The initiator of the draft law is the Cabinet of Ministers, and it will be presented by the Ministry of Labor. The new draft law is the result of a revision of the Labor Code, during which 29 articles related to labor protection were excluded. This update aims to align legislation with international standards.
The document clarifies key terms related to labor protection, including safe working conditions, as well as harmful and dangerous production factors, professional risk, workplace certification, and overall labor protection. The law will apply not only to employees and employers but also to students, interns, military personnel, cooperative members, prisoners, and employees of companies with foreign investments.
The draft law defines the main directions of state policy in this area: preserving the health and lives of workers, control and supervision, investigating accidents, compensation for harmful working conditions, training specialists, and maintaining statistical data. Workers will receive guarantees for a safe workplace, the right to information about working conditions, personal protective equipment, the ability to refuse dangerous work, and to undergo an unscheduled medical examination while retaining their salary.
Employers will be required to create safe working conditions, provide special clothing and protective equipment, conduct briefings and training, organize medical examinations and workplace certification, as well as investigate accidents and ensure proper sanitary and living conditions. If technically feasible, training and knowledge assessments may be conducted online. For workers in harmful activities, free milk and therapeutic-nutritive food will be provided.
Compliance with the new law will be monitored by authorized state bodies, which have the right to conduct inspections, issue orders, and suspend work in case of threats to the health and lives of workers. Participation in public oversight will be available to trade unions and authorized employees of organizations. Employers will be held liable for harm caused to workers in the workplace, including cases of occupational diseases and injuries.
With the adoption of the new law, the 2003 law "On Labor Protection" and all previous amendments will be repealed. The new law will come into force ten days after publication, and the Cabinet of Ministers will bring its regulatory acts into line with the new version within six months. According to information, the law aims to prevent accidents and occupational diseases, and its implementation will not require additional budgetary funds or lead to negative social or economic consequences.
