Ban on Inspections of Businesses Negatively Affects Number of Accidents at Work

The legislative two-year ban on inspections of business entities, effective from 1 November 2015, had a negative impact on the number of accidents at work, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Azerbaijan Salim Muslimov told the media.

According to him, the reason is that the State Labor Inspectorate, which controls this segment, also has no right to on-site inspections.

"We have repeatedly warned entrepreneurs, in particular, construction companies "leading" in this sad indicator of the need to comply with labor safety, of imminent criminal responsibility, but, unfortunately, we are not heard," he said.

The Minister also touched on the need to create a safety fund at the expense of insurance companies, which in the presence of agreements with employers have to pay compensation in the case of proven accidents at work.

In support to Muslimov, the police department of the Nasimi district of Baku said that an accident occurred in the construction of a building on the street Rashid Behbudov - as a result of problems with the crane stone cubes fell from the bucket on the fenceless sidewalk. Bystanders became victims of negligence. One person was shocked, and three with injuries of varying severity were delivered to a private clinic.

According to the latest official data, as of June 1 as a result of industrial accidents, 106 people were injured, 57 people died, which is 2.5 times more than in the same period last year. Most accidents were registered in the construction sector and in the mining industry. --17D-