Briefing Note
This briefing note summarizes the four day workshop which was held on 16-19 November, 2015 at the Mongolian Employers’ Federation, Ulaanbaatar. The training was conducted by Ms. Ingrid Christensen, senior specialist on Occupational Safety and Health, International Labour Organization (ILO), and Mr. Kyung-Hun Kim, expert on Occupational Safety and Health, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA).
The Training of Trainers’ WISCON workshop targeted about 20 people who were in charge of Occupational Health and Safety issues from relevant organizations, including inspectors and officers from the General Agency for Specialized Inspection, Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions, academia, NGOs and private enterprises in the construction sector.
The first day of the workshop comprised of introductory presentations by the Mongolian Employers’ Federation, Ministry of Labour, and Ministry of Construction and Urban Development on the current situation, policy, legal framework, and statistics of Safety and Health in construction in Mongolia.
During the first session, Ms. Christensen introduced the concept of Work Improvement at Small Construction Sites (WISCON), and the need to improve Occupational Safety and Health in construction sites in Mongolia. During the presentation she commented that it is difficult to implement Occupational Safety and Health especially for small and medium enterprises on construction sites compared to big construction companies. It was mentioned that WISCON is about SMEs, and constraints such as financial, lack of knowledge, and lack of awareness are a common problem around the world. Moreover, she highlighted that WISCON is one of the tools to educate and bring awareness to SMEs, and give concrete suggestions on how safety and health can be achieved in small construction sites. On behalf of the ILO, Ms. Christensen commented that she was very happy to work with the Mongolian Employers’ Federation as the organization has much experience on Occupational Safety and Health. She remarked that to effectively address Occupational Safety and Health means effective tripartism and collaboration between the Government, Mongolian Employers’ Federation and other organizations.
Following the introductory speech on WISCON, Mr. Ganbaatar, the executive director of the Mongolian Employers’ Federation, emphasized to the participants that the training was not “dry” training, but more practical training where participants can assess real life activities, and then be able to train workers. He explained that trainers will be introduced to the operations of the Zunshin company construction site to conduct assessments on Occupational Safety and Health related issues, and then be able to learn how to improve Occupational Safety and Health conditions. As part of his closing comments, Mr. Ganbaatar encouraged all participants to be actively involved in the training seminar.
Mr. S. Erdene, head of the Occupational Safety and Health department at Ministry of Labour, and Ms. Ts. Batnasan, adviser at the Ministry of Labour, lawyer and researcher, provided updates and statistical information on Occupational Safety and Health in construction in Mongolia. Ms. Ts. Batnasan mentioned legal improvements in the framework of Occupational Safety and Health that have been made and are in the process of development at the policy level. She also informed the audience about the newly approved regulation on accidents, which was developed by following the ILO training methodology. Moreover it was pointed out that accident reporting will be improved comprehensively in collaboration with the National Statistical Office, which will contribute to the prevention of accidents in the future. In her closing remarks, she stressed that hopefully in the near future, Mongolia will be able to ratify the Safety and Health in Construction Convention (No. 167).
Throughout the training, Ms. Christensen and Mr. Kim took turns teaching, using power point presentations, international and local case studies, videos, group exercises and site visits, which made the training very practical and participatory. The participants were divided into groups for various exercises each day during the course of the training, which proved to be a very effective method for learning on the spot. In addition to providing technical skills training, the participants seemed to enjoy receiving training on soft skills such as “how to train trainers”. The trainers reminded participants to use mixed methods (various character factors, statistical factors and graphics) to conduct training while paying attention to timing.
On the second day, participants were taught on how to complete the checklist exercise at construction sites. After lunch, the trainees visited Encanto construction site, where the groups had the opportunity to complete the check list. At the site, the participants were introduced to the Occupational Safety and Health related documents distributed to site workers, managers and contractors, and construction site facilities. Upon returning to the classroom, groups discussed good and bad examples relating to the construction site. As the operation of the construction site was stopped in winter, the site received an overall grade of “very good” from the visitors in terms of organization, management, labeling, safety protective gears and signboards in Chinese and Mongolian languages. After the group presentations, Mr. Kim outlined good examples and suggestions for improvement by showing before and after pictures using Korean and Indonesian best practices. He highlighted that WISCON finds good and bad examples to disseminate to others, while inspectors find only bad examples.
On the following day, groups were given a task to deliver a five minute presentation on one of the previously taught topics such as i) working at height; ii) physical environment; iii) layout and planning; and iv) machinery and electricity. The groups generally received very positive feedback from the ILO and KOSHA trainers. In return the participants were very satisfied with the WISCON training.
Regarding the evaluation of the WISCON training, attendees gave very positive feedback due to its participatory factor. In addition, on behalf of the construction companies, Ms. Ch. Oyunbileg, Director of Occupational Safety and Health at Zunshin LLC, commented that the training had been very practical as trainers usually talk about laws and regulations in Mongolia. She remarked that the WISCON training shows how things need to be, and the WISCON manual is very practical for training purposes.
