National Occupational Safety and Health Inspection Launched for Emergency Services Sector

In recent years, state officials performing critical duties have faced significant risks, including assaults, workplace accidents, acute poisoning, and, in some cases, fatalities while fulfilling their responsibilities.

To address these concerns, nationwide Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) inspections are being conducted to evaluate the enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Law in the emergency services sector.

In 2024, the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection issued directives to state organizations performing specialized duties to prioritize the safety and health of employees. These directives include establishing safe working conditions, enforcing occupational safety and health regulations, and preventing workplace incidents such as accidents, acute poisoning, and occupational diseases.

As part of this initiative, the upcoming inspection will assess the implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) policies across various departments and units under the National Emergency Management Agency. The inspection aims to identify areas for improvement and propose actionable recommendations to enhance workplace safety standards.

Scheduled to run for one month beginning January 27, 2025, the inspection will involve a coordinated effort by occupational health inspectors from the General Agency for Labour Welfare Services provincial and district authorities, and specialized emergency service units under the National Emergency Management Agency including firefighting and search-and-rescue teams.