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Duties and responsibilities of LIS in the Region:
Based on the power vested by the regional government and as well as the labour law, the major incumbents laid on LIS are the following;
- responsible for the supervision and enforcement of laws and regulation concerning safety, health and working environment welfare of workers in various factories; mechanized farms, construction industries, transport & communication systems, mines water, energy & services.
- to undertake studies and research relating to safety & health of workers, by frequently organizing tailored, short term training programmes(usually 3-4 days) on safety and health and give the training to workers , employers and leaders of the trade unions.
- compile and register employment accidents, prepare annual statistical Bulletin on the subject and, to mitigate the recurrences investigate the causes of employment accidents.
- ensures the proper implementation and enforcement of labour laws, regulations and directives particularly relating to hours of work, wages, leaves, contract of employment, compensation & other minimum labour condition.
Major activities done by LIS in the Region:
- Concerning the Supervision, execution, inspection & ensuring the implementation of the proclamation No 377/03, regulations & directives issued in accordance with the same.
The purpose of inspection is not for the sake of faultfinding but it is to verify how everything is going according to the statements stipulated in the law and give close support on the grasping and implementation process of the law by employers to bring a better working condition, and enhance productivity.
In the region, today we have reached to undertake a regular workplace inspection, both OHS and Minimum labour conditions, of 4420 annually. This brings the number of inspections made nearly 250 per inspector annually.
However, the service has faced a number of problems such as transport facilities, training and refreshment courses on the subject, reference materials, computers and the necessary item with sufficient number of Workplace hazards monitoring equipment.
Having all these shortcomings, we used to inspect using our bare sense organs. These by itself lead the inspectors to feel discomfort and dissatisfied on their job, and increase the turn over of workers.
- Concerning launching a training program on OHS for employers and workers about working conditions and the prevention of employment injures.
In this activity, the core service we rendered for concerned parties has been training of workers, employer and leaders of the trade unions on the prevention of employment injuries and safe way of handling workplaces. Currently, we have a capacity of designing about 40 training programs that can benefit 1000 participants only (25 per program). If we compare with the workforce of that, exist in the region, it is not more than 10% covered.
- Needs Assessment:
The prevailing potential workplace hazards are assessed during this stage and then the
necessary preparations and scheduling of program made based on the needs assessment
- Training program
Action oriented on-the job adult training is given for a selected number of workers, employers and their representatives for 3-4 days in their premises. Usually three-days are allocated for reviewing the theoretical aspects and one day for practical demonstration, formulating of six-month action plan and report writing. The action plan will be practical in the given time by both parties (workers & employer).
- Evaluation & follow up
The plan of action set by the trainees will be monitored, followed-up and evaluated by the coordinator of the training program in the undertaking and try to solve the emerging out problems if there is any.
In most cases, the major problem is experts who have not taken training of trainers (TOT) will perform the trainings. There is also insufficient training aiding equipment and materials. We do not have standardized training packages in all technical areas of the subject. There is no one who graduated in field or took comprehensive training on the detail technical subjects, and is not specialized. [The LIS with a limited capacity of training equipment & materials, lack of specialization, training packages, limited budget and transport facilities, etc. cannot meet the training demands of all the undertakings found in the region.] They need specific & detailed trainings, which could be at most, or 100% action oriented and practical.
- Concerning to Capacity Building
In order to overcome the inaccuracies, which likely committed during inspections using personal bare sense organs, 10 years back, the LI team have tried to purchase some kinds of monitoring and training aiding equipment by the budget allocated from the regional government after preparing a justifiable and workable project.
By the project the following items; Thermometers, Anemometers, Whirling hygrometers, Sound meters and Light meters five in each kind and also Aerosol/Dust particle monitoring/ equipment, video camera, photo camera, overhead projector, slide projector one in each kind were purchased and some of it distributed for 4 zonal branch offices.
However, some of the equipment & materials needs trainings on how to handle and use it on the job for instance the Aerosol cannot be able to use it to date. In addition, some of the materials are going to wear out and we lack much more monitoring equipment & materials in order to coup-up with the growing demands and technologies of the enterprises.
- Concerning the Registering of employment accident and injuries
In this part of the activity, the service orders the employers to notify every occurred employment accidents using the necessary adopted standardized ILO's format. Accordingly, we collect and compile reports every quarter years and transfer the statistics to the federal ministry on regular basis.
The collected employment accident data is used mainly for the purpose of trainings and studies to be conducted in the region after analyzing and synthesizing it. An annual employment accident statistical bulletin is also published and dispatched to users every year.
- Concerning to conduct Study & research relating to working conditions
The LIS at the Bureau level tried to study and make some un-professional research activity relating to working conditions. We have made number of studies. However, they were not conducted in comprehensive and bring about achieve changes. In fact due to lack of related studies, lack of methodologies and skills (on the subject's matter) they used as a benchmark for perspective activities. With all these limitations and problems, we are still now striving to attain the objectives.
- Concerning of organizing, giving of technical advice and information for safety committees at enterprise level.
The labour inspection service's one major activity is to identify undertakings that should have an OSH committee (commonly known as safety committee). With the plan of action and necessary background information available at the disposal of inspectors, the service renders a technical advice and information for employers, trade unions and workers to organize and strengthen OSH committees in their respective undertaking. The major problem that we face is the fragility of the established committees. The committees immediately collapse or become weak in their activities when they lose one or two active members or chairperson. This happens mostly in understandings with less economic activities and capacities. However, some undertakings have good trend of stating the importance of the committee, its activities and functions of it in there collective agreements.
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