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EARMARKED 28th APRIL – INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SAFETY
AND INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

SAFE JOB – GOOD JOB




Two million people lose their lives every year, due to an accident at work or as a result of some professional disease! According to the data of the International Labor Organization (ILO), this means 6000 deaths every day, namely, 1000 people leave their homes every day, go to work, and they never come back home to their families.

Branislav Canak, President of UBU “Nezavisnost” and a member of the Administrative Committee of ILO, highlighted, as ILO supporting statistics, the fact that one man lost his life every day, every 15 seconds, in the world. Concern of the states about these accidents is not satisfactory, according to ILO research, especially taking into account that about 80% of the accidents can be avoided by preventing them. The operations, competences and fines imposed by the inspection services in Serbia are tragic and comic at the same time. In contrast to this country, such things are sanctioned in the world in a rigorous manner. Canak stated an example of a foundry in the USA, where a worker lost his life. The company owner was immediately fined with $19 million, and the fine was pronounced by the US Federal Court, and proceedings are especially conducted against the director, who will be additionally fined. If something similar will occur in this country, I believe that the number of accidents will be drastically reduced relative to current statistics being at the level of war disasters. This is our problem, and smart people solve their problems by themselves, so for this reason, we have to act in a tripartite way and jointly improve the safety of our employees, said Canak at the end of his speech.

Dragan Matic, President of MWBU “Nezavisnost”, thinks that there is no safe job if we have irresponsibility and indiscipline at the same time. “Life as the greatest value, obtained by birth, cannot be expressed by money or anything else”. For this reason, all of us together: the State, Unions and Employers must make maximal efforts in creating safe conditions, so that we wouldn’t experience our jobs as stepping into a “mine field”. This has to be done, because of all employees and the young ones that will become employees one day.

The position of the National Council for Safety and Industrial Hygiene and the Occupational Safety Department of the Serbian Government was communicated by director Vera Bozic-Trefalt: “Our joint task is that social dialogue in this area is effective”. Relative to 2004, when there were 69 fatal injuries, the number of people who lost their lives was reduced to 42 in the last year, thanks to joint action in the area of civil engineering. An action is necessary in other areas too, especially in the metal industry, where an increase in the number of injured was recorded, even 250 serious injuries by the end of March, and in the course of last year there were 950 in total and almost 250.000 minor body injuries. I request from all of you to initiate solving problems in this area as soon as possible”.

The Secretary General of Serbian Employers’ Union, Marjan Zoric, says that, when the word is about death, there are no differences. The employer has the greatest obligation and responsibility for occupational safety, under the law, and the Employers’ Union takes this strictly into account. The awareness and conscience of some of our employers is not at an adequate level, especially of those who do not comply with their obligations under the law. Such employers are not “real employers”, says Zoric.

Mr. Mike Shuble, one of the managers of U.S. Steel Serbia, d.o.o., spoke about safety issue in the company.

“Our goal is to have zero fatal injuries at work. Unfortunately, many of our occupational safety procedures and rules are nothing else but history books. They were written in blood. It is very important to recognize and understand that all injuries can be prevented. Safety is the most important part of business in any industrial branch. I encourage all companies to become “champions of safety” and that they implement all good safety flows in their operations.

Mr. Mileta Gujanicic, President of “Nezavisnost” Union of USSS said the following associated with the quality of occupational safety: “Our employer didn’t want to resolve the employee problems with us through social dialogue which indicated that their safety and health were affected. The “Nezavisnost” Union initiated a peaceful democratic action in 2005 for a “better life in the factory”. The action was supported by 2467 employees and a majority of our requests was accepted. If you remember, we used to work in old, worn-out sneakers two years ago. Now we have appropriate protective clothes, but it can always be better”.
Mr. Mileta Gujanicic mentioned colleague Milos Vojinovic, who, while collecting his tools, after having finished his work, lost his life on the raceway of the Steel Shop on April 18 last year. At the end of this meeting, held in the premises of the Archives building in Smederevo, a short film on the action results, titled “FOR BETTER LIFE IN THE FACTORY” was projected.

 
     
 
 
 
 
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