BWI affiliate SSSH reports 118 construction worker deaths in the last ten years.
Category Archives: 2023 Europe
Moldova: National Federation of Trade Unions of Moldova seminar on work safety and compensation
The National Federation of Trade Unions of Moldova organized the seminar “Evaluation of working conditions and establishment of compensation spheres for work performed in adverse conditions in Glodeni on Thursday, April 27, in Glodeni. The role of union representatives in avoiding work accidents.
The activity was attended by Galina Graur, the CNSM representative in the Glodeni district, Ion Cojocari, the President of the Glodeni District, Alexandru Pascari, the Chief Labor Inspectorate of the Unions.
The participants emphasized the importance of intensifying the collaboration between social partners at the local level in the field of prevention of occupational accidents.
Portugal: Sessão Comemorativa do Dia Internacional em Memória dos Trabalhadores Vítimas de Acidentes de Trabalho e Doenças Profissionais, intitulada “Vamos Agir em conjunto para atingir Zero Mortes no Trabalho até 2030”
No próximo dia 27 de abril 2023 a UGT irá realizar na sua Sede, Rua Vitorino Nemésio, nº 5, em Lisboa, a ter início pelas 14h30m, em formato híbrido, uma Sessão Comemorativa do Dia Internacional em Memória dos Trabalhadores Vítimas de Acidentes de Trabalho e Doenças Profissionais, intitulada “Vamos Agir em conjunto para atingir Zero Mortes no Trabalho até 2030”.
Neste Dia Internacional em Memória dos Trabalhadores, o movimento sindical alerta para o facto de quase 30.000 pessoas poderem perder a vida no trabalho, na UE, ao longo desta década, caso não sejam adotadas medidas para tornar os locais de trabalho mais seguros e saudáveis.
Prevê-se que em Portugal ocorrem mais 481 mortes no trabalho até 2030.
Como efeito, na última década, o número de acidentes mortais no local de trabalho diminuiu lentamente, embora o progresso esteja longe de ser constante, com as mortes a aumentar novamente em 2019, segundo dados do Eurostat.
Tendo em conta estas negras previsões, a Confederação Europeia de Sindicatos lançou um Manifesto para ZERO MORTES NO TRABALHO, que apela aos líderes europeus a cumprirem o prometido no que respeita a salvar a vida dos trabalhadores.
O Manifestó – assinado por ministros, eurodeputados, dirigentes sindicais e peritos em Saúde e Segurança no Trabalho – apelou a um aumento da formação em Saúde e Segurança no local de trabalho e a um aumento das inspeções e das sanções, como forma de eliminar as mortes no local de trabalho, até 2030.
Neste Dia Internacional em Memória dos Trabalhadores, lembramo-nos dos mortos e continuamos a LUTAR PELOS VIVOS!
PEDIMOS A MORTE ZERO NO TRABALHO.
Convidamos todos os interessados e interessadas a participar nesta Conferência, no formato presencial ou online (conforme considerarem mais conveniente).
Agradecemos a confirmação da sua presença para o seguinte endereço de email: maria.carmo@ugt.pt.
Publicada por Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho em 05:19
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Etiquetas: iniciativas Dep. SST
Germany: Workers‘ Memorial Day: Aufruf zu bundesweiter Schweigeminute – IG BAU
Am morgigen Freitag findet – wie an jedem 28.04. – der internationale Workers‘ Memorial Day statt. Damit wird an Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer erinnert, die durch ihre Arbeit erkrankt oder verstorben sind und einen Arbeitsunfall oder eine Berufskrankheit erlitten haben.
27.04.2023, von unserer Redaktion
Die Gewerkschaft IG BAU stellt ihre Aktivitäten zum Workers‘ Memorial Day in diesem Jahr unter das Motto „Unsichtbare Gefahren sichtbar machen“ und hat dabei insbesondere den Gefahrenstoff Asbest im Visier: Denn der sei nach wie vor weit verbreitet. So wohnen den Angaben zufolge 80 Prozent der deutschen Bevölkerung „in Häusern, bei denen die Gefahr besteht, dass sich darin noch der hochgiftige Baustoff befindet.“ Viele dieser Gebäude würden derzeit renoviert, saniert oder abgerissen. Und dabei entstünden Stäube, in denen winzige Asbestfasern schweben können und sich die – einmal eingeatmet – in der Lunge festsetzten, was zu gravierenden bleibenden Folgeschäden führen könne.
