Employers must ensure health and safety protection measures, and to have in place descriptions of safety for each job position, specifying the methods and the measures to be undertaken, and regarding which employers are obligated to consider the opinions of trade unions, or workers’ representatives in case there is no union related.

Employers are obligated to the following:

• To designate an expert or a group of experts for workplace safety;
• To hire a health institution authorized for undertaking expert assignments in relation to occupational health;
• To have in place fire safety measures in line with specific regulations;
• To have in place first aid and evacuation measures in case of danger;
• To provide employee training on safe undertaking of work assignments, on grounds of their own specific training programmes;
• To ensure each employee has undergone appropriate occupational health and safety training in the cases of establishing employment, transfer to a new job position, introduction of new technology or means of work, and modifying the work process that may change the workplace health and safety level;
• To provide and ensure the use of personal protection gear for employees, if the applied workplace safety measures are not sufficient;
• To occasionally inspect and examine the working environment and the equipment;
• To monitor health of employees and to provide them with medical exams at least once in 24 months;
• To inform employees by means of written announcements and instructions how to work safely. In special cases of employees being exposed to an immediate health and life hazard, announcements and instructions should be also delivered verbally, to include all measures undertaken to ensure workplace safety;
• In cases of immediate, severe and unavoidable danger, employees must be given appropriate instructions to stop the work, swiftly leave the workplace and evacuate at a safe location.

If danger is still present, employers may not make workers undertake assignments.

Employees have the following rights and obligations:

• To take care of personal safety and health, as well as safety and health of other persons they work with, in line with the training and instructions provided by employers;
• To be informed about occupational health and safety measures and be trained to apply them;
• To refuse to undertake work if they have not been informed in advance about possible hazards and harm, or if employers have failed to provide them with the compulsory medical exam;
• To refuse to undertake work if exposed to immediate health or life hazard, if safety measures have not been applied, and to demand removal of the hazards;
• To demand intervention by an authorized labour inspector and to inform their representative if employers have failed to remove hazards or to act upon opinions provided by authorized health institutions;
• To do a job or to work in conditions of exposure to increased risk of injury or health only on grounds of an assessment by an authorized health institution confirming workers are fit to undertake the relevant work assignment;
• To respect prescribed measures for correct use of the means of work and to use the compulsory personal protection equipment, as well as to have medical exams in line with this law and other related regulations;
• To inform their employer at once, through their representative, orally or in writing, about any deficiencies, health and safety hazards, or any other incidents presenting danger to their personal health and life, and health and lives of other employees;

To demand an intervention by an authorized labour inspector if employers have failed to undertake measures to remove health and safety hazards or if employees consider appropriate health and safety measures have not been ensured.

A representative is selected by employees among their own ranks, at a union gathering of a predominant trade union or at an employees’ gathering.

The representative has special employment protection, the same as union representatives at employer, according to law and collective agreements.

The number of representatives depends on the number of employees, or as follows:

• Over 10 employees, a single representative appointed;
• Between 101 and 500 employees, two representatives appointed; and
• Over 501 employees, three representatives appointed.

A representative is appointed at each work location/premises with safety and health hazards, regardless of the number of employees.

Representatives are entitled to the following:

• To examine the working premises no less than twice a year or more if required, to identify the situation with regards to workplace safety;
• To demand employers introduced appropriate measures and in this respect propose measures for reducing the danger and/or removing the sources of workplace hazards;
• To inform the labour inspection that its mediation services are required, to attend the inspection event and present their opinions about the situation, and have access to reports drafted by inspectors;   
• To ask for information from employers and be given access to assessment documents and reports on safety employers are obligated to draft, as well as other documents in relation to planning and regulating workplace health and safety;
• To be informed in writing by employers as per their obligation, immediately and no later than in 48 hours in case of death, collective accident, and injury at the workplace, resulting in temporary incapacity to work for more than three working days, as well as about any other occurrence presenting immediate risk and safety hazard to workers in the process of work.  

Employers must ensure representatives complete their tasks without interruptions, by providing appropriate time period and funds required, without salary cuts, and without placing them into unfavourable position due to their activities.

A trade union president, representatives of relevant unions, or employees’ representatives if no union is representing workers, are entitled to the same aforesaid rights.