Since the promulgation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act last year, the protection for occupational accident families has become more comprehensive. The Ministry of Labor also established COAPRE to serve occupational accident workers and their families, which has now reached its first anniversary. To care for occupational accident workers and their families, and to demonstrate the center's service capability, COAPRE will organize 2 occupational accident worker (and family) care and accident prevention carnivals in Taipei and Kaohsiung. These events, the first of their kind in the country, are specially held for occupational accident workers and their families. It is hoped to bring hope and warmth to occupational accident workers through these activities and encourage them to get back on their feet and re-embrace life.
 

The Taipei event was held on June 11 at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, and the Kaohsiung event took place on August 5 at The Pier-2 Art Center. Both locations featured friendly, lively, and fun-filled activities. Occupational accident workers and their families participated in various games, enjoyed delicious food and beverages, and experienced generous care and support from the community. On the event day, occupational accident workers and their families were invited to share their experiences and how they managed to embrace their future work and life with renewed perspectives. Their stories highlighted occupational accidents’ profound impact on individuals, their loved ones, and their daily lives. The event aimed to raise public awareness of the significance of occupational accidents, encouraging companies to step up their social responsibilities towards occupational safety, implement proactive preventive measures, and minimize the risk of occupational accidents for workers.
 

At the beginning of the event, the Minister of Labor and Chairman of COAPRE, Hsu Ming-Chun, Prof. Kuo Yu-Liang from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at National Taiwan University Hospital, and representatives of occupational accident workers pieced together the 3 main themes of occupational safety, “Confirm”, "Cooperate", and "Care", to form a heart shape that symbolizes the core concepts of the center's threefold protection: Confirm occupational safety, enhance cooperation with businesses, and continue to care for and accompany occupational accident workers, facilitating their return to work and resuming normal life as soon as possible.
 

Hsu Ming-Chun expressed that the carnival is Taiwan's first event specifically organized for occupational accident workers and their families. Since the promulgation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act last year, the Ministry of Labor has set up COAPRE to help workers in occupational injury and disease treatment and diagnosis and rehabilitation services, "hoping that the glossiness of the tragedy will vanish", allowing workers to return to work as soon as possible. At the same time, through the event, the aim is to offer an educational and fun experience, thereby encouraging more people to pay attention to the importance of occupational accident prevention.
 

Hsu Ming-Chun commented that the center has progressively taken on the responsibility of occupational accident prevention and rehabilitation, acting as a conduit between the public, businesses, and the government. On one hand, it strives to help businesses improve the culture of occupational safety and health, expedite the introduction of new technologies, and train professional talent. On the other hand, it will consolidate various resources to integrate labor health services, occupational injury and disease treatment, and occupational rehabilitation into a one-stop comprehensive service. In turn, it will transform the center into a professional think tank for businesses promoting high-quality work environments, thereby offering comprehensive protection for the safety and health of workers.
 

A major highlight of the carnival was the diverse booths dedicated to promoting occupational accident prevention, making it easier for the public to understand the importance of occupational safety. Activities included "Assembly and Disassembly Experts", "Occupational Safety VR Experience", and "Claw Machine Fun", which featured interactive games to convey messages on preventing occupational accidents. Besides narration by dedicated personnel, promotional materials on occupational safety and health research results were provided to the public, helping to raise greater awareness of occupational safety. Apart from promoting occupational accident prevention, the event also featured food trucks, entertaining balloon performances, and magical bubble shows. Workers could play interactive games to earn points that could be used to redeem food and beverages. Through the carnival’s relaxing atmosphere, the event tries to bring to public attention the importance of occupational accident prevention and rehabilitation.