THE RIGHT TO SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKING CONDITIONS: REGULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH IN GEORGIA (EXAMPLE OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY)

Abstract

In  2019,  after years of  deregulation and continuous criticism by  international partners  and labour rights advocates, Georgia initiated occupational safety and health (OSH) policy  reform by adopting a statutory law on  OSH and strengthening the  mandate of  labour inspection to bring  it  in  compliance with  the  standards of International Labour Organization (ILO). In its  Human Rights  Protection Action  Plan  (2018-2020),  Georgian government defined promotion of safety culture at work as its main  labour rights policy  goal.  While regulatory changes recently enacted formally comply with international standards, in construction and mining industries the  number of injuries and deaths remains high. This article focuses on discrepancies between Georgia’s OSH regulation and implementation on  the  example of construction site,  as  a workplace with  increased risk.  The research identifies and analyzes challenges the  employers, workers’ representatives, and health and safety specialists face, and evaluates the role of the state in promotion of positive OSH culture among all stakeholders. The analysis includes OSH legal  overview and is based on the  results of interviews conducted with the  parties involved in implementation on site.