„Bauarbeiter*innen, die mit Asbest arbeiten, haben das fünffache Risiko, an Lungenkrebs zu erkranken, Raucherinnen und Raucher sogar das 50-fache Risiko. Jährlich sterben mehr als 1500 Beschäftigte an den Folgen des hochtoxischen Stoffes, die Dunkelziffer ist noch wesentlich höher. Deshalb ist allerhöchste Wachsamkeit geboten“, sagt IG BAU-Bundesvorstandmitglied, Carsten Burckhardt.
Die Gewerkschaft fordere daher auch die Einrichtung einer sog. Arbeitsinspektion: „Wir brauchen eine übergeordnete Behörde, die Kontrollen bündelt. Sie muss die Einhaltung von Arbeitnehmerrechten und Sozialvorschriften sicherstellen. Dazu gehört dann auch die Kontrolle des Arbeitsschutzes“, so Burckhardt. Eine derartige Instanz habe sich in anderen Ländern – etwa Frankreich und Spanien – bereits bewährt.
Für Freitag ruft die IG BAU daher alle Beschäftigten dazu auf, um 12 Uhr eine Gedenkminute für am Arbeitsplatz Erkrankte oder tödlich Verunglückte einzulegen – „ob im Betrieb, im Objekt, auf der Baustelle oder auch im Homeoffice“. Am Nachmittag findet in Duisburg zudem ein ökumenischer Gottesdienst mit muslimischer und jüdischer Beteiligung statt. Weitere Informationen sowie (Video-)Statements bietet eine speziellen Website zum Thema.
Auch die Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Integration, Arbeit und Soziales erinnert an den Gedenktag und weist in einer Mitteilung darauf hin, dass „Arbeit nach wie vor viele Beschäftigte krankmacht“. Das bewiesen auch „die stetig steigenden Anfragen an die Berliner Beratungsstelle Berufskrankheiten“. Deren Zahl sei von 169 Eingaben in 2021 auf 325 im Jahr 2022 angewachsen.
Laut Deutscher Gesetzlicher Unfallversicherung wurden den Unfallversicherungsträgern 2021 insgesamt 806.217 Arbeitsunfälle gemeldet, 510 davon waren tödlich.
Der Workers‘ Memorial Day geht zurück auf eine Initiative der kanadischen Gewerkschaft für Angestellte im öffentlichen Dienst (Canadian Union of Public Employees), die 1984 erstmals den bei der Arbeit verletzten und verstorbenen Kolleginnen und Kollegen gedachte.
Gibraltar: Organising for health and safety – a crucial part of union action
Worker’s Memorial Day commemorates, the hardship and loss that previous generations of workers have endured to make our workplaces a safer environment.
This year’s rallies to the call of “Organising for Health and Safety – a crucial part of union action”.
In many ways, workplace health and safety is no different from other issues that unions fight for, like better wages, benefits and respect. In fact, the ultimate measure of dignity and respect on the job is the degree to which workers are provided with a safe and healthy working environment.
It has been proved, that the most effective tool that we have in ensuring good health and safety at work is trade unions, because organised workplaces are safer workplaces. Unite the Union stands by its commitment to ensuring that its members’ right to a healthy and safe working environment are respected, to such effect Unite Gibraltar has through the years trained over 200 reps in Health and Safety.
Trained and experienced safety reps make a difference in the day to day occupational health and safety by: –
• Helping reduce injuries at work.
• Reducing the levels of ill-health caused by workplace exposure.
• Encourages reporting of safety concerns, injuries and near-misses.
• Making workers more confident that the safety concerns will be addressed.
• Helps develop a more positive safety culture within the organisation.
• Saves the economy many millions of pounds, from the direct and indirect cost of accidents and occupational ill-health.
