US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE480

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NCE AND EUR/ERA 
STATE PASS DOL FOR BRUMFIELD, GRAY AND FRODYMA 
 
E.O.  12958:   N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, EZ, EUN 
SUBJECT:  CZECH REPUBLIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH 
INFORMATION 
 
REF:  STATE 32323 
 
1.  The following information relates to the questions e- 
mailed to post in conjunction with reftel. 
 
CONTACT NAME IN COUNTRY: Mr. Zdenek Cais, Specialist, 
Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of 
Labor and Social Affairs.  PHONE: 420-221-922-460. E-MAIL: 
zdenek.cais@mpsv.cz 
 
2.  CURRENT LABOR ISSUES AND PRIORITIES: Czech regulations 
on safety and health are contained in the Labor Code, law 
no. 65/1965, in particular its Articles 142, 141a, 128, 168, 
167, 192 166, 74, 205d and 233, and its later amendments. 
Czech laws should now be in accord with EU requirements. 
 
3.  The government recognizes a need for improvement in 
occupational health and safety.  Its National Action Program 
for Health and Safety at Work for 2004-2006, based on the 
European New Community Strategy on Health and Safety at Work 
for 2002-2006, states as priorities: 
 
-  identify effective economic and other tools to make 
employers better implement occupational safety legislation 
and measures, 
 
-  introduce legal regulations regarding accident insurance 
in the field of occupational safety, 
 
-  increase awareness of employers about accident prevention 
and motivate them to improve safety measures, 
 
-  improve cooperation between all agencies responsible for 
supervision in the field of occupational safety and health 
at work, including the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of 
Health, Czech Office of Occupational Safety, the State 
Health Care Supervisory Office and others so as to create a 
united approach to enforcement of the legislation. 
 
4.  ENFORCEMENT AND PRIORITIES: Every employer, by law, must 
provide maximum protection to its workers.  The law on 
Protection of Public Health, no. 258/2000, fully harmonizes 
Czech legislation with EU norms.  It sets forth categories 
of work that are dangerous or risky as well as the duty of 
employers to protect their workers best, e.g. regularly 
measuring levels of dangerous substances and informing the 
local authorities about the nature of production. 
 
5. Employers are required by law to pay for accident 
insurance.  All legally employed workers are compensated in 
case of an occupational injury or illness.  Additionally, 
every legal employee and his employer contribute to health 
and social insurance that covers medical bills and 
prescriptions. 
 
6.  CONFERENCE TOPICS: GLOBAL MANAGEMENT OF CHEMICALS: Law 
no. 258/2000 on Public Health Protection regulates handling 
of dangerous substances including chemicals.  Companies have 
a duty to report to the local State Health Care Supervisory 
Office all facts relating to production, handling, imports 
etc. of chemicals, and all safety measures introduced. 
 
7.  The Czech Republic has not yet adopted the Globally 
Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of 
Chemicals.  Like all EU countries, it must do so by 2008. 
 
8.  IMMIGRANT WORKERS SAFETY AND HEALTH: As of December 31, 
2003, 250,000 immigrants (2.3% of the population) lived in 
the Czech Republic, of whom 162,761 (68%) were working. 
Legally employed immigrant workers enjoy the same protection 
as Czech nationals. 
 
9.  CONTRACTOR SAFETY: Temporary workers enjoy the same 
protection as permanent employees.  Employers are 
responsible for having safety measures in place as well as 
providing any special training the job requires.  By law, 
the user is responsible for safety of contract workers, that 
is, employees of an agency or company contracted to do a job 
for another entity.  When more than one employer is on the 
work site they all have responsibility for training workers 
and must inform each other in writing about risks involved 
at work (Labor Code Article 38b para 1, Article 233 para 2a, 
Article 132 para 4). 
 
10. BEST PRACTICES IN SAFETY AND HEALTH AT THE CORPORATE 
LEVEL: According to the National Action Program some 
companies do not appreciate the importance of occupational 
safety and health protection, preferring their immediate 
commercial interests.  The government in its Action Program 
intends to change this by introducing some incentives to 
make companies improve their performance in this regard. 
The Council for Protection of Health at Work prepares data 
and suggestions regarding occupational safety, identifies 
problems and controls implementation of measures for 
improvement of protections for health and safety in the 
workplace. 
 
11.  A national Focal Point for Occupational Safety and 
Health at Work whose website (www.osha.mpsv.cz) is 
maintained by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in 
cooperation with the European Agency for Safety and Health 
at Work in Bilbao, Spain, which provides information for 
anyone interested or involved in the issue and agencies 
responsible for it.  The Safer Labor Inspectors Committee 
(SLIC) campaigns for improvement in occupational health and 
safety throughout the EU. 
 
12. VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMS: In 1996, the Czech 
Occupational Safety Office and the Ministry of Labor and 
Social Affairs initiated a "Safe Company" program.  It 
encourages medium and large companies to undergo a voluntary 
safety at work audit.  If they fulfill criteria and pass the 
labor safety inspectors' control, they are granted the title 
of Safe Company valid for 2 years.  To date, 59 companies 
have gained the title, some of them repeatedly, and they are 
learning that this "sign of quality" improves their public 
image and gives them an advantage in competing for 
contracts. 
 
CABANISS