According to Article 27 of the Safety and Health at Work Act, employers are required to report to the labour inspection any fatal injury at work, injuries resulting in workers being unable to work for more than three consecutive working days, as well as any collective accident, dangerous occurrence or established occupational disease.

In the first half of 2008 (January – June 2008) there were 8,006 accidents at work reported.

The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and the National network for co-operation with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work have published an open competition for the award of “Good Practices in the Area of Safety and Health at Work 2008”. The awards will be granted to the companies and organisations making an outstanding and innovative contribution towards a comprehensive approach to risk assessment.

According to Article 27 of the Safety and Health at Work Act, employers are required to report to the labour inspection any fatal injury at work, injuries resulting in workers being unable to work for more than three consecutive working days, as well as any collective accident, dangerous occurrence or established occupational disease.

In the first trimester of 2008 there were 3,567 accidents at work reported.

In 2003, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) decided to declare 28 April the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The appointed date is associated with the tradition of trade union movements and mourning the loss of all workers who lost their lives in accidents at work or due to occupational diseases.

The activities of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work will be carried out under the slogan “My life, my work, my safe work”.

The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs prepared a web application with guidelines on measures to be taken in individual situations, when workers need help (unconsciousness, injury, poisoning, resuscitation procedures).

The website provides practical information on the obligations of employers and workers for ensuring safety and health at building cleaning works.

The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs has published a link to the search engine that facilitates the search of literature in the field of safety and health at work. 

The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs has issued a manual entitled “Get Rid of Back Pain”, which provides basic information and guidelines on the protection of workers from the risks of occupational spinal injury and damage. Using a popular approach, it is aimed to acquaint employers and workers with the measures of protection against such damage.

The manual is available in e-format while the printed form can be ordered at: gp.mddsz@gov.si.

The website “Stop That Noise!” is intended to raise the awareness of workers and employers regarding the effects of noise at work. 

The web application “Ease Your Burden!” provides basic information and guidelines on the protection of workers against the risks of spinal injury and damage at work. Using a popular approach, it is aimed to acquaint employers and workers with the measures of protection against such damage.

The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs has published practical guidelines for the protection of workers against noise associated with music and entertainment environmentvedrilnem področju (Official gazzete RS, No. 96/2007).

The glossary of terms in the area of safety and health at work is available at:  http://www.glosar-vzd.mddsz.gov.si/.

“Safety Signs” web application is an aid for employers. Besides regulations and guidelines this site also presents and explains individual types of safety signs. This application is available at:  http://www.varnostni-znaki.mddsz.gov.si/.

The web application “Practical risk-assessment guidelines for working with hazardous chemical substances” is an aid for employers, and is available at:  http://www.ot-nks.mddsz.gov.si/.

“Guidelines for drawing up a safety statement with risk assessment for farmers” comprise basic instructions for drawing up a safety statement with risk assessment, whereby it is necessary to define dangers and assess risks at farms and specify the measures and means for ensuring safety and health of persons at these farms.

The publication appeared in both printed and electronic editions (pdf, 1,677 kB).

The publication in printed form can be ordered at:  gp.mddsz@gov.si.

“Safe Start” website is intended to encourage efforts for a safe and healthy start of professional career of young people. It comprises information for pupils, secondary-school and university students, young workers, employers and parents.

Further information on safe and healthy start of professional career for young people are available at:

• European Week of Safety and Health at Work 2006;
• Information network for safety and health at work;
• European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.  

Practical risk-assessment guidelines for working with hazardous chemical substances provide a simplified method of risk assessment and are intended in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises.

They have been prepared on the basis of practical guidelines developed at the level of the European Union as well as on the basis of national practical guidelines and methodologies developed by other EU member states.

The publication is available in e-format while the printed form can be ordered at: gp.mddzs@gov.si.

The manual “The maintenance of safety and health in smaller building sites” is intended for smaller construction work providers to raise their awareness of the risk factors associated with their activities.

The manual is available in a printed form (pocket size) as well as in e-format (pdf, 4,157 kB).

The manual in printed form can be ordered at: gp.mddsz@gov.si.

In “Practical Guidelines for the Threshold Limit Values of Hazardous Chemical Substances” clear explanation of the term “threshold limit value” is provided in a simple and condensed manner. All types of threshold limit values are defined and certain key terms associated with these are explained.

The practical guidelines are available in e-format (pdf, 904 kB) and in print.

The publication in printed form can be ordered at:  gp.mddsz@gov.si.

The Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs have prepared a manual entitled “Safe Start”, which is intended for young workers and students.

The manual is available in e-format (pdf, 2,810 kB).

The manual in printed form can be ordered at:  gp.mddsz@gov.si.

The “Initiative for safe and healthy jobs” is targeted at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. It falls within endeavours for the promotion of preventive culture and awareness raising on key issues in the area of safety and health at work. In this way we wish to enable employers and employees to have access to quality information on the safety and health at work, as well as on the regulations, effective measures and practical tools for risk evaluation. Seminars represent the central part of activities.

Activities within the framework of the initiative are carried out by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and the Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia in cooperation with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

Seminar programme for 2008 will be published on this website.

You are invited to visit the “Safe Start” website, which is dedicated to youth and their safe and healthy start of professional career as well as to their getting acquainted with various risks at work.

Interactive content has been enriched with animations and quizzes.