TBILISI (ILO News) – The event entitled“5 years with the Labour Inspection” took place at Stamba open-conference space in Tbilisi. Key speakers, Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze,  Deputy Minister Tamuna Barkalaia, and Valentin Mocanu, Senior Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Specialist from the ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, discussed labour inspection systems development in Georgia, reviewed Georgia’s progress and essential role of labour inspection in formulating COVID-19 prevention mechanisms.

Beka Peradze, Head of Labour Conditions Inspecting Department (LCID), presented annual inspection statistics and discussed future plans with regards to strengthening the labour inspection system in Georgia. The attendees of the event included representatives from social partners, parliament, international NGOs, MoIDPLSA departments and government agencies.

The event has also highlighted the role of the International Labour Organization, with the support of the Government of Denmark, in providing technical support to re-establish the labour inspection department after a decade of absence.

ILO’s technical assistance has contributed directly to improve the institutional and human resources capacity of labour inspection. The capacity building activities have improved inspection planning, strategic compliance of inspection, operating procedures, risk assessment and collection of data on occupational accidents. According to the recent annual report published by LCID, the number of occupational injuries decreased by 16 percent in 2019, while the number of fatal accidents decreased by 25 percent. The report also indicates a total of 1,575 inspection visits to construction sites in 2019 which is nine times more compared to the previous year.