Last year, eight workers died at the workplace: mostly in construction, serious injuries and in catering

Eight workers died at the workplace last year, while 16 were seriously injured, according to data from the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection and the Mining Inspection.

There were six deaths, 14 serious bodily injuries and two collective injuries at work in areas under the jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety Inspection, while the Mining Inspection, which independently has jurisdiction over occupational safety in mines, quarries and during the construction of tunnels.

"In one case, a death occurred during intervention at a self-service coffee machine, but the autopsy determined that the death occurred from a heart attack. In another, the ground collapsed and buried two employees (at the construction site of the main road to Danilovgrad in Gornja Gorica ), and in the third case, a forklift that was left on caused the employee to be crushed. In the fourth case, the employee fell from a height on the construction site, and in the fifth case, a broken glass caused an injury followed by a large loss of blood and the death of the employee," stated the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection.

The Mining Inspection recorded the deaths of two foreign workers who participated in the construction of the tunnel.

"In the "Klisura" tunnel, there was a serious injury at work resulting in the death of a foreign citizen employed by a subcontractor, where it was determined that he was mostly personally responsible, because he most likely fell asleep on the working machine, even though it was written on the machine that the presence of persons in in the working circle of the machine. He was not seen by the operator of that machine, employed by another subcontractor, during which serious injuries with fatal outcome occurred. In the tunnel "Preslo" during the final stage of the construction of the highway Bar - Boljari, a serious injury occurred at work with the fatal outcome of a foreign citizen employed in a domestic company, when he was hit by a truck. The truck driver was employed by another subcontractor for works on the Bar - Boljare highway," the Mining Inspection stated.

Two serious injuries were under the jurisdiction of the Mining Inspection, and they occurred in quarries - one worker was injured during the assembly of a dump truck, and the other when he mistakenly reversed the truck down the slope, causing the truck to overturn.

In all these cases, as stated by the Mining Inspection, the competent prosecutor's offices, in cooperation with them, initiated investigative procedures in order to determine those responsible and the possibility of criminal acts. Where it was possible, the inspection specifically initiated misdemeanor proceedings and wrote orders.

The occupational safety inspectorate states that last year they had 22 investigations into occupational accidents, which is a decrease of 68 percent compared to the reference year of 2008, when the highest number of occupational injuries was recorded. Compared to that year, the number of fatal injuries decreased by 58, and serious injuries by 73 percent. In one collective injury, two workers were killed.

Most accidents occurred in construction 38 percent, processing industry 11 percent, electrical installation industry 11 percent, trade 11 percent, hotel and catering industry 11 percent, wood industry XNUMX percent, utility industry XNUMX percent, and in service industry XNUMX percent.

The inspection states that they determine which safety and health measures were not provided, that they submit the reports to the competent prosecutor's office, and that the courts determine the responsibility of the legal, responsible, as well as the individual responsibility of natural persons.

More irregularities than control

During the last year, the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection performed 2.570 inspections in which they found 2.981 irregularities, which means that there were controls in which more irregularities were found.

Its inspectors issued 596 misdemeanor orders, on the basis of which fines worth 181.790 euros were imposed.

The Mining Inspection performed 72 inspections, in which 44 irregularities were found. They issued 40 indications of irregularities, in one case they banned a foreign company from carrying out work.

They issued 18 misdemeanor warrants in the name of legal entities and persons responsible for them, while the value of fines due to non-compliance with occupational health and safety regulations amounts to 14.870 euros.

According to them, the irregularities mainly related to non-compliance with safety and health measures at work, as well as not having the necessary documentation in this area.

Unregistered workers were also injured, one was officially a "tourist"

The Mining Inspectorate stated that they had cases where persons who were not registered with that employer were injured in companies under their jurisdiction.

They explain that the Occupational Safety and Health Act defines that the law applies to employees who have signed one of the contracts from the Labor Act.

In cases where persons who were not registered with employers and did not have employee status were injured during the performance of works, the Mining Inspection states that it could not act because it did not have jurisdiction, which is why it informed the Labor Inspection about this.

They also had a case where, as a result of an accident, a foreigner who was officially staying in Montenegro as a tourist and was not registered as an employee was injured, which is why they could only inform the Inspectorate for Foreigners.