SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO

Abstract

Safety and health at work is a complex process for improving the working
conditions and working environment, prevention of injuries, occupational diseases
and work-related diseases and the protection and promotion of workers' health.
Safety and health at work are integral parts of work process and in general
are key elements of the quality of work.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), every day, 6300
persons lose life as a result of accidents at work or occupational diseases related to
work conditions and environment. Who represent 2. 3 million fatal cases during the
year. For one year 317 million accidents occur while work performing. Most of
these cases occur as a result of prolonged working hours. The price of these
expenses is very high, which gets impaired with 4%, from Gross domestic product.
Safety and health conditions at work, differ very much between the states,
economic sectors and social groups. Accidents and fatal accidents with death
consequences at work, specially are expressed in the sector of agriculture, fishing
and mining industry. In the global frame, the poor population is the group that is
the most exposed to these fatalities ( in lots of cases children, women and
emigrants).
Safety and health at work in the Republic of Kosovo, considering the recent
past of this country, the situation in this field is not very appropriate and with a low
level of health and safety preventive measures. Although here is no
institutionalized form of records related to accidents at work and occupational
diseases, but according to the annual report of Labour Inspectorate of the Republic
of Kosovo, in 2012 there were 16 serious injuries resulting in death, from which the
largest number occurred in the construction industry. But this number is
questionable, while the number of occupational there is no data available.