Ministry of Labor officials and other participants give the thumbs up at an APEC Workshop on Advancing Occupational Safety and Health for the Workforce in Green Energy Sectors Sept. 3 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of MOL)
 

The Ministry of Labor staged an APEC Workshop on Advancing Occupational Safety and Health for the Workforce in Green Energy Sectors Sept. 3 in Taipei City to explore measures in response to potential risks inherent in green energy industries. 

Academics and experts from Korea, Malaysia, Peru, Thailand and the U.S., representatives of global labor and employment organizations, as well as domestic specialists participated in the forum, according to the MOL.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Labor Wang An-pang pointed out that along with awareness of sustainability, APEC member economies have actively advanced net zero emissions and low carbon transition. Although green energy industries facilitate a sustainable environment, there are some risks inherent in such workplaces that may adversely affect employees’ health.

Accordingly, the International Labor Organization has incorporated safeguarding regulations for both work environments and staff in the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

The first topic in the seminar focused on the issue of just transition and potential risks faced by employees in green energy industries. Glacer Niño A. Vasquez, APEC Policy Support Unit researcher, Jennifer Sheehy, U.S. Department of Labor Office’s Disability Employment Policy deputy assistant secretary and Annick Starren, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work senior project manager, shared their views.

Officials and researchers from Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Peru and Thailand talked about best practice case studies in the second half of the seminar, the MOL added. (POC-E)