work and fire incidents remains quite common, especially with a trend of increasing work-related accidents, mainly due to employers and workers not fully understanding and strictly implementing regulations on SLH and FP.

Therefore, the requirement to ensure SLH and FP during construction is extremely important and needs to be further recognized by investors, contractors, and direct construction workers about their responsibilities during work. To address and rectify the above situation, while enhancing the effectiveness of regulations on SLH and FP in the Construction Industry, the Minister of Construction issues this Directive to the heads of units in the industry to cooperate with grassroots trade unions to focus on implementing the following tasks:

1. Strengthening propaganda, dissemination, training, and inspection of the implementation of issued regulations on SLH and FP to reduce work-related accidents, and help workers understand their rights and responsibilities when participating in construction and labor at production facilities.

2. Strictly implementing regulations on construction site layout organization and requirements for safe electricity use during construction. Measures to ensure safety and safety rules must be disseminated and made public on the construction site so that everyone knows and complies with them.

3. The general contractor or investor (in cases where there is no general contractor) must establish a fire and explosion prevention command board at the construction site, with operational regulations and specific assignments and levels.

Fire and explosion prevention plans must be reviewed and approved according to regulations. Contractors must organize fire prevention teams, assign specific roles and levels, and include operational regulations.

4. Investors building projects are responsible for establishing specialized or part-time departments to inspect the implementation of labor safety regulations by contractors. They must stop construction and require contractors to correct violations of SLH regulations. If contractors do not take appropriate corrective measures, construction must be halted or contracts terminated.

5. Contractors constructing projects are responsible for drafting and approving construction method designs, clearly specifying safety measures for people, machinery, equipment, and projects. They must establish a safety management network and department on the construction site, and specify the tasks and responsibilities of individuals managing safety during construction.

6. Individuals participating in construction work on the site must undergo health checks, receive safety training, and be provided with full personal protective equipment as required.

Organizations and individuals participating in construction activities must meet the necessary capacity requirements for the tasks they undertake according to regulations. Those operating machinery and equipment and performing jobs with strict safety requirements must receive safety training and hold valid safety certificates.

Machinery and equipment with strict safety requirements must be inspected and registered with competent authorities according to regulations before being allowed to operate on the construction site. During operation, machines and equipment must comply with safety procedures and measures.

7. Strictly and fully implement reporting regulations on labor safety situations during construction as stipulated in Circular 22/2010/TT-BXD dated December 3, 2010, of the Ministry of Construction. Local Construction Departments are responsible for regularly reporting to the Ministry of Construction every six months and annually on labor safety situations during construction and providing information on contractors violating labor safety regulations within their jurisdiction.

The Ministry of Construction assigns the Department of Construction Activity Management to lead and coordinate with relevant agencies and units to supervise and inspect the implementation of this Directive, report periodically on the implementation of SLH and FP at units, and reflect difficulties and obstacles encountered during implementation, proposing timely solutions and remedies.

The Ministry of Construction requests the heads of units to closely cooperate with the Trade Union Committees at the same level to effectively implement this Directive to ensure safety, prevent accidents and occupational diseases; protect and improve the health of workers in each unit in the Industry.