Universitas Indonesia (UI) inaugurated Prof. Indri Hapsari Susilowati, S.K.M., as Permanent Professor at the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) in the field of Occupational Safety and Health (K3), on Wednesday (4/10). On this occasion, Prof. Indri delivered an inauguration speech entitled “Occupational Safety and Health (K3) Approach to Support Vulnerable Worker Groups in the Workplace” at the Convention Hall, UI Depok Campus. This inauguration was led directly by Rector of UI Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., and broadcasted live via the Universitas Indonesia YouTube channel and UI TV.
Prof. Indri said that K3 is all activities to guarantee and protect the safety and health of workers, through efforts to prevent work accidents and work-related diseases as well as control or eliminate potential hazards, in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk and in accordance with established standards.
From this definition, implementing K3 is important to reduce adverse effects that can endanger working conditions, prevent all types of accidents or incidents, and to keep workers in a healthy and safe condition. In this way, a person can work optimally and effectively to support a company’s business.
Furthermore, Prof. Indri said that according to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, Article 27 paragraph (2), “every Indonesian citizen has the right to work and a living that is worthy of humanity.” Therefore, K3 is the right of all workers, including vulnerable workers, namely groups of young workers, female workers and elderly workers.
This is also regulated in laws, policies and standards that ensure K3 remains a priority and supports the economy. This is also in line with sustainable development or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number eight which aims to encourage inclusive and sustainable economic growth, productive work opportunities, and decent work for all.
Young workers may be at greater risk of accidents or injuries due to inexperience or lack of training. Young workers joining industry for the first time need to be fully supervised and trained on the job and perform functions and tasks within an operation until they have gained the experience to work safely and competently.
Meanwhile, elderly workers are generally less likely to experience accidents than younger groups of workers. However, when an accident occurs, these elderly workers are a group that tends to experience more serious injuries, ranging from permanent disability to death. This is because functional capacity, especially physical, for example, declines in ability and sensory abilities due to the natural aging process.
Meanwhile, female workers have now moved to industry and the service sector with an increasing number of workers. In reality, working conditions and the work environment are a source of health hazards – for both men and women –, but several potential dangers are visible for groups of female workers, including the use of machines and equipment that are sized for male workers, issues of sexual violence in the workplace, unequal wages, lack of supervision because they are considered to be doing easy and not dangerous work, high risk of anemia, and multiple roles both at work and at home.
In the field of occupational safety and health, new trends have shown that there is increasing recognition/attention to the need to consider worker health protection based on individual vulnerabilities, regardless of age and gender, where female workers must be protected from the risks inherent in their work. “Therefore, I would like to highlight that employers and all stakeholders are responsible for providing a healthy, safe, and secure work environment by managing risks for all workers, including groups of young workers, elderly workers and female workers through an K3 approach to support vulnerable worker groups in the workplace,” said Prof. Indri.
At the inauguration event, Kyushu University Professor Prof. Akira Yasukouchi; Director of the Directorate of K3 Testing, Ministry of Manpower, Republic of Indonesia, Drs. M. Idham, M.KKK.; Inspector 1 of the Inspectorate General of the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower Dr. Agus Triyono, S.Si., M.Kes.; and Supervisor of Bachelor and Master Department of K3 FKM UI dr. Chandra Satrya, M.App.Sc.
Prof. Indri completed her undergraduate education at FKM UI in 1999. Still at the same campus, she continued her Master’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health in 2008. Furthermore, in 2012 she continued studying at Kyushu University and obtained a Doctor of Human Science Design degree. Some of her scientific works are entitled The Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Symptoms During Work From Home Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic (2021); The Prevalence of Bad Posture and Musculoskeletal Symptoms Originating From The Use of Gadgets as an Impact of The Work From Home Program of The University Community (2022); and The Relationship between the Activity Balance Confidence and Mobility Tests among Older Adults in Indonesia (2022).
