ALEPPO (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization held an occupational health and safety (OSH) training of trainers (TOT) targeting the construction sector in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo between 17 and 21 September 2023.

The OSH training of trainers aimed to build the capacity of labour inspectors in the Governorate of Aleppo, members of the Syrian Order of Architects and Engineers (SOAE) Syndicate, the Damascus Chamber of Industry, and General Federation of Trade Unions as well as other institutions concerned with ensuring worksite safety in order to qualify them as OSH trainers.

The training equipped participants with expertise in the field of occupational safety and health, including identification, assessment, control and prevention of occupational hazards and related risks in various sectors of economic activity, especially in the construction sector.

On 6 February 2023, a devastating earthquake struck the northern and western parts of Syria, resulting in widespread destruction of buildings and property, in addition to the loss of a great number of lives.

Recovering from the effects of such a devastating disaster requires a wide range of assessment, demolition, maintenance and rehabilitation operations, all of which may pose high risks to the workers, and some related fatal occupational accidents have already occurred following the earthquake.

The ILO therefore conducted this training to build the capacity of the local institutions on issues of occupational safety and health in order to contribute to protecting the health and safety of workers by creating a safe and healthy work environment at work sites.

The training tackled several topics such as: chemical, biological, ergonomic and mechanical hazards in the workplace, measures to be taken to address these hazards based on hierarchy of control, occupational risk assessment, international labour standards in occupational health and safety, effective use of personal protective equipment, and specific occupational health and safety risks in the construction sector.

After completing several theoretical sessions, the trainees took part in a practical exercise by visiting a construction site and a factory. Wearing personal protection equipment themselves, the trainees were required to identify any hazards or risks at the sites, and practically apply the concepts they learned throughout the training on the ground.

Syria was the second Arab country after Algeria to ratify the Occupational Safety and Health Convention No. 155.