Occupational Accident Rates and Compliance with Occupational Health and Safety Regulations by Self-Employed Persons
The project focuses on occupational health and safety (OHS) issues concerning self-employed persons (SEPs). It builds on the Occupational Health and Safety Policy of the Czech Republic and was developed in response to initiatives from the State Labour Inspection Office (SLIO), which oversees the Regional Labour Inspectorates (RLIs). Among other responsibilities, the RLIs monitor compliance with OHS obligations.
Using data (from SEPs, RLI inspectors, professionally qualified risk prevention specialists, and OHS coordinators at construction sites) as well as data from publicly available sources (primarily on occupational accident rates), the project aims to help clarify the reasons why self-employed persons fail to comply with statutory obligations. Addressing this question should support the identification of solutions to remedy the situation, whether through legislative amendments, raising awareness of these obligations among SEPs, or other measures.
At the same time, the project seeks to encourage greater compliance by SEPs with the obligations imposed by legal and other OHS regulations. Based on the findings, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA), and potentially the SLIO, may be able to amend legal and related regulations or adjust other enforcement procedures (particularly within the framework of inspections carried out by RLI inspectors).
An indirect benefit of the project should be a reduction in occupational accidents, which is in the interest not only of MoLSA but of the Czech Republic as a whole. This indirect impact should also have a positive effect on the state budget (through reduced expenditure related to occupational accidents and reduced losses in tax revenue from healthy and economically active self-employed persons).