Unite the Union will be this year campaigning for our Health and Safety laws to be policed and enforced throughout the ever growing private sector, in particular within the construction industry as the highest risk sector. Unite urges Government to support this campaign for the development of Health and Safety Reps within the Private Sector at large.
Unite will continue to make a call on this day and campaign towards:
• Health and Safety representatives to be recognised by employers.
• For employers to comply with law, ensured by strict Government enforcement and development of strong laws.
• Adequate Health and Safety workplace policies and for these to be respected.
• A Gibraltar Government Health and Safety organised structure, able to provide both guidance to industry/commerce as well as strict enforcement of our Health and safety laws where necessary.
• Appropriate welfare and rest facilities within the workplace.
Some advancement have been made since last year’s Workers Memorial Day, via the Health and Safety Advisory Council, namely the introduction of HM Government of Gibraltar’s Health and Safety Policy Part A – “A Managers Guide for Government Department” and Part B – “Organisation and Arrangements”. Having said this, we must reiterate the importance of the implementation of the contents of the policies, ensuring they become an occupational day to day reality.
Unite reminds the Gibraltar working community that all employees have rights which include: –
• To work in places where all the risks to your health and safety are properly controlled.
• Stop working and leave the area if you think you are in danger.
• Be consulted on matters related to your health and safety at work and be party to meaningful participation on the development of safety controls and risk reduction measures.
•Inform your employer about health and safety issues or concerns, through your Safety Representative or Union Rep.
•To be able to contact local Health and Safety Inspectorate and/or your union where you still have health and safety concerns, without getting into trouble with your employer.
In the memory of our forefathers we need to reinforce and honour their struggle to maintain and enhance workers right to a safe and healthy workplace.
Let’s us honour the dead and fight for the living.
Britain: Hazards Campaign reveals the tragic price of work hazards
Press Release for International Workers Memorial Day to remember people killed by work
For immediate release
On International Workers Memorial Day, Friday 28th April, workers globally will hold workplace and community events to remember work colleagues, who have died because of their work. Every year the Hazards Campaign produce ‘The Whole Story’ (1) which is an analysis of the occupational injuries, illness and deaths statistics.
In the last 12 months alone, it is estimated by the Hazards Campaign, that more than 53,000 people died because of work and this number doesn’t include the hundreds of workers who have died because of Covid infections they contracted in the workplace, because there is no obligation for employers to report them to the enforcement agency, or for them to be investigated or employers to be prosecuted.(1) and they not recorded.
The Hazards Campaign includes an estimate of the number of workers who have died from work-related suicide, which is estimated to be as high as 10% of all suicides. (2) Again, the employer is under no legal duty to report, or investigate these deaths and this estimate is based on numbers recorded in other countries where suicides are reportable. The Hazards Campaign believes there is a moral obligation to do this, and are campaigning for there to be a legal obligation for work-related suicides to be reportable, investigated and employers prosecuted if they are negligent.(3)
UK Hazards Campaign spokesperson Janet Newsham, said it’s shocking that worldwide, work kills a minimum of 2.9 million people every year.
She said: “Last year safe and healthy work was adopted as a fundamental right by the ILO. This means that occupational health and safety must be central to all work. This should also mean that our Government, employers and enforcement authorities must double their efforts to eradicate unsafe and unhealthy work activities. It should be no longer acceptable that work drives people to take their own life, or that workers are subjected to air pollution and other airborne viruses, toxic chemicals and hazardous substances, that will eventually kill them. It should mean that these are not an optional extra but are fundamental to safe and healthy work.’
‘No-one should lose their life for just going out to work to earn a living. Too many people die because of their work activities. On International Workers Memorial Day we will remember all those who have died because of work, we will wear purple ribbons in their memory, we will tell their stories(2), and try to hold those responsible for their deaths are held to account. We don’t want to hear about lessons learnt, that means that someone else has died. We need all work to be safe and healthy, preventing deaths, diseases and injuries and on April 28th we will ‘Remember the dead and Fight for the Living!’’
