Galery

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Marina Nikolova

For the last two years over 200 labor accidents were registered in Greece, which ended with death and over 3 000 accidents ended with an employee being hurt. In Europe every three and a half minutes a person loses his or her life at work due to an accident. These are the tragic data presented at a congress for security at the workplace, which took place under the auspices of the Labor Ministry within the framework of the European campaign for Risk Assessment.

According to reports, the evaluation of the risk, prevention and information are the most important steps for avoiding accidents. The lack of employee auditors and the lack of an institution responsible for labor accidents, are the main problems, which are about to be solved.

In addition to the pension fund IKA, cost of accidents equals €1 billion, but if you begin to take preventive measures, employers and employees are aware of the dangers and how to avoid them, then the benefit will be for all said the representative of trade unions ADEDI Eleana Saka.

“We will be compassionate, because PASOK hasn’t been in power for the last nearly ten years. But you should know that next year we will be keeping track on what measures will be taken in order to improve work conditions,” said syndicate representatives.

“Our demands are to decrease the number of labor accidents by next year, auditor institutions to be implemented in the General Secretariat of the Ministry and to provide a budget, in order for them to be able to do their jobs, even though it will be best if they are regulated as an independent institution,” noted Andreas Kolas, responsible for topics connected with health and security of employees.

“More auditors and employees must be hired, because there is lack of workforce. For example the Patra services are also responsible for Corfu and the one in Rafina is responsible for Lesbos as well. Also, seminars need to take place on regular basis, on which employees will get informed about any new legislature. Also salaries muse be raised,” added Mr. Kolas by offering a creation of a Workplace Security Services, which will also research professional illnesses.

Based on 2002-2006 data the number of workplace deaths in the EU has decreased with 17% but the goal is to decrease it to 25% by 2012, by creating the necessary legislature, which will be applied in Greece by the Labor Auditor Services, said Ministry of Labor representative Andonios Hristodoulou. This strategy also includes plan and action aiming to help employees, who have become victims of labor accidents, to integrate back to their workplaces.

Minister of Labor Andreas Loverdos had to be present at the congress as well but he couldn’t be there because had to be in session with the Social Security Reforms commission, where he presented the basic structural changes offered by the Ministry.