Zero Injury - Organizational Practice and Role of Trade Unions

October 6-8, 2021, Minsk hosted the Republican meeting of public labor safety inspectors, organized by the Belorussian Chemistry Trade Union (BELHIMPROFSOYUZ), timed to the World Day for Decent Work - October 7.

The republican meeting brought together representatives of the petrochemical, gas and mining industries of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. The participants paid special attention to the issues of interaction between authorities and trade unions, the legislative framework, ensuring healthy and safe working conditions, collective contracts (agreements) on labor protection, the work practice of public labor safety inspectors, their powers and tasks that they perform in the implementation of the trade union activities, as well as discussion of problematic issues with representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus.

The official opening of the Republican meeting was attended by the Head of the Department for Protection and State Examination of Working Conditions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus Ivan Karchevsky, Deputy Federation of the Trade Unions of Belarus Vadim Grachev, Chairman of the Republican Committee of the Belkhimprofsoyuz Svetlana Klochok, Deputy Chairman of Belkhimprofsoyuz Valery Titov, Deputy Chairman of the Trade Union Belenergotopgaz Alexander Zhilko , Head of the Labor Protection and Industrial Safety Department of the Belneftekhim Concern Irakli Sulamanidze and other representatives of the federal authorities and trade unions of the Republic of Belarus.

The President of the ROGWU International Confederation Alexander Korchagin congratulated everyone on the beginning of the meeting via video message.

For three days, the participants of the Meeting interacted in the format of panel discussions, attended by the officials from government services and representatives of trade unions, including representatives of Russia and Uzbekistan. During these discussions, the participants shared their experience and best practices in solving problematic issues and interacting with authorities that are accepted in the country represented by a speaker.

The Republican Meeting of public labor protection inspectors has become a practical platform for the exchange of experience in terms of solving relevant concepts on labor protection and industrial safety, practices of interaction between trade unions and employers in exercising public control, the application of the Zero Injury Concept and organization of work at enterprises of public labor safety inspectors.

The Republican Meeting was attended by Konstantin Kovalev, chief technical labor inspector of the Trade Union, Head of the Occupational Safety and Health Department of the ROGWU.