1 Forum Healthy Life – Healthy Work 15 November 2007, Vilnius THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATION OF POLICY ON SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK INTO DIFFERENT SPHERES OF STATE POLICY Mr Valdas Rupšys Secretary of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour

2 The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy The forum „Healthy Life – Healthy Work“ of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Wellbeing annual conference takes opportunity to discuss: - the Community Strategy on Health and Safety at Work 2007– the importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy - it to be one of the most determinant factors in strengthening a risk prevention culture and improving of quality of work.

3 It is therefore very important to combine forces and seek that safety and health at work policy goes in line with:  EDUCATION AND TRAINING,  PUBLIC HEALTH,  EMPLOYMENT,  SOCIAL DIALOGUE,  PUBLIC PROCUREMENT. This should be a continuous and permanent process. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

4 The national policy of safety and health at work implement the Ministry of Social Security and Labour and the Ministry of Health. Through constant improvement of the legal, economic, and organisational system of safety and health at work, the conditions are created for:  retaining of productivity of workers,  reduction of accidents at work and occupational diseases, and  improvement of quality of work. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

5 Lithuania has developed a legal framework of safety and health at work in accordance with the European Union directives. The fundamental provisions of the EU Council Directive 89/391/EEC have been transposed into the Labour Code and the Law on Safety and Health at Work. The provisions of other EU directives have also been transposed into respective national legislation, which has been approved by orders of the Minister of Social Security and Labour, the Minister of Health or the Minister of Environment. CURRENT SITUATION The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

6 Lithuania favourably evaluates both:  the Commission Communiqué on the new Community Strategy on Health and Safety at Work 2007–2012 and  the Council Resolution regarding this issue. Basing on the EU Strategy on Health and Safety at Work, Lithuania is drafting the National Strategy for: - the creation of safe working environment, - strengthening of prevention culture, - improvement of working conditions, and - reduction of accidents at work and occupational diseases The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

7 The main goal of the National Strategy for 2008–2012 is to reduce the number of fatal accidents at work through the : - improvement of a legal, economic and organisational system of safety and health at work, which enables the creation of adequate working conditions for workers, and preservation of workers’ health and productivity. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

8 Strategy implementation measures also seek to improve:  the system of education, training and assessment, informing, and instruction of workers on the issues of safety and health at work;  to increase the effectiveness of workers’ health care prevention and  to improve the quality of workplaces. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

9 With a view to integrate SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK into EDUCATION AND TRAINING and properly implementing one of the goals of the Lithuanian Strategy on Health and Safety at Work for 2008–2012, A PROGRAMME ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING ASSESSMENT, INFORMING, AND INSTRUCTION OF WORKERS on the issues of safety and health at work is drafted. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

10 The relation between the SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK policy and the PUBLIC HEALTH policy is very important, thus, it is necessary that the initiatives relating to safety and health at work develop in parallel with the public health policy seeking to retain prevention of occupational diseases and productivity. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

11 In 2007, upon commission of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Institute of Labour and Social Research conducted a survey „Investigation of circumstances and causes of deaths at workplaces of non-work related diseases in 2005–2006, and preparation of recommendations how to avoid such cases“. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

12 The findings of the survey are the following:  the main identified diseases, which caused 81 percent of deaths at work in 2005–2006, were cardiovascular diseases;  there are problems with the quality of mandatory health surveillance. During 2005–2006, 151 deaths caused by diseases were recorded.  16 percent of deaths at work were the cases where workers did not have their health examined, although they were subject to mandatory health surveillance.  more than one-third (2005 year-39 and 2006 year-35 percent respectively) of workers died of disease at work within half a year after the last date of mandatory health surveillance. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

13 It could be stated that mandatory workers’ health surveillance is performed superficially. The conclusion could therefore be drawn that measures of reducing deaths at work caused by non- work related diseases should be directed to:  prevention of diseases,  early detection of symptoms, and  elimination of circumstances which influence deaths at work of diseases. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

14 Mandatory workers’ health surveillance should be:  performed in a specialised health care institution or centre  performed by different specialisation physicians who work permanently in the office and take part in medical examinations, including occupational medicine physician and, where necessary, a cardiologist  during a medical examination, a physician should check a worker’s general health status The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

15 It should also be noted that the system of occupational medicine has not yet been developed:  there are no specialised occupational medicine units in hospitals;  there are no measures for detecting initial occupational harm, and improving of quality of regular medical examinations,  there are no qualification upgrading courses for occupational health specialists;  the data in the National Register of Occupational Diseases is collected formally without analysing and using it for the prevention of occupational diseases. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

16 Results of the conducted a survey in 2007, upon commission of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Institute of Labour and Social Research „SURVEY OF THE NEED OF TRAINING OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE SPECIALISTS FOR INSTITUTIONS AND ENTERPRISES“ show what should be done in order that unsatisfactory situation and trends in this field change fundamentally The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

17 Lithuania pays constant attention to the improvement of safety and health at work:  on 7 June 2007 amendments to the Law on Safety and Health at Work and the Law on Supervision of Potentially Dangerous Equipment were adopted with the view of reducing the number of occupational accidents and occupational diseases  issues is also reflected in the Government Programme for 2006–2008 which provides for measures encouraging employers to create safe and healthy environment for their workers  preventive measures financed from the budget are implemented annually. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

18 Dependence of accident at work and occupational disease insurance contributions on workers’ safety and health in enterprises is further improved. In relation to this, a plan of measures encouraging employers to improve prevention of accidents at work and occupational diseases for 2007–2008 has been drafted. It provides for increasing social insurance contributions of accidents at work and occupational diseases for employers depending on the number of accidents at work and also depending on violations of legislation pertaining to safety and health at work. SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK will be further integrated in SOCIAL INSURANCE. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

19 SOCIAL DIALOGUE plays a very important role in the sphere of SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK. The key aim of participating in the social dialogue is:  to exchange information,  seek the balance of interests, and  shape social-economic policy which reflects the attitude and interests of all participants. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

20 The Commission for Safety and Health at Work under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour has been functioning since 1999, and it convenes monthly. It is one of the most effectively functioning social partner commissions. No legal act has been passed without its approval. The most relevant issues are dealt with in the Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania. The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

21 Safety and health at work issues should be solved not only at the interinstitutional level, but also at the level of cooperation between large scale and small and medium scale enterprises. It is particularly relevant in construction and transport sectors. It is rather important in organising public procurement to choose a service provider who takes care of occupational safety. In this way SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK issues may be integrated into PUBLIC PROCUREMENT The importance of integration of policy on safety and health at work into different spheres of state policy

22 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION I wish you constructive discussions! Mr Valdas Rupšys Secretary of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATION OF POLICY ON SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK INTO DIFFERENT SPHERES OF STATE POLICY