The Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on workplace safety — what it provides for

The Verkhovna Rada adopted on second reading a bill that brings Ukrainian legislation closer to European standards and reforms the national occupational safety and health management system. UNN reports this, citing a parliamentary session.

Details

Bill No. 10147, “On the Safety and Health of Workers at Work,” was supported on second reading and as a whole by 246 members of parliament.

Under the bill, guarantees, benefits and compensations may be established for employees engaged in work under conditions of increased danger and/or involving harmful occupational factors, including, but not limited to, free provision of therapeutic and preventive nutrition and water, paid breaks when maximum permissible temperature levels are exceeded, reduced working hours, additional paid leave, preferential pension benefits, and remuneration at an increased rate.

The bill establishes an obligation for employers to keep records of all incidents, determine the causes of their occurrence, and document information about them.

The procedure for recording incidents is determined by the employer, taking into account the model regulation approved by the Ministry of Health and the State Service of Ukraine on Labour.

The employer must also report the occurrence of accidents, occupational diseases and emergencies, keep records of them, investigate them, and provide information on the results of such investigations.

Information on occupational diseases is entered into the electronic epidemiological surveillance system and transferred to Ukraine’s public health information platform.

The Verkhovna Rada said that this bill is a “European integration” bill and provides for the introduction in Ukraine of a new system for preventing occupational risks based on the principles of risk assessment, control and management defined by Council Directive No. 89/391/EEC.

Previously

The Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution that relieved the State Service of Ukraine on Labour of functions not inherent to it. Instead, the State Labour Service will focus more on people’s safety at work, compliance with labour rights, and supporting fair rules in the labour market.