Public Health students at Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) of Indonesia and Thammasat University of Thailand conducted an international community service program. The program aimed to raise awareness and general knowledge concerning Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), allowing students to further prepare for their future careers as workforces with OSH awareness.

The program was initiated by faculty members of the Health Science Faculty at Udinus, including Ratih Pramitasari, S.K.M., M.P.H., Izzatul Alifah Sifai, S.K.M., M.P.H., and Aprianti, S.K.M., M.Kes. Not only that, the program also involved two Public Health students at Udinus, namely, Dea Garnita Puri and Dea Zevita. 

A variety of educational agendas and collaborations were conducted in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as several other online activities. In addition, Dr. Chalobon Treesak from Thammasat University of Thailand was also fully involved in this program.

Ratih Pramitasari, one of the program initiators from Udinus, explained that this program was hosted due to several problems faced by OSH education sectors in both countries. She also added that the collaboration also focused on comparing both documentation and practices of OSH in Indonesia and Thailand.

“The lack of formal initiative to exchange knowledge and promotion in regard to OSH were among many problems we must address in this collaboration program. We want our students to also see how OSH is practiced in both countries, instead of merely focusing on theory,” Ratih uttered on Friday, January 17, 2025.

The program began with an educational session at the Thammasat University in October 2024. The session featured two lecturers, two doctoral students, and four graduate students from Indonesia. They presented OSH issues in Indonesia, shared promotional materials, and discussed the best practices in implementing OSH.

The second session was conducted in November 2024, involving a total of 65 participants from Udinus and Thammasat University. On that occasion, Thai students shared experiences about the implementation of OSH in Thailand, allowing Indonesian students to garner new insight.

The program also revealed the similarities and differences in regulations and challenges in implementing OSH in both Thailand and Indonesia. In Thailand, OSH regulations are listed in the Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment Act with a focus on the construction, manufacturing, and agriculture sectors. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the OSH regulations are stated in Act No. 1 of 1970, serving as a fundamental law with the biggest challenges in the construction, mining, and manufacturing sectors.

Meanwhile, Izzatul explained that the community service program with the Thammasat University produced some outputs. These outputs encompass a scientific article published in an international journal, video documentation of the program uploaded on the Abdimasku YouTube Channel, and a reference book entitled Ergonomics and Media Development.

“This collaboration does not only strengthen students’ knowledge concerning OSH but also how different countries implement OSH,” Izzatul uttered.

The program was fully supported by the Research and Community Service Agency at Udinus and Thammasat University. It shows that it is crucial to tie international collaborations to resolve global problems, particularly in the work safety sector. (Humas Udinus/Alex. Foto: Dok. Humas FKes)