At the end of the seminar, Ms. Christensen suggested that participants collaborate again on 28 April, 2015 which is World Safety Day. Moreover, she requested that groups were given group work tasks to develop an action plan for rolling out WISCON, a draft programme and suggestions for additional training materials.
The Training of Trainers’ WISCON workshop targeted about 20 people who were in charge of Occupational Health and Safety issues from relevant organizations, including inspectors and officers from the General Agency for Specialized Inspection, Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions, academia, NGOs and private enterprises in the construction sector.
The first day of the workshop comprised of introductory presentations by the Mongolian Employers’ Federation, Ministry of Labour, and Ministry of Construction and Urban Development on the current situation, policy, legal framework, and statistics of Safety and Health in construction in Mongolia.
During the first session, Ms. Christensen introduced the concept of Work Improvement at Small Construction Sites (WISCON), and the need to improve Occupational Safety and Health in construction sites in Mongolia. During the presentation she commented that it is difficult to implement Occupational Safety and Health especially for small and medium enterprises on construction sites compared to big construction companies. It was mentioned that WISCON is about SMEs, and constraints such as financial, lack of knowledge, and lack of awareness are a common problem around the world. Moreover, she highlighted that WISCON is one of the tools to educate and bring awareness to SMEs, and give concrete suggestions on how safety and health can be achieved in small construction sites. On behalf of the ILO, Ms. Christensen commented that she was very happy to work with the Mongolian Employers’ Federation as the organization has much experience on Occupational Safety and Health. She remarked that to effectively address Occupational Safety and Health means effective tripartism and collaboration between the Government, Mongolian Employers’ Federation and other organizations.
Following the introductory speech on WISCON, Mr. Ganbaatar, the executive director of the Mongolian Employers’ Federation, emphasized to the participants that the training was not “dry” training, but more practical training where participants can assess real life activities, and then be able to train workers. He explained that trainers will be introduced to the operations of the Zunshin company construction site to conduct assessments on Occupational Safety and Health related issues, and then be able to learn how to improve Occupational Safety and Health conditions. As part of his closing comments, Mr. Ganbaatar encouraged all participants to be actively involved in the training seminar.
Mr. S. Erdene, head of the Occupational Safety and Health department at Ministry of Labour, and Ms. Ts. Batnasan, adviser at the Ministry of Labour, lawyer and researcher, provided updates and statistical information on Occupational Safety and Health in construction in Mongolia. Ms. Ts. Batnasan mentioned legal improvements in the framework of Occupational Safety and Health that have been made and are in the process of development at the policy level. She also informed the audience about the newly approved regulation on accidents, which was developed by following the ILO training methodology. Moreover it was pointed out that accident reporting will be improved comprehensively in collaboration with the National Statistical Office, which will contribute to the prevention of accidents in the future. In her closing remarks, she stressed that hopefully in the near future, Mongolia will be able to ratify the Safety and Health in Construction Convention (No. 167).
Throughout the training, Ms. Christensen and Mr. Kim took turns teaching, using power point presentations, international and local case studies, videos, group exercises and site visits, which made the training very practical and participatory. The participants were divided into groups for various exercises each day during the course of the training, which proved to be a very effective method for learning on the spot. In addition to providing technical skills training, the participants seemed to enjoy receiving training on soft skills such as “how to train trainers”. The trainers reminded participants to use mixed methods (various character factors, statistical factors and graphics) to conduct training while paying attention to timing.
On the second day, participants were taught on how to complete the checklist exercise at construction sites. After lunch, the trainees visited Encanto construction site, where the groups had the opportunity to complete the check list. At the site, the participants were introduced to the Occupational Safety and Health related documents distributed to site workers, managers and contractors, and construction site facilities. Upon returning to the classroom, groups discussed good and bad examples relating to the construction site. As the operation of the construction site was stopped in winter, the site received an overall grade of “very good” from the visitors in terms of organization, management, labeling, safety protective gears and signboards in Chinese and Mongolian languages. After the group presentations, Mr. Kim outlined good examples and suggestions for improvement by showing before and after pictures using Korean and Indonesian best practices. He highlighted that WISCON finds good and bad examples to disseminate to others, while inspectors find only bad examples.
On the following day, groups were given a task to deliver a five minute presentation on one of the previously taught topics such as i) working at height; ii) physical environment; iii) layout and planning; and iv) machinery and electricity. The groups generally received very positive feedback from the ILO and KOSHA trainers. In return the participants were very satisfied with the WISCON training.
Regarding the evaluation of the WISCON training, attendees gave very positive feedback due to its participatory factor. In addition, on behalf of the construction companies, Ms. Ch. Oyunbileg, Director of Occupational Safety and Health at Zunshin LLC, commented that the training had been very practical as trainers usually talk about laws and regulations in Mongolia. She remarked that the WISCON training shows how things need to be, and the WISCON manual is very practical for training purposes.
At the end of the seminar, Ms. Christensen suggested that participants collaborate again on 28 April, 2015 which is World Safety Day. Moreover, she requested that groups were given group work tasks to develop an action plan for rolling out WISCON, a draft programme and suggestions for additional training materials.