Implementation Of Code Of Practice On Prevention And Management Of Hiv/Aids In The Workplace
The Code of Practice on the Prevention and Management of HIV/AIDS in the Workplace was prepared by the department in 2001 in collaboration with representatives from various government agencies, NGOs and international organization.
The purpose of this code of practice was to reduce the spread of HIV/ AIDS and assist employers and employees in managing issues related to HIV/AIDS in the workplace. In 2012, a total of seven workplaces adopted the HIV/AIDS Code of Practice. Processes in the implementation of the Code of Practice are as follows:
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Prepare a sound HIV/AIDS policy in the workplace. |
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Appoint a person-in-charge. |
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Conduct awareness programmes on prevention and control of the spread of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. |
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Provide relevant training to workers and the person-in-charge. |
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Implementation of the HIV/AIDS policy in the workplace. |
This programme is implemented to create a workplace with high level of awareness about the spread of HIV/AIDS and to reduce the risk of employees contracting the disease. In addition, the implementation of the Code of Practice by a workplace also makes its clients view the workplace in a positive light as they know that this workplace is problem free and does not practice discrimination against HIV/AIDS sufferers.
The HIV/AIDS issue in the workplace should be given more emphasis as the implementation of such a programme is expected to reduce the risk or potential loss of staff and skilled labour through prolonged illness, absenteeism and death and the attendant effects on productivity, job benefits, occupational safety and health (OSH), production costs, and workplace morale.
The Occupational Safety and Health Department represents the Ministry of Human Resources in the latter’s role as a committee member of the Country Coordinating Mechanism for the National Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS for 2011 – 2015. Under this plan, the Ministry of Human Resources is given the responsibility of ensuring that 30 workplaces implement the Code of Practice over a period of five years. In addition, being the focal point of HIV/AIDS in the workplace in this country, this department has been appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Working Group on HIV/AIDS in The Workplace in ASEAN for the term 2011 – 2013.
