WHOILO Occupational Safety and Health profiles in South East Europe

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WHO-ILO Occupational Safety and Health
profiles in South East Europe

• Prof. Dr Jovanka Karadzinska-Bislimovska
• Institute of Occupational Health,
• WHO Collaborating Center,
• Skopje,
• Republic of Macedonia

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Current situation

• The levels of OSH risks at many workplaces in SEE
  are still unacceptable
• Traditional risks
• Newly emerging risks
• Economic restructuring ( informal sector, SME ,
  unemployment)
• The burden of diseases and disability and
  associated economic costs are high
• high rate of premature deaths
• 13 810 preventable cases of injuries
• 4 billion US (4 of GDP) economic losses
• There is need to strengthen countries capacities
  to deal with challenges in OSH
• Acquis communautaire
• Market economy and democracy
• Equity and social justice

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Current situation requirements and directions

• Adaptation of policies and systems to the new
  political and socio-economic conditions - Reforms
  and EU orientation
• Harmonization of laws with the requirements of
  the EU
• Social dialogue -government, employers
  organizations,
• trade unions, academic community,
  professional organizations, social insurance
  organizations
• Human recourses and existed infrastructure- key
  potentials
• Fundamental changes - managing OSH, establishment
  of modern OHS, promotion of modern, integrated
  labor inspection services, new mechanisms for
  social dialogue

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Improving Occupational Safety and Health in
South East Europe ? WHO ? ILO ? IOE ?
ETUC ?SP ISC

• The project aims at strengthening countries
  capacities to deal with OHS
• Stimulating social dialogue for setting up OHS
  policies, system and services in line with EU
  standards and practices
• Support for developing National strategy and
  legislation
• New models of OH Services and workplace democracy

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Methods-Activities

• Transfer of knowledge, know-how and experience in
  OSH policy, system and services from the
  established market economy to the SEE countries
• Stimulating national authorities to introduce new
  principles and forms in managing on OSH in the
  light of positive national traditions and
  experience
• Development of long-term East-West partnership
  and cooperation international support
• EC ? WHO ? EC ? ILO ? IOE ?ETUC
• WHO Input -Public Health perspectives in Workers
  Health
• Establishment of SEE Network in OSH

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Regional activities

• Establishment of a regional network on OSH in
  SEE, to include representatives of ministries,
  labor inspectorates, social insurance org. and
  representative organizations of employers and
  workers
• Regional meeting Occupational Safety and Health
  Policy and Legislation with the participation of
  government experts and representatives of
  employers and workers
• Establishment of partnerships
• - SEE and EU countries

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National activities

• Compiling tripartite national reports on OSH and
  social dialogue in countries
• Supporting the establishment of national
  mechanisms for social dialogue
• a) Training of government experts, as
  well experts from employers and workers
  organizations in modern organization and
  management of OHS
• b) Establishment, or re-vitalizing of
  national tripartite OSH councils
• Developing/updating national legislation on OSH
• Raising awareness of OSH and improving access to
  information
• Developing and piloting models for provision of
  occupational health services

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Project results-Expected outcomes

• Development of national strategies, programs and
  action plans for OSH
• Better development of social partners
  capabilities regarding OSH and social partnership
• Established and functioning tripartite structures
  on OSH
• Elaboration of training programs on OSH for
  trainers and social partners
• Improvement of OSH awareness
• Establishment of pilot occupational health
  services at different level

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Project management

• First phase
• ILO - lead in compiling the national OSH
  profiles, with input from the WHO, ETUC, IOE and
  the SEE Health Network
• Regional meeting - SP ISC
• Second phase
• International and national project teams
• WHO, ILO, ETUC, IOE - core technical support to
  the management of the project
• SP ISC Secretariat - regional cooperation and
  liaising with the relevant EU bodies

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Regional Meeting Strengthening social dialogue
for improving OSH in SEE 28-29 June, 2007,
BudapestPhase I July 2006 - February 2007

• Objective
• To assess the situation in each of the
  participating SEE countries with regards to the
  existing OSH policies, legislation and practice
• Activities
• Preparation and distribution of questionnaire
• Compilation of tripartite national reports on OSH
  and social dialogue

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• RESULTS Identification of needs and gaps
  and agreement on an approach and next steps
• Set the basis for establishing a regional
  network on OSH in SEE
• Provide a forum for discussion with relevant
  administrations on how to draft National Action
  Plans of OSH
• Provide a forum for discussion with the social
  partners to ensure strengthening of social
  dialogue

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Conclusions and Recommendations

• Transposition and ratification of international
  OSH standards
• Scope and content of modern OSH policy and
  strategies
• Mechanisms for social dialogue, strategic use of
  collective bargaining to promote OHS
• Restructuring of OHS ( BOHS Approach)
• Effective data collection and information
• Reform of occupational diseases and injuries
  insurance
• Revitalization of Labor Inspections

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Phase II 2007 - 2008

• To provide advice on upgrading OSH legislation
  and produce national action plans, as well as to
  further build the capacities of the social
  partners and the mechanisms for organization and
  management of OSH in line with EU and
  international standards
• Expected EU, ILO, WHO coordinated activities

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Actual steps

• Second Meeting of WHO SEE Network on Workers
  health, last week, Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Phase II of OHS in SEE project
• Build our own capacities !

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Key communicating message

• We wish to cooperate with NDPHS
• and learn from your experience
• SEE Network on Workers health
• Working together for Workers Health