Today is World Day for Safety and Health at Work
This year, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work is dedicated to the theme: “The impact of digitalization and artificial intelligence on workplaces”
Initiated by the International Labour Organization (ILO), April 28 has been observed as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work since 2003. The aim is to raise public awareness of the importance of providing workers with healthy and safe working conditions.
The first Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was drafted under the initiative and leadership of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and adopted through a nationwide referendum on November 12, 1995, enshrines the right of every person to work in safe and healthy conditions. Under the instructions of the Great Leader, the legal framework in the field of labour and employment in the country was established. In 1997, a state body was created in Azerbaijan to oversee the protection of citizens' labour rights, including occupational safety. In 1999, the Labour Code, which corresponds to the new era of socio-economic relations and includes standards, rules, and principles of occupational safety, was adopted and came into force.
Thanks to President Ilham Aliyev’s successful socio-economic policies, employment opportunities in the country have steadily increased, which has also led to the continuous strengthening of state policy aimed at ensuring safe and healthy working conditions. Azerbaijan, which has a broad cooperation agenda with the ILO in this area, has ratified nearly 60 of the Organization's Conventions, including those related to occupational safety. Based on the principles of these Conventions, important steps have been taken to improve national labour legislation.
The State Labour Inspectorate Service under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population exercises state control over compliance with labour legislation in workplaces, as well as the creation of safe and healthy working conditions for employees. The agency also conducts ongoing awareness-raising activities in this field. In connection with this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work, more than 400 employers' representatives participated in awareness events organized by the Service across various regions. Detailed information was provided on recent amendments to the Labour Code and newly adopted occupational safety standards.
The Occupational Safety Center under the Service provides employers with training, consulting, and methodological support in the fields of occupational safety and protection. The "Labour and Employment" subsystem, launched in 2022, has enabled the full transition of labour relations to an electronic platform. Significant steps have also been taken in recent years to implement digital solutions in the field of state supervision over compliance with labour legislation.
It should be noted that the application of digitalization and artificial intelligence also impacts the work environment, making it especially important to take these factors into account when ensuring decent work and labour safety. Therefore, alongside traditional methods in occupational safety, it is essential to adopt modern approaches that meet new challenges. In light of these considerations, the ILO has dedicated this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work to the theme: “The impact of digitalization and artificial intelligence on workplaces.”
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