Source: CNA
Through the policies implemented and through specific measures, we have managed in recent years to have a continuous decrease in work accidents, said the Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Kyriakos Koushos, on Tuesday, noting that "this year the decrease is estimated to be around 7%."
The Minister was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference, held at the Ministry of Labour, to present the ten-year collaboration of the Department of Labour Inspection with the CERIDES Center of Excellence in a bid to create conditions for a healthy and safe working environment.
Addressing the press conference, the Minister said that the joint and systematic effort to develop and use research knowledge is part of Pillar 8 of the Cyprus Strategy for Safety and Health at Work.
"We focus our actions on the protection of human life and the health of workers, giving particular importance to the reduction of occupational accidents, occupational diseases and dangerous incidents in the workplace," he said.
He noted that through the cooperation of the two institutions, the development and utilization of research knowledge and innovation is sought, in order to draw up policies to ensure the health, safety and well-being of employees, the quality of human life and the sustainability of businesses.
According to Koushos, this collaboration contributes decisively to the education and training of the staff of the Department of Labour Inspection in relation to new developments in the sector, assisting the effective exercise of their duties, through specially designed training programs as well as through the Master's Program in occupational safety and health.
The Director of the CERIDES Center of Excellence, of the European University of Cyprus, George Boustras, stated that the collaboration emerged in order to cover a real need, while the Memorandum of Cooperation that was signed provided tangible results for both parties: the Department of Labour Inspection gets scientific tools to help it plan its campaigns and policies, and the Center of Excellence gets real experience through the workplace.
