The occupational accident rate does not stop growing until it becomes a major problem in the Community of Valencia in general and in the province of Alicante in particular. In fact, the numbers are so frightening, Generalitat, employers and unions met urgently this Wednesday to devise an accident plan. Above all, to deal with the most serious accidents, especially those resulting in the death of workers. Consell’s intention is to allocate one million euros to this initiative, among others, with measures to be taken. involve city halls in prevention and surveillance missions through local police forces. Awareness campaigns are also planned to be developed.
Statistics speak for themselves. Serious accidents during working hours increased by 16.9% in the Group to 367 in 2022. A very similar increase was recorded in fatal accidents in this case of 20.3%, which meant reaching 77 fatalities.
Regarding the province of Alicante, 29 fatal accidents were recorded during working hours, to which should be added six more during the round trip. The total number of 35 is three times what was recorded in 2021 and the highest number in the last 14 years.
With this panorama We must add the nine deaths recorded since the beginning of the current fiscal year across the entire communitytwo in the province of Alicante, it is not surprising that the Director-General of Labor Elvira Ródenas organized an emergency meeting this Wednesday attended by representatives of the Valencia Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Invassat). Valencia Community Business Confederation (CEV) and unions CC OO and UGT.
The purpose of the meeting was to make a detailed analysis of the current situation of occupational accidents and the diagnosis of their causes, as well as to create an accident plan based on consensus with the parties. Certain lines of action that help reduce accidents, especially the most serious ones.
As Ródenas explains, “the attendees put different proposals on the table, and it will be next week when we finish the outlines next week. Immediate implementation in three provinces».
Although the plan is not yet closed, some intended actions have already taken place, such as the involvement of municipalities in oversight duties. “The local police – stresses the general manager – for example, know where work or other action is being taken so they can carry out preventive work”.
awareness
Awareness campaigns are also planned. through the media and other more specific ones targeting sectors with higher accident rates.
Funds formerly managed by the State Foundation for the Prevention of Occupational Risks and which will henceforth assume the autonomy will be allocated for the realization of these actions. In the case of the Valencian Community, this is just over one million euros.. “We are clear that we need to intervene, as the figures recorded are completely unaffordable,” Ródenas underlines.
On behalf of CC OO, secretary for Occupational Health and Trade Union Action at the regional level, Jaume Mayor underlines: 90% of serious accidents happen in companies with less than 50 employees. Because they lacked a union presence, he complains, “this has led to only formal compliance with risk-prevention regulations without real prevention.”
It’s a problem that Yaissel Sánchez, secretary of the UGT at l’Alacantí-Les Marines, believes must be tackled by creating the figure of a traveling union anti-union delegate.
CEV, on the other hand, has insisted in recent weeks that a shock plan be promoted, as is now being done.
Special control in the installation of solar panels
Working General Manager Elvira Ródenas states that a significant portion of occupational accidents are caused by falls from different heights and is largely related to the installation of increased solar panels on roofs and therefore special attention will be given to her. “It’s a highly subcontracted industry so it’s hard to find responsible companies,” she explains.
Source: Informacion
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