Law on Occupational Safety – Problems of Implementation in High-risk Fields, Construction, Industry and Agriculture

The Law on Occupational Health an Safety was adopted in Serbia back in 2005. A new one is expected to be adopted soon, having passed the procedure at the Government and been sent to the National Assembly to adopt.

The stipulations of the Law on Occupational Health and Safety list the workplace conditions which, to the greatest possible extent, reduce the possibility of workplace injury and occupational diseases and which, as such, create the foundation for a full physical, psychological and social well-being of the employees, the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy says for eKapija.

– When we analyze this field, the conclusion is that the problems with carrying out the measures of occupational health and safety exist in high-risk activities, construction, industry and agriculture, in small and micro business entities. The most common irregularities are unsafe work at heights and on improperly assembled scaffolding; failure to use proscribed personal protection products and equipment, primarily protective helmets and belts; working in improperly secured excavated areas; failure to implement the basic principles of organization of works; not complying with the proscribed and defined work process; improper cooperation (coordination) of participants in the work process; improper handling of the equipment; lack of qualification of the employees for safe and healthy work activities; incomplete adherence to occupational health and safety measures at work sites – the ministry says.

A total of 90% of the employers have adopted a plan of implementation of measures for the prevention of occurrence and spreading of the infectious disease epidemic.

The Rulebook on preventive measures for safe and healthy operations for the prevention of occurrence and spreading of the infectious disease epidemic is mostly implemented through the adoption of measure application plans.

In line with the proscribed preventive measures, the employers` plans should define the measures of prevention before the infection occurs and the manner of conduct in case the infection occurs.

– Through inspection supervision, it was determined that 90% of the total number of the supervised employers comply with the measures and that they have adopted plans of implementation of measures for prevention of occurrence and spreading of the infectious diseases epidemic – claims the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy.

How does the Rulebook treat working from home?

The Rulebook on preventive measures for safe and healthy operations for the prevention of occurrence and spreading of the infectious disease epidemic does not apply to workplaces where the work is done in the field or to remote work. In these cases, the employees are personally responsible for their workplace health and safety and should follow the recommendations of the crisis response team and the epidemiologists – the ministry explains.

Aleksandra Kekic

Ministarstvo za rad, zapošljavanje, boračka i socijalna pitanja Republike Srbije

Međunarodna organizacija rada Beograd

Ministry of Labor Employment Veteran and Social Policy

International Labor Organization

Law on Occupational Health and Safety

occupational safety

occupational health high risk activities

construction

industry

agriculture

unsafe work at heights

improperly assembled scaffolding

protective helmets

protective belts

improperly secured excavated sites

Rulebook on preventive measures for safe and healthy operations for the prevention of occurrence and spreading of the infectious disease epidemic

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