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Occupational safety is a system for preserving the life, health and performance of employees in the course of their work. It includes legal, socio-economic, organizational, technical, sanitary-hygienic, treatment-and-prophylactic, rehabilitation and other measures.
Occupational safety issues will always be relevant. A huge number of people suffer and die from accidents at work. But experts believe that the data is always underestimated, and in some cases, companies hide injuries received by employees in order not to pay fines. According to the statistics of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Our Country is still the leader in the number of deaths at work, even among other CIS countries. The most dangerous working conditions are considered to be in industry and construction, followed by transport, agriculture and mining.
When is World Safety Day celebrated?
World Day for Safety at Work is celebrated every year 28 April. This day is not a day off.
history of the holiday
The first such event was held by unions and workers in the United States and Canada in 1989. Thus, they honored the memory of colleagues who died in the workplace. The problem turned out to be relevant for many countries. Ten years later, similar actions were held around the world, in more than a hundred countries.
In 2003, the International Labor Organization (ILO) proposed to celebrate this day officially. Today it is celebrated by 175 countries, including Our Country.
Holiday traditions
Occupational Safety Day is intended to draw the attention of the public and governments to problems related to accidents at work and occupational diseases, to labor safety and the fate of people injured or killed at work.
Every year the holiday is held under a certain slogan. Last year it sounded like “Optimization of labor protection and the future of this area.”
On this day, forums, round tables, exhibitions, conferences dedicated to topical problems of labor protection are held, reports of specialists, proposals on unresolved issues and rationalization of production are heard. Such events are held both in individual countries and at the global level with the participation of the ILO.
Lectures, practical classes, viewing of thematic videos are also organized in labor collectives and educational institutions.
Of course, events are held in memory of victims at work. Flowers are laid at the memorials of the dead workers (for example, miners).
In our country, all events are held as part of the annual All- week of labor protection.
The history of the emergence of labor protection in Our Country
For a long time in Our Country, as in other countries, labor protection was not given due attention. Only under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna a law was passed restricting labor activity at night in factories and plants.
Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov also spoke about labor protection at mining enterprises. The very organization of underground work, and measures for their safety, and even the clothing of workers, fell into his field of vision. Lomonosov also opposed the work of children in such factories.
But it wasn’t until 1818 that the Works Supervision Act was passed to improve the safety of factory workers.
In 1859, a special commission worked, which examined a number of industrial enterprises. Its results were disappointing: it was noted that the injury rate among workers is extremely high, and their working conditions are dangerous. As a result of work in order to solve this problem, a new document appeared – a code of rules for work.
In 1882, the work of children under the age of 12 was banned, and teenagers from 12 to 15 were allowed to work only during the day. The Institute of Factory Inspection also appeared, whose duties included monitoring safety requirements.
In 1899, a supreme control body appeared – the Main Presence for Factory and Mining Affairs. It was he who approved the first sanitary rules regarding work with hazardous substances – mercury, lead, chromium peak.
In 1918, harmful and dangerous industries and professions were identified.
Interesting Facts
- Returning from the front, veteran of the First World War Edward Bullard in 1919 came up with the first American helmet for workers (with wide brim). So the army helmet became the impetus for innovation in the field of industrial safety. Today, Bullard is one of the leaders in the North American market for personal protective equipment for firefighters.
- The appearance of the first European helmet is associated with the writer Franz Kafka. He worked for an insurance company and witnessed tragedies at work.
- The famous artist Vincent van Gogh was once removed from his position as a preacher because of the protection of the rights of miners. He not only read the Gospel, visited the sick and taught children, but also appealed to the management of mines with a request to improve their working conditions.
- Photographer Rocco Morabito won the Pulitzer Prize in 1968 for The Kiss of Life. On it, an American electrician makes artificial respiration to his friend, whose heart has stopped.
- Savva Morozov was a master of social policy at work. He managed to reduce the level of drunkenness among his workers through the theatre, educational lectures, a library and a football team.
- The use of orange jackets as overalls for roadworks was suggested by the author of the Black Square, Kazimir Malevich.
- Encyclopedic scientist Mikhail Lomonosov was also interested in labor protection issues. It was he who introduced the concept of ventilation and designed ventilation installations in mines.