The Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Issues, Directorate for Occupational Health and Safety of the Republic of Serbia has organized in cooperation with social partners a competition for giving National awards in the field of occupational health and safety. The goal of the competition was to promote the field of OHS and to influence the awareness of employers and employees in order to constantly reduce the number of occupational accidents and professional illnesses. This year, the Plaque 28 April, was awarded to BWI affiliate the Autonomous Trade Union of Road Maintenance Workers of Serbia, SSPS, for all the years of achievements and work in this area.
The National awards were given for the contribution, results and achievements in the field of occupational health and safety to business entities, entrepreneurs, trade unions and individuals. SSPS has always emphasized health and safety of its members and of workers in general. In relation to this, during 2014 as well as in previous years, numerous activities were organized in order to improve this field and the position of workers.
With BWI financial assistance several seminars were organized in the field of OSH, and the special emphasis was in the position of workers body while working, because it was noticed that this is the area of OSH that no one is interested in. For this occasion a manual was created, entitled „Ergonomics“.
At the initiative of the union, the Ministry of Construction, Traffic and Infrastructure started a procedure for creating a list of business entities and other organisations in the activity of designing, construction and monitoring in the area of traffic infrastructure for creating a single record (the so called „black and white list“). The criteria were established for the creation of the preliminary list of business entities. Especially important criterion is the one indicating the frequency of occupational injuries, which on one hand represents punishment, and on the other, prize for employers who put a special emphasis on the measures of prevention and protection of its workers.
In December 2014, the union ratified a Sectoral Collective Agreement for the branch of road construction and maintenance of Serbia which further regulated relations in the field of occupational health and safety in this branch.
The union will continue to improve conditions in the field of occupational health and safety. Some activities have already started in relation to introduction of harmless or less dangerous paints for marking the roads in Serbia. Moreover, in cooperation with the Directorate for OSH the union agreed upon the training for the members of the OSH board representing trade union, who will receive their certificates upon passing the exam.