OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY ANDHEALTH FROM POLICYDEVELOPMENT TO
IMPLEMENTATION MEASURESCOUNTRY REPORTCOUNTRY REPORT : FIJI

BACKGROUND.

COUNTRY REPORTISSUES/CHALLENGESOVERVIEW.

1.0 Background◦ MINISTRY OF EMPLOYMENT, PRODUCTIVITY & INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS◦ VISION: Decent Work and Sustainable Employment for All◦ MISSION: Promote decent work opportunities, ensure safe and healthy workplaces, enhance productivity
and encourage good faith employment relations◦ Services◦◦◦◦◦◦

Customer Care CentreLabor Standard ServicesMediation ServicesCorporate Services
Productivity & Training
National Occupational Health and Safety & Workers Compensation Services-Key Services include FieldOperations(FO),Training Accreditation Chemical Hygiene(TACH), Risk Engineering & Capital Projects(RECP).
Processing/Payment of compensation to workers and/or (their dependents) pertaining to injuries or death occurring atworkplace1.2 Organisation
https://www.employment.gov.fj/orgstructure.php◦ Name: Inia Nakalevu Saqanamua◦ Occupation: Technical Officer Higher
Grade- Health and Safety
Inspector/Inspector of Factories◦ Organization- National OHS Services

1.3 Work Experience◦ Joined the National OHS Services in 2014 as aTechnical Officer and in 2015 as a Technical Officer
Risk Engineering and Capital projects (RECP) in 2015. In
the RECP unit we are responsible for the vetting of Plant
and Machinery designs gazette under Schedule 4 of
Health and Safety at Work Administration Regulation
1997 and Non Destructive testing (NDT) of high tensile
load structures such as tank surfaces, fuel tanks,pressure vessels, fuel lines, pile drive welding,pipelines, steam lines and building steel structures toensure their compliance with the accepted reliabilityand safety standards recognized in this country.

◦ Our key role is to facilitate advice and enforce safetyengineering principles to improve reliability, health andsafety in all workplaces through the application ofrecognized standards Codes of practice and bestpractice to improve technological compliance toeliminate or minimize risks.

2.0 COUNTRY OVERVIEW

2.1 Fiji Health and Safety Act andRegulations
Health and Safety at Work Act, 1996


Health and Safety at Work (Administration) Regulation 1997



Health and Safety at Work (Representative and Committees) Regulation, 1997



Health and Safety at Work (Training) regulation, 1997

Health and Safety at Work (General Workplace Conditions Regulation, 2003



Health and Safety at Work (Control of Hazardous Substances) Regulation, 2006



Health and Safety at Work (Diving) Regulation, 2006

2.2 Data Collection◦ Ministry’s National Survey◦ Other stakeholders are involved◦ Lodgment of workmen compensation cases◦ Ministry’s Annual Report for inspection & investigations◦ OHS F1 forms

2.3 Labour Inspection System◦ https://www.employment.gov.fj/ohs_workerscompensation.php

2.4 Workmen's Compensation◦ Effective from 17 July 2015 - The Compensation Quantum has increased:◦ Compensation in case of death cases - has increased from $24,000.00 to $50,000.00◦ Compensation in case of Permanent Total Incapacity - maximum payable $50,000.00 unless whereconstant assistance is required, the maximum payable is $67,000.00◦ Compensation in case of Permanent Partial Incapacity: % of Incapacity x 260 weeks earnings =Compensation Payable◦ Maximum payable is $50,000.00◦ Workplace injuries or death arising out of an in the course of employment and Injuries on any school
premises to a pupil from 1st January 2019 onwards are dealt by the Accident Compensation Commissionof Fiji (ACCF)◦ The Accident Compensation Commission Fiji established under the Accident Compensation Act 2017, is an initiativeof the Fijian Government that compensates victims of accidents without the burden of proving fault.

◦ Personal injury/death/occupational disease arising out of and in the course of employment to bereported to Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity & Industrial Relations

900

120

Government Pending Cases

Private Pending Cases
600

3.5

800
100
700

3500

600

2.580
400

500

260300400

1.5300

40200

200
1100

0.5

20100
0018-19

19-2020-2121-22

Injury8659797

300

Death

1811103

470

19-20

20-21

21-22

Injury

548

365

233

Death

310Injury

Death

0

COMPENSATION PAYOUTS
InjuryDeath$1,710,487.79$1,010,973.24$602,784.60$57,500.00
19-20$25,000.00
20-21

