In 2024, labor inspectors in Bulgaria carried out a total of 6,682 inspections in the construction sector, representing 13% of the overall 49,858 inspections conducted across all industries. These inspections revealed a total of 31,276 violations, with 21,690 related to ensuring safe and healthy working conditions and 9,460 concerning employment relationships. Inspectors identified 1,055 workers without employment contracts at construction sites, part of a broader total of 3,601 instances of undeclared labor across various sectors.

Due to the immediate risks to workers' lives and health, inspectors took preventive measures 504 times, halting sites, machinery, facilities, and workplaces. These actions are aimed at preventing serious accidents and, in some cases, saving lives. In addition, 111 workers were dismissed for not complying with safety regulations, with half of them being involved in construction and assembly tasks.

Labor inspectors also identified delayed wages amounting to 1.3 million leva within the construction sector. Following their intervention, nearly 940,000 leva of overdue wages were paid to workers. This highlights the continuing issues with both occupational safety and the use of undeclared labor, leading the Executive Agency "General Labor Inspectorate" (EA GIT) to focus much of its efforts on the construction sector.

Despite the challenges, there has been a slight decrease in fatal occupational accidents in construction, from 20 in 2023 to 15 in 2024. Overall, the total number of accidents in the sector dropped from 201 to 198. While labor inspectors are only required to investigate accidents that could result in permanent disability, multiple injuries, or death, they have taken action on all incidents reported, regardless of severity.

To improve the effectiveness of their inspections, labor inspectors rely heavily on reports from trade unions, which help prioritize the most dangerous work sites. In 2024, the inspectors received only four signals from unions, one of which was related to unsafe health and safety conditions at a construction site.

In response to rising concerns over workplace injuries, the Labor Inspectorate launched a national campaign, "Go home after work! Someone is waiting for you there." The initiative aimed to raise awareness about occupational health and safety and was supported by health and safety experts in various regional cities. However, the campaign faced challenges in receiving adequate backing from trade unions and employer organizations, with many failing to attend the information sessions.

Employers have been reminded that they are fully responsible for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions and must exercise control to enforce safety measures. Employers have the right to remove workers who disregard these rules. Workers, on the other hand, are obligated to use personal protective equipment and follow safety instructions. Despite this, there are instances where workers refuse to comply, often out of fear of losing their jobs, putting their safety at risk.

Source: econ.bg