Thailand’s Rubber Sector Puts Worker Safety First With Practical ILO Training

Held on 17–18 September 2026, the training brought together 22 representatives from 10 workers’ organizations across Thailand’s rubber sector.

Rubber workers in Thailand face risks that can turn an ordinary working day into a serious injury or lasting health problem, from sharp tapping tools and venomous animals to chemicals and fumes in processing facilities. A two-day training supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) has given worker representatives practical skills to recognise these dangers, strengthen prevention and help colleagues take a more active role in protecting their health at work.

Held on 17–18 September 2026, the training brought together 22 representatives from 10 workers' organizations across Thailand's rubber sector. The sessions covered workplace occupational safety and health (OSH) management systems, risk assessment and worker participation, with an emphasis on actions participants could take back to their own workplaces.

Turning Safety Lessons Into Everyday Action

Participants practised identifying hazards, assessing the risks they create and deciding how those risks could be controlled, building a foundation for preventing harm before an accident happens. The training covered reporting occupational accidents and diseases, developing workplace safety policies and plans based on evidence, and strengthening cooperation between workers and management so that safety concerns can lead to practical improvements.

Visits to actual workplaces helped connect the lessons with conditions workers encounter on the job, giving representatives an opportunity to identify good safety practices in real settings. Participant Saman Pornprachathum said seeing these practices directly made occupational safety and health easier to understand, and he planned to share what he had learned with fellow worker representatives and the workplace OSH committee.

Addressing Risks From Rubber Tapping to Processing

The hazards facing workers change across the rubber supply chain, making prevention more effective when it responds to the conditions of each workplace. Rubber tappers can encounter sharp tools, chemicals and venomous animals, and processing workers may face serious exposure to chemicals and fumes. Violence, harassment and other psychosocial hazards are increasingly recognised as part of workplace safety and health, broadening the attention needed beyond physical injuries and hazardous substances.

An ILO assessment of Thailand's rubber supply chain found significant weaknesses in safety management, particularly in upstream rubber tapping, where access to safety information, regular training and personal protective equipment remains limited. Chemicals and fumes emerged as high-risk hazards further along the supply chain, highlighting the need for stronger prevention measures in processing operations. These findings underline why workers need both reliable information and workplace systems that support action when a danger is identified.

Giving Workers a Stronger Voice in Prevention

Dr Yuka Ujita, the ILO's Senior OSH Specialist, said the training equipped participants to assess and control risks in their own workplaces and support colleagues through workplace safety and health management systems. Sharing that knowledge could extend the value of the sessions beyond the 22 participants, helping worker representatives contribute more effectively to discussions with management about hazards, preventive measures and everyday working conditions.

The training forms part of the ILO's Strengthening Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and Trade Readiness in Thailand Project, funded by the Government of Canada's Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The project supports safe and healthy working environments as a fundamental principle and right at work, contributing to the implementation of international labour standards, including the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187).