95th session of International Labour Conference begins
14 Jun '06
3 min read
When Kazakhstan became an independent state in 1991, an important part of the country's labour force moved from the state to the private sector, from industry to services and from rural to urban areas.
Working conditions deteriorated drastically and many of the thousands of victims of accidents and work-related diseases did not even receive compensation because of the bankruptcy of enterprises, or because these enterprises had already moved into the fast-growing informal economy where people work without proper labour contracts or social protection. This made it also difficult to assess the real number of occupational accidents and diseases.
Another serious problem was the growing gap between the reality at work and an outdated labour legislation, which did not reflect adequately the new relationship between workers, employers and the state and, therefore, did not contribute to the development of a sustainable economy and safe working conditions.
The Republic of Kazakhstan, however, took a comprehensive and sustainable approach to the problem by revising old and adopting new national legislation. From 1999 to 2004, a group of laws was adopted, including a civil code and employment and labour laws, as well as a law on OSH and social partnership.
The Law on Occupational Safety and Health merits special attention. It defines responsibilities of employers and workers in the sphere of OSH, establishes state control over compliance with the OSHlegislation and determines procedures for OSH management.
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