In recent years, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made rapid progress in raising the
occupational safety and health (OSH) standards within the region. The efforts of the ASEAN-OSH Network
(OSHNET), the platform to drive collaboration among regional OSH centres and agencies, have been
important.
The ASEAN-OSHNET functions to help member countries achieve better OSH performance. OSHNET
initiatives reflect its six programme areas for the region – information exchange, OSH training programmes,
OSH standards, research on OSH good practices, improved OSH inspection capabilities and the
development of national OSH frameworks. Under the ASEAN-OSHNET Plan of Action, adopted in 2007,
all member countries target to develop a national OSH profile and implement national OSH strategies or
programmes by 2012.
Through the OSHNET initiatives, ASEAN member countries have implemented innovative OSH practices.
Many of those practices have yielded significant improvements in OSH. Notably, accident rates have
decreased across the region, and the productivity of workers has increased.
This publication is a compilation of the many good OSH practices developed in recent years (national OSH
frameworks, enforcement, outreach, training and research). These models were first presented during the
ASEAN-OSHNET Workshop on Good OSH Practices in Singapore (February 2009). The International
Labour Organization, through the ILO/Japan Multibilateral Programme, provided technical and financial
assistance to the workshop and to this publication. This document covers practices relevant to the six
ASEAN-OSHNET programme areas and also contains two research papers by eminent OSH experts on the
development, promotion and implementation of good practices.
It is important that we continue to inspire further development and the use of good OSH practices. This
publication will help in achieving that goal by encouraging the adoption of these practices throughout the
region and enabling us to better meet the targets of the ASEAN-OSHNET Plan of Action.