New occupational safety and health plan aims to reduce accidents at work

The Slovakian government approved a Plan for Occupational Safety and Health for 2008–2012 in February 2008. It is based on the implementation of the European Union strategy 2007–2012 on health and safety at work, as well as drawing on conventions of the International Labour Organization. The plan outlines key priorities and measures, as well as the tasks of the social partners, aiming primarily to reduce the number of occupational accidents by 2012.

Adoption of occupational safety and health concept

The Plan for Occupational Safety and Health for 2008–2012 was approved by Resolution No. 114 of the Slovakian government on 20 February 2008. The plan is based on the Programme Declaration of the Slovakian government (SK0609019I), conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Social Charter. However, it is mainly inspired by the European Commission Communication Improving quality and productivity at work: Community strategy 2007–2012 on health and safety at work (COM(2007) 62 final (71Kb PDF)).

Putting the objectives defined in the Community strategy into a national context, it is vital to increase employers’ commitment to occupational safety and health (OSH) in Slovakia. Thus, it is necessary to secure feasible and effective activities supporting the enforcement of OSH requirements in the workplace. This initiative should primarily help to reduce the number of occupational accidents.

The plan takes into account the current situation regarding OSH and the economic conditions in Slovakia. It provides a set of measures aiming to gradually reduce the number of occupational accidents. In 2006, the indicator value for occupational accidents per 100 employees was 0.68 and the plan forecasts that this figure will decrease by 25% to a value of 0.51 by 2012. It is therefore assumed that, based on having the same number of employees in the economy, the number of occupational accidents will decline from 13,826 cases in 2006 to 10,373 accidents in 2012 – that is, an annual reduction of 4%–6%.

Sectors and workers most at risk

In order to increase the quality of working conditions and other OSH factors – and achieve a consequent decrease in the number of occupational accidents – employers must implement several efficient measures particularly in economic sectors and activities with a higher occurrence of damage to health in the workplace. From the point of view of occupational accidents, the most dangerous sectors to work in are: mining and quarrying, agriculture, forestry, construction, industrial manufacturing, wood processing and manufacture of wood products, metal production and metal products, manufacture of machinery and transport.

Furthermore, greater attention should be concentrated on specific employee groups who could be extensively exposed to risks, such as young employees, employees without sufficient knowledge and experience, older workers, migrants and people from a different cultural background.

Specific measures

The OSH plan stipulates the following basic priorities and measures for the support of employer activities:

• implementation of risk prevention – to support changes in the behaviour of employees and to implement programmes to facilitate employees and employers in socioeconomic terms, in order to increase OSH care and ensure consistent management of existing and potential risks;

• consultancy development – to secure the availability of external professional consultancy services. Efficient consultancy on the proper implementation of OSH should be provided by representative employee and employer organisations and state supervision authorities;

• information and publicity – through mass media, public information about the benefits of OSH knowledge, creation of a special website, promotional and information materials, and the organisation of seminars;

• education and training – to develop courses initially on safe behaviour in pre-school facilities. Education in all types of schools and the training of teachers in OSH education is envisaged;

• cooperation – to achieve a higher level of active cooperation between the social partners. The national cooperation of social partners at state, sectoral and regional levels should be encouraged, as well as international cooperation mainly through the participation of Slovakian representatives in international institutions;

• activities of institutions – to ensure an effective functioning of the institution coordinating OSH. State inspection and supervision bodies and institutions should create the proper conditions for an effective social dialogue;

• research – to develop plans for effective OSH research. A system of research coordination should be created and research results should be transferred into practice;

• creation of regulations – to secure the ratification of relevant ILO treaties. Draft legal regulations should be developed with the aim of increasing the OSH level in selected areas, identifying potential problems during the enforcement of regulations and proposing relevant measures.

Implementation and monitoring

In the above areas, the OSH plan formulates specific tasks for the representatives of ministries and other central management bodies. The Economic and Social Council (Hospodárska a sociálna rada, HSR SR) has adopted a joint declaration to support the implementation of the plan.

The Coordination Committee for OSH – with the involvement of experts from state authorities, social partners and representatives of educational and research institutions – assesses and evaluates the implementation of the adopted measures. In addition, the Slovakian government regularly checks whether the plan objectives are being fulfilled by means of an annual report prepared by the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (Ministerstvo práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny Slovenskej republiky, MPSVR SR).

Commentary

Implementing the measures and tasks defined in the plan will lead to better working conditions in Slovakia in terms of improving OSH management and reducing occupational damage to health in all types of enterprises, including among self-employed persons.

Hatina Teodor, Institute for Labour and Family Research