ILO and Japan Back Union-Led Innovation to Build Safer Workplaces in Thailand

Opening the workshop, Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Decent Work Country Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific, emphasized that workplace safety cannot be achieved by workers acting alone.

The capacity of Thai trade unions to drive safer, healthier workplaces is being upgraded through a new International Labour Organization (ILO) initiative backed by the Government of Japan—signalling a shift toward worker-centred, system-level innovation in occupational safety and health (OSH).

A two-day workshop held in Bangkok from 9–10 January 2026 brought together 21 OSH focal points from four trade unions under the International Trade Union Confederation – Thailand Council (ITUC-TC). The programme marks the first in a series of structured capacity-building efforts designed to equip unions with practical tools, data-driven approaches, and action plans to translate workers’ rights into safer working conditions.

The initiative supports the ILO’s recognition of safe and healthy working environments as a fundamental principle and right at work, and positions trade unions as key actors in making this right operational at scale.

Safety as a Shared System, Not an Individual Burden

Opening the workshop, Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Decent Work Country Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific, emphasized that workplace safety cannot be achieved by workers acting alone.

“Safe and healthy work cannot be achieved by workers alone,” she said. “It requires coordinated action by workers, employers and government. Safety and health at work is a shared responsibility.”

Her remarks reflect a growing recognition that OSH is a systems challenge—dependent on training, reporting mechanisms, institutional trust, and continuous improvement loops rather than one-off compliance checks.

From Ratification to Real-World Impact

Thailand has ratified two core ILO OSH conventions—Convention No. 155 and Convention No. 187—but trade union leaders stressed that legal commitments must be matched by implementation capacity.

“Ratification alone is not enough,” said Manop Kuerat, General Secretary of the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC). “There is still significant room for improvement, and trade unions are ready to turn commitments into safer workplaces for all workers.”

Building Practical OSH Capability on the Ground

During the workshop, participants:

• Reviewed workers’ roles and duties on OSH under international and national law

• Shared union-led best practices and real-world case studies

• Conducted applied OSH exercises

• Developed immediate and medium-term union action plans to support peers in improving workplace safety

Cross-border learning was also central to the programme, with Julius H. Cainglet, Vice President of the Federation of Free Workers (Philippines), sharing proven OSH practices that unions can adapt and scale.

“Workers can and should take the lead in promoting safe and healthy working environments,” said Dr Yuka Ujita, ILO Senior OSH Specialist and lead trainer. “Trade unions play a critical role in motivating and supporting workers to take action.”

She noted that the strong engagement shown by participants will be reinforced through two upcoming workshops, deepening skills and sustaining momentum.

Why This Matters for the Future of Work and Labour Tech

As workplaces become more complex—shaped by automation, platform work, climate stress, and supply-chain pressure—OSH increasingly depends on continuous training, worker feedback loops, early-warning systems, and collective problem-solving.

This initiative highlights how union-led capacity building can serve as critical infrastructure for:

• Preventing workplace injuries and illnesses

• Improving data flow from shop floor to decision-makers

• Embedding safety into productivity and resilience strategies

• Ensuring no worker is excluded from protection

Call to Action: Scaling Worker-Centred Safety Innovation

For HR-tech developers, labour-tech startups, safety-tech providers, and policymakers, the message is clear: effective OSH systems must be designed with workers and their representatives, not merely imposed on them.

Early adopters are encouraged to:

• Partner with trade unions on OSH training and reporting tools

• Develop accessible, worker-friendly safety technologies

• Invest in preventative, participatory safety systems

• Align workplace innovation with international labour standards

The programme is part of the “Promoting a Safe and Healthy Working Environment in Thailand and Cambodia” project, funded by the Government of Japan, and reflects a growing global push to future-proof work by putting safety, dignity, and worker agency at the centre.