STATEMENT
of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia
in connection with the World Day for Safety and Health at Work
International Labour Organization (ILO), regarding the provision of occupational safety and health of workers as one of the main priorities of its activity, announced April 28 as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work which has been celebrated since 2003 in more than hundred countries around the world. The motto of the day is - the spread of healthy and safe work culture.
According to the Labor Code of the Republic of Armenia the employer must provide safety and health at work. However, some employers are not willing to invest sufficient resources in the creation of safe working conditions. As a result, the number of accidents in the workplace continues to grow. In 2015 25 accidents at work were reported, 5 of which – with death. Of the registered disabled people 2101 became disabled as a result of an accident at work, and 278 people - as a result of occupational disease.
The issue of compensation payment for 800 employees who suffered at plants eliminated after August 2004 has not been solved yet. The system of compulsory social insurance against accidents at work and occupational diseases has not been introduced yet either.
State supervision and control over the implementation of the Labour Code and other normative and legal acts containing norms of labor law, the implementation of the terms of collective agreements must be carried out by the public authority in the person of the State Inspectorate, which by the decision of the RA Government from 2013 and by merging with the service of the RA Ministry of Health unit of sanitary and epidemiological surveillance was reorganized as a separate entity and became known as the State Inspectorate of Health. In fact by this decision the activities of the State Labour Inspectorate as an separate structure was suspended.
Today our country has a large number of problems related to occupational safety and health issues, and they require immediate solutions.
Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia believes that the state policy in the field of safety and health protection of workers must be designed to ensure healthy and safe working conditions, the preservation of life and abilities of workers. Ensuring the legislation in every spheres of production should be the norm for every employer, and the lack of state occupational safety and health strategy allows some employers to avoid responsibility for occupational health and workers' health.
Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia
Chairman Eduard Tumasyan
