Indonesia's work safety (K3) law, explained

Who the law applies to

Law No. 1 of 1970 covers every workplace on land, underground, on or under water, or in the air within Indonesian jurisdiction (Article 2(1)). Article 2(2) lists the kinds of work and hazards that make a place a workplace for the purposes of the law, such as dangerous machinery, hazardous materials, and construction or demolition work. The law is still in force; Kemnaker's legal database lists no amending or revoking regulation.

Duties of the workplace manager (pengurus)

The pengurus is the person who directly leads a workplace or an independent part of one (Article 1). Their duties include:

• Health checks (Article 8): check workers' health before hiring or transferring them, and periodically after that.
• Induction and training (Article 9): explain the hazards, safeguards, PPE and safe ways of working to every new worker before they start, and train all workers in accident prevention, firefighting and first aid.
• Accident reporting (Article 11): report every workplace accident to the official appointed by the Minister.
• Posting and PPE (Article 14): display the safety requirements, the law and its regulations, along with safety pictures and posters, and provide all required PPE free of charge (secara cuma-cuma).

Workers' rights and duties

• Duties (Article 12): give true information to inspectors and K3 experts, wear the required PPE, and follow the safety requirements.
• Rights (Article 12): ask the pengurus to apply the safety requirements, and object to work where the safety conditions or PPE are in doubt.
• Visitors (Article 13): anyone entering a workplace must follow its safety instructions and wear the required PPE.

SMK3: the K3 management system

Government Regulation No. 50 of 2012 (PP 50/2012 tentang Penerapan SMK3) requires every company that employs at least 100 workers, or that has a high hazard potential, to implement an SMK3 (Article 5(2)). It has five elements (Article 6(1)):

1. a K3 policy;
2. K3 planning;
3. implementing the K3 plan;
4. monitoring and evaluating K3 performance;
5. reviewing and improving SMK3 performance.

Companies are assessed by an independent audit body appointed by the Minister, and high-hazard companies (the regulation's explanation gives mining and oil and gas as examples) must be assessed (Article 16). Audits run at three levels: initial (64 criteria), transition (122) and advanced (166). Scores of 85 to 100% are rated satisfactory, 60 to 84% good, and below 60% poor.

P2K3 safety committees

Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 13 of 2025 on the K3 committee (Panitia Pembina Keselamatan dan Kesehatan Kerja, P2K3) took effect on 19 November 2025 and replaced PER.04/MEN/1987.

• Who needs one (Article 3): employers or managers of workplaces with 100 or more workers, or with a high risk level, as defined by the business licensing rules.
• Members: chaired by top management, with a certified K3 expert (Ahli K3) as secretary (Article 5), and balanced representation: at least 3 employer and 3 worker members for high-risk workplaces with up to 100 workers, and at least 6 and 6 for workplaces with 100 or more (Article 6).
• Approval and reporting: the head of the provincial labour office approves the committee (Article 7), and it reports its activities electronically every 6 months to the provincial labour office, with a copy to the Minister (Article 11).

Reporting work accidents

Working at height

Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 9 of 2016 covers K3 for work at height. It defines work at height as any work where there is a difference in height and a potential to fall that could cause injury, death or property damage, with no minimum height. Its requirements cover planning, work procedures, safe work techniques, PPE with fall protection and anchors, and workers. Employers must use workers who are competent (with a competency certificate) and authorised (with a K3 licence issued by the Director General, valid for 5 years). See the working at height hub for the rules in Singapore and Malaysia too.

Penalties

Law No. 1 of 1970 allows its implementing regulations to impose up to 3 months' detention or a fine of up to Rp 100,000, classed as a misdemeanour (Article 15). The amount has not been officially updated in the law itself. Other laws and regulations, such as those on manpower and social security, carry their own sanctions.

Quick check for your site

• New workers inducted on hazards, PPE and safe methods before they start; all workers trained in accident prevention, firefighting and first aid.
• Pre-employment and periodic health checks in place.
• Safety requirements and posters displayed; required PPE provided free of charge.
• SMK3 in place, and a P2K3 committee approved by the provincial labour office, if you have 100 or more workers or a high hazard potential.
• Everyone knows the 2 × 24-hour accident reporting route to the labour office and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan.
• Workers at height hold the competency certificate and K3 licence required for their level.

Sources

1. Law No. 1 of 1970 on Work Safety and full text (Indonesian), JDIH Kemnaker.
2. Government Regulation No. 50 of 2012 on SMK3 (Indonesian).
3. Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 13 of 2025 on P2K3, JDIH Kemnaker.
4. Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 1 of 2025 (accident reporting), JDIH Kemnaker.
5. Minister of Manpower Regulation No. 9 of 2016 on K3 for work at height, JDIH Kemnaker.
6. Minister of Manpower Regulation PER.02/MEN/1992 on K3 experts, JDIH Kemnaker.

This is practical guidance, not legal advice. English descriptions of the law are our plain-language summaries of the official Indonesian text; the official Indonesian text prevails. Check the current official text and your site's own procedures.