0
21-22

2.5 Safety Equipment & Facilities
Equipment's◦ Audiometric Caravans◦ Noise Meters◦ Dust Meters◦ LUX metres◦ Humidity and temperature
meters◦ Load gauges◦ NDT Equipments◦ Xray Machines◦ Ultraaonic Machines◦ Liquid Penetrant Machines◦ Magetic Particle machines

Facilities◦ Lab- To test for Asbestos◦ Dark Room- To conduct Xray andprocess films

2.6 Training/ Education Programs
Training

Education◦ Training is provided by accredited
trainers through the Ministry◦ The universities provide certified OHS
Coursework. Through Internal
collaborations and grants

OHS Modules 1 & 2
OHS Modules 3 & 4
Control of Hazardous Substances
training
OHS AwarenessConfine Space General Safety
Awareness
Work at Height General Safety
Awareness

4000

OHS Awareness & Training

3754

3500

3000

2500
OHS AwarenessOHS Training

1933

1705

2000

1500

1000

500

236
74

53

42370
18-19

19-20

20-2121-22

2.7 OSH Activities
1. WORLD OHS DAY◦ 28th April, 2022, OHS day is celebrated in the 3 Divisions.

◦ The celebration is done with the cooperation of the stakeholders.
◦ The involvement of schools as well in competitions

2.8 Health Promotion and Mental HealthMeasures
1. National Wellness◦ The National Wellness Policy for Fiji is a national level multi-sectorialpolicy◦ Ensures that groups outside the Ministry of Health and MedicalServices (MOHMS) can advocate and protect Fijian health andwellness.
◦ National Wellness happens on Wednesday’s
2. Health Promoting Workplace Program◦ Annual Health screening of all workers in Fiji
◦ To fight the increasing number of NCDs in Fiji and to identify mentalstresse◦ Lastly Gender Equality, Disability & Social Inclusion

3.0 ISSUES/CHALLENGES& STRATEGIES

3.1 Issues & Challenges◦ Outdated legislations, codes of practice and Training Packages◦ Lack of MOU’s with other relevant stakeholders◦ Lack of Data to make accurate and precise decisions◦ Lack of latest IT gadgets and Equipment's◦ Lack of Training for specialsed skills to conduct Health and Safety Services

3.2 Strategy for Fiji (2020 - 2024)◦ The Occupational Health Services Strategic Plan for Fiji (2020-2024) guides and directs
the provision of occupational health services over 5 years. The health and wellness of
the working population is an important asset as most of our resources are generated byphysical and mental work inputs, irrespective of the level of technology used
◦ The production of this strategic plan paves the way for ratifying ILO Convention 161 on
Occupational Health Services and ILO Convention 187 on Promotional Framework for
Occupational Safety and Health Convention. In addition, it includes a Roadmaptowards the Elimination of Asbestos in Fiji strengthening Fiji’s position to ratify ILO
Convention 162 on Asbestos. On June 25th, 2020 Fiji ratified Protocol 155 - (Protocol tothe Occupational Safety and Health Convention (1981) and Convention 190 - Violenceand Harassment Convention (2019)

Strategy for Fiji (2020 - 2024) Continued◦ The Occupational Health Services Strategic Plan (2020-2024) aims to provide
guidance towards a safe and healthy working environment that will facilitate
optimal, physical and mental health in relation to work, and the adaptation ofwork to the workers.
◦ This Plan outlines the direction and approach MEPIR will take as theimplementing agency in close collaboration with the MOHMS, employers andworkers organisations and other relevant agencies in the country.

3.3 Strategic Directions◦ Legal and Institutional Framework◦ Occupational health (OH) Services◦ Information Systems for Occupational Health◦ Training, Curriculum and Capacity Building◦ Paperless inspections 2022
◦ Requesting more funds from Government and National OHS
Services Advisory Board

4.0 Conclusion◦ Fiji’s occupational health services are under developed and would need intensive and urgent
development.

◦ There is a need to develop strategies with the involvement of all our stakeholders and social partners tomeet the challenges of Occupational Health Services in Fiji.
◦ total commitment by all stakeholders, including government and the social partners.
◦ With this training the goals and objectives envisaged will be achieved through dedicated andconcerted efforts by the stakeholders from policy level.
◦ In addition HASAWA 1996 and the Public Health Act 1935, we have other existing regulations, such as theGeneral Workplace Conditions Regulations 2003 and the Control of Hazardous Substance 2006. Otherareas of occupational health services such as hygiene, ergonomics, vocational rehabilitation andoccupational medicine are not adequately covered in the current legislation, therefore we need toformulate these policies and actions immediately◦ We will also strengthen our area of research on Occupational Health standards to improve health work
practices with other activities and services.