Note to editors:
More details on the theme can be found here:
- The whole story: https://sway.office.com/0SEVenHS9yTFFJqs?ref=Link
- Families against corporate killers 2023 statement: https://www.hazardscampaign.org.uk/blog/uk-fack-statement-international-workers-memorial-day-28-april-2023
- Suicide:
- Further information:
For more details please contact Janet Newsham on 07734 317158.
Turkey: Construction unions are pressing to realise the right of safety and health at work
BWI affiliates Yol-Is and Tarim Orman are organising a 28 April meeting dedicated to workers safety and health as fundamental human right.
Scotland: 28 April events throughout Scotland
Events throughout Scotland – STUC listing
Aberdeen, Persley Walled Garden, Bridge of Don, Friday 28th April, 12.30pm for 1.00pm
Alexandria, Tree, Christie Park Memorial, Saturday 22nd April, 1.00pm
Alloa, Workers Memorial adjacent to Clackmannanshire Council Headquarters, Friday 28th April, 10.30am
Bathgate, Workers Memorial, Bathgate Sports Centre, Torpichen Road, Friday 28th April, 12.30pm
Bonnyrigg, Michael McGahey Memorial, George V Park, Bonnyrigg, Friday 28th April, 12.30pm
Coatbridge, Summerlee Industrial Museum, Heritage Way, Coatbridge, Friday 28th April, 12 noon
Dundee, Memorial Tree, adjacent to Discovery Point, Riverside Drive, Friday 28th April, 12 noon
Edinburgh, Memorial and Tree, West Princes Street Gardens , Friday 28th April, 12.30pm Falkirk, Callendar Riggs Saturday 29th April
Glasgow, Workers Memorial, People’s Palace/ Winter Gardens, Glasgow Green, Friday 28th April, 12 noon
Greenock, Grand Hall, Inverclyde Council HQ followed by wreath laying in Clyde Square, Friday 28th April, 11.45
Hamilton, Townhouse, Beckford Street, Friday 28th April, 11.45
Inverness, Workers Memorial Friar’s Shott/Huntly Street, Inverness, Friday 28th April, 12.30pm
Irvine, Memorial Garden, Kilwinning Road, Thursday 27th April, 6.30pm
Kilmarnock, Memorial Tree, Dean Country Park, Saturday 29th April, 10.45am
Kirkcaldy, Memorial Tree, Beveridge Park, Friday 28th April, 11.00am
Paisley, Workers Memorial , Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Friday 28th April, 12 noon
Renfrew, Workers Memorial Cairn, Robertson Park, Paisley Road, Friday 28th April, 11.00am
Stirling, International Workers Memorial Tree, Old Viewforth, Pitt Terrace, 10.30am at the tree
UK: Strike Day rallies to commemorate International Workers’ Memorial Day
Strike Day rallies to commemorate International Workers’ Memorial Day
Civil service union PCS is holding its third day of national strike action across Britain on 28 April, which coincides with International Workers Memorial Day. The union says:
International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) is an annual event when labour and trade union movement members from across the world come together to remember those that have lost their lives at work, and to renew our commitment to fight for the living and make work safe.
PCS is organising events across the UK to follow the morning picket lines.
There will be a rally in central London at Whitehall (opposite Downing Street, SW1A 2AT) at noon, with speeches from PCS deputy president, Martin Cavanagh, as well as striking PCS members. It is expected that the rally will also be addressed by prominent Labour MPs and general secretaries from other unions. There will also be a silence to mark #IWMD23.
In Durham, local strikers are asked to meet at the HMPO Durham picket line (Freeman’s Place, Durham DH1 1SL) from 10:00am. A short march will leave from there at 11:15am to the Market Square (DH1 3NJ) for a strike rally at noon. The Durham rally will be addressed by PCS president, Fran Heathcote, as well as a range of other speakers, including Mary Foy MP. The Durham rally will also include a silence to mark IWMD.
There are also plans for post-picket line gatherings in Bristol and Liverpool, with speakers and refreshments for striking PCS members. You can find details of these and other events happening near you on the events pages of the PCS website.
Britain: Safety reps make schools safer
On International Workers Memorial Day, UK teaching union NEU says it will “celebrate the difference NEU health and safety reps can make in keeping staff and pupils safe.”
Link to the NEU 28 April poster
