Social Pacts in Portugal: Agreement on Work Conditions, Work Hygiene and Safety, and Work Accident Prevention

Period: 2001

Negotiating Parties:  Government, General Confederation of Portuguese Workers – Cross-Union (CGTP-IN), the General Workers’ Union (UGT), The Confederation of Portuguese Farmers (CAP), the Confederation of Portuguese Trade and Services (CCP), The Confederation of Portuguese Industry (CIP)

Goals of the pact:  Improvement of work conditions, work hygiene and safety, and work accident prevention, in order to upgrade productivity

Matters agreed:

• Creation of a National Plan of Action for Prevention (PNAP) to remain in effect for 3 years (renewable should it prove adequate and effective)
  • Contents
    • An assessment of the impact of existing company legislation of the effectiveness in preventing work-related risk
    • Improvement of work safety norms in sectors particularly exposed to work accidents
    • Creation of a safety coordination system
    • Creation of new Work Safety Regulations for construction sites
    • Harmonisation of different legal sanctioning regulations and legislation on work safety
    • Improvement of statistics and the tracking system of work accidents and work-related illness
    • Fostering of a preventive culture through awareness campaigns and training
    • Development of on-the-job prevention programmes
  • Procedures
    • Re-activation of the National Work Hygiene and Safety Council (CNHST) with the revision of attributes, composition and structure
    • Within the CNHST, a tripartite Prevention Observatory is to be established as a specialised commission of the CNHST with the following mandate
      • To take a central role in monitoring of the execution of the PNAP.
      • To produce analytical papers and collect statistical information
    • Reinforce co-operation between the Institute for Developing and Inspecting Working Conditions (IDICT) and other relevant bodies dealing with work safety and health.
• Creation of a tripartite commission to follow up on the implementation of the legislation on work, hygiene, safety and health services with the mandate of issuing an assessments report on the application of the legal regime
  • Adoption of Corporate Prevention Services Adaptation Programmes
  • Financial support for companies for investment in equipment and technical resources
• Support for the hiring and training of work safety and hygiene technicians and medical staff
• Promotion of professional training in the field of work related risk prevention
• Development of work-related health services within the National Health Service
• Commitment of workers and employers organisations to the implementation of work safety, hygiene and prevention of work-related risk.

Institutions involved: Standing Committee for Social Dialogue (CPCS), National Work Hygiene and Safety Council (CNHST)

Follow-up: A monthly follow up of the execution of the agreement, undertaken by the tripartite workgroup, established in the CPCS.

Background:  Like the training agreement of 2001, this pact was negotiated in the tripartite working group established in the CPCS.  Up until this pact, health and safety in Portugal had been regulated by a number of different agreements, legislative acts and regulations.  Yet, Portugal suffered from an extremely high rate of workplace accidents.  This agreement attempted to provide for an integrative legal framework, as well as to improve the structure designed to prevent occupational risks and to enhance efficiency.

Comments:  This pact was singed by the government and all of the main social partner organisations.  This agreement put special emphasis on the preventive measures of occupational hazards and workplace accidents.  The complex agreement identified and defined shared responsibilities and competence among different bodies.  The role of the government, acting through IDICT, was crucial for the success of the pact.

Full text of the agreement: Available for purchase at http://www.ces.pt/html/e_main.htm