Best practices of BOHS and WIND, WISE in agriculture and traditional handicraft village in Viet Nam

Introduction
Agriculture and traditional handicraft villages play important role in the economic development of Viet Nam. Workforce in agriculture occupied for 57% of the total labour and it contributes to 21% of Viet Nam GDP. There are more than 3000 traditional handicraft villages and they mostly are small and medium scale enterprises. Worker health care in those areas have been planned to be implemented through provided BOHS and carried out WIND, WISE.

Method
Using BOHS and WIND, WISE approach. The pilot is implemented in 5 districts of three provinces of Viet Nam in the period of 2009-2010.

Results
Based on characteristic of working conditions and management in the field of agriculture and traditional handicraft villages, appropriate BOHS have been provided. Those services include consulting to develop a suitable WIND, WISE checklist; measuring of working environment; examining worker’s health; training and implementing IEC activities; consulting farmers, employers, employees of using WIND, WISE checklist and develop work improvement plan, monitoring the implementation. As results, 10 training courses have been conducted for more than 500 trainees, there are more than 670 working environment samples have been monitored, of which 17% of sample exceeding the permission standard. 800 workers have received health examination. 1074 work improvements reported during the implementation period and they are all cheap, simple and practical improvements.

Discussion
Lesions learnt are the involvement of the famers, employers and employees in the planning and implementation process. Technical and professional advice of occupational physician also plays very important role of the successfulness. The BOHS and WIND, WISE approaches have been proved to be appropriate of those areas in Viet Nam and included in the national programme on labour protection for the period of 2011-2015.