Construction action reveals violations in Kosovo: Close 50 shipyards, dozens of companies to court

The Ministry of Labor's extensive action, in co-operation with the Central Labour Inspectorate, is continuing at an increased pace in the construction sector, following increased cases of accidents and deaths in the workplace.

During only the first 48 hours of reporting, published results point to a state of concern in many construction facilities in Kosovo.

According to official data, a total of 110 workplaces have been inspected, while in 50 of them a decision has been made to halt the work immediately due to the consistent violations in terms of security and health at work.

Also, during this period 33 remarks have been pronounced against various subjects.

The Central Labour Inspectorate has made it known that the action is focusing on high risk sectors, while at this stage the main attention is focused on construction, which is considered among the most problematic on working conditions and the number of fatal accidents.

The latest report says that 41 new inspections have been conducted only on the sixth day of action, all in the construction sector. Of these checks, 16 cases have been concluded by decision to stop the work.

According to regional division, two bans have been pronounced in Pec, 11 in Prizren and three in Pristina.

On the same day, inspectors have voiced 13 remarks against companies where irregularities have been found that require immediate improvement, while in 13 other cases no need for any penalty measure has been found.

Meanwhile, in eight cases the continuation of the works has been allowed, as conditions have been deemed acceptable, while in 12 cases subjects have eliminated recorded irregularities during the search and improved security conditions.

The inspector has explained that the column in which the number of construction bans automatically implies the number of requests for counter-injury to be prosecuted against respective companies.

It is announced that at the end of the action, all subjects that have resulted in bans on the works will be automatically prosecuted in the Court of Anti-Wrath, in accordance with repeated violations during inspections.

The screening phase, which will take place during the following days under the deadlines set by responsible inspectors, has also been warned.

The resumption process will be carried out in the following days of action according to the timetable set by inspectors for elimination of irregularities. Elemination of irregularities implies the process when the inspected subject has taken action to improve Sshp's situation. ”, said in notification.

According to the Inspectorate's explanation, eliminating irregularities implies cases where the inspection subject has taken concrete action to improve security and health at work.

As for the distribution of inspections in the country's main municipalities, the report shows that in Pristina 12 countries have been inspected, at Fushe Kosovo 10, at Ferizaj 13, in Gjilan 12, in Mitrovica 13, in Lipjan 12, at Podujevo 11, in Drinas 11 and in Gjakova 16.

The situation in this sector has also reacted to the chairman of the Independent Kosovo Private Sector Union, Yusuf Azemi, who has estimated that the lack of vigilance and carelessness of construction company owners remain among the main reasons for deaths in the workplace.

According to him, problems are related not only to the lack of technical conditions but also to the soft penalties pronounced against companies that violate safety regulations.

Azem has stated that even sentences from courts and inspectors are too light and do not create preventative effects.

He has stressed that when a worker loses his life in the workplace, the owner or manager of the company is often forbidden for only 48 hours and then released, which he does not according to the seriousness of the consequences.

Even courts and inspectors' sentences are so soft that you can't guess. When we see a worker die at his place of employment, a company owner or manager can be held for 48 hours at the police station and then free. I think the Central Labour Inspectorate should be equipped with more job inspectors, inspectors who can apply the Law on Security and Health in the first place. In the second row, be more vigilant, and the cases they see dangerously should close up by a certain time”, Azemi stressed.

The union head has demanded that the Central Labour Inspectorate be equipped with more professional inspectors, trained for implementing the Law on Safety and Health at Work.

He has also demanded that high - risk cases be closed immediately until the full elimination of risks.

According to Azem, about 70 percent of the country's job deaths come from the construction sector, while the average age of victims is only 38.

According to him, if the Law on Safety and Health at Work is respected, many of these tragic cases can be avoided and the number of accidents will drop significantly.

The event, launched earlier this week, will last a total of 15 days and extend to seven Kosovo regions, aimed at identifying violations, improving working conditions and preventing fatal new cases in the country. /Periscope