May 5, 2025
JAKARTA – While artificial intelligence may help in improving occupational safety and health (OSH), the tech’s adoption in Indonesia may be hindered as the country is lagging on infrastructure and training, as well as the implementation of basic work safety standards.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) recently published a report that highlighted the potential of automation in enhancing workplace safety based on observation of the technology’s implementation in several countries.
According to the report, automation may partially replace nearly 75 million jobs globally, while augmenting 427 million jobs.
Among sectors reaping benefits from the technology was agriculture, where drones and cameras were used to apply pesticide and detect pests and other potential contaminations by hazardous materials. In health care, some countries already employed robots to assist in caring for patients, a practice that started during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United Nations body also highlighted the benefit of smart helmets worn by miners to detect hazardous gases and automatically supply oxygen for its wearers.
Read also: Prabowo pledges stronger worker protections, labor reform at May Day rally
During the report launching event in Jakarta on April 24, ILO Indonesia program officer Abdul Hakim highlighted automation’s potential to improve OSH through smart monitoring in plantations that can help reduce exposure to hazardous conditions and prevent injuries in dangerous jobs.
Aside from adopting the new technology, he also urged the government to sign and ratify the 1981 Occupational Safety and Health Convention that contains several proposals to improve the safety and health of the working environment.
“It will allow the government to develop policies, update regulatory frameworks related to OSH and strengthen risk assessments,” Abdul said.
Skill gaps
The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) welcomed the application of AI to boost productivity through simplifying training for the workforce in a more cost-effective way, deeming a win-win for both workers and business owners.
But the association’s OSH committee head Rima Melati expressed concerns that the technology’s adoption may lead to job losses.
“We cannot ignore that Indonesian human capital is still low [quality]. The government must focus on improving workers’ skills,” she said.
Skill gaps may hinder the implementation of AI in improving OSH among Indonesian workers, with workers not getting the necessary training and being provided infrastructure, according to Sulistri of the Federation of Food, Beverage, Tourism, Restaurant, Hotel and Tobacco Workers Unions.
Read also: Manpower Ministry blames trade policy for mass layoffs this year
She also noted that work safety standards had not been implemented well in high-risk informal sectors such as plantations, small-scale mining and daycare services, prompting calls for the government to pay more attention to contract and daily workers who are often excluded from various protections.
“Workers in oil palm plantations, for example, must buy their own personal protective equipment and tools, which are expensive. Daycare workers also face complicated procedures for managing OSH,” she said.
Sulastri called on all related parties to push for the implementation of policies to keep pace with technological advancements to “avoid being left behind”, highlighting the importance of “adapting to survive”.
Works ahead
The Manpower Ministry’s labor inspection and OSH development director general Fachrurozi acknowledged that the implementation of work safety standards remained uneven in the country, particularly with challenges in the informal sectors.
“At the micro level, workers lack the ability to comply with regulations, so we use the promotive and preventive approach, such as educating [on] the importance of OSH,” he said at the April 24 event.
He added that the ministry is working to respond to the technological advancements, with Manpower Minister Yassierli ordering to gather best practices on OSH applications in both formal and informal industries.
“So we can try to digitalize and standardize its implementation,” Fachrurozi said.
The Manpower Ministry has also established vocational training centers across the country, an effort to equip workers with the skills needed to reenter the labor market when they have lost their jobs.
Last year, the ministry issued its OSH program for 2024 to 2029 to reduce the number of work-related accidents and push for innovative technology related to work safety and health.
The program also acknowledged persistent challenges in implementing OSH challenges, including outdated legal frameworks, weak oversight, limited human resources and infrastructure, as well as an inadequate reporting system.
Calls have grown for the government and House of Representatives to revise the 1970 Occupational Safety Law.
The legislature is also expected to begin deliberation for an amendment to the 2003 Manpower Law soon, with the bill included in the 2025 National Legislative Program (Prolegnas) priority list.