450 companies fined for lack of safety measures

TIRANA, Feb. 8 – The State Labour Inspectorate fined 449 companies a total of 62 million lek (620,000 USD) during the first nine months of 2010, almost three times as much compared to the same period in 2009, because of failing to provide safety and health measures at workplaces. The number of inspections also increased t0 10,920, up from 8277 in Jan-Sept. 2009.
Meanwhile, the number of work-related accidents slightly dropped to 83 accidents and 21 deaths compared to 85 accidents and 25 deaths in the first nine months of 2009.
The number of identified teens from 16 to 18 years old authorized to work increased to 297, up from 237 during the same period in 2009.
However, child labour remains a problem with hundreds of children seen on Tirana streets working as street vendors or forced to beg.
The State Labour Inspectorate has made available a 0800 11 99 toll-free number for employees to denounce illegal working practices.
The National Labour Council has proposed some changes to the country Labour Code improving safety and health regulations at workplaces and preventing discrimination to bring it closer to EU legislation following problems under the current law. The changes drafted with the assistance of international labour experts foresee the inclusion of ‘personal protective equipment at work’ in the contract employees have to sign with their employers. The new changes also foresee that employers must have risk assessment documents for their workplaces and the preventive measures when asked by labour inspectors. Some limits have also been proposed to noise levels.
Work-related accidents and diseases are a common phenomenon in Albania, especially in the construction industry where employees work without the minimum protection equipment and often in inappropriate conditions.
Under the changes approved by the National Labour Council (NLC), a consultative body composed of representatives from the Labour Ministry, labour and employer unions, discrimination based on sexual orientation or HIV/AIDS is banned in employment or vocational training. Another novelty of the draft law is than men will benefit up to three days of paid work when becoming fathers.
The new changes, which will be sent to government for approval, need a qualified majority of 84 votes to be turned into law, which the ruling coalition can not do on its own. Labour Minister Spiro Ksera, also the chairman of the NLC, called on partner organizations to lobby the opposition for the approval of such an important law.
However, the draft law is unlikely to be approved until a solution is found to the political stalemate between government and opposition over last year’s contested general elections. Government has not been able to approve a single important law needing qualified majority of votes since last year.