Kazakhstan strengthens workplace safety through new training programme

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (ILO News) - The final in-person session of the Essentials in Occupational Safety and Health (EOSH) training programme kicked off this week in Almaty. Organised by the National Confederation of Employers “PARYZ” (NCE “PARYZ”), with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) Bureau for Employers' Activities (ACT/EMP), the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) and the ILO project “Promoting occupational safety and health through social dialogue in mining sector in Kazakhstan", the training brought together 30 OSH specialists from enterprises, trade unions and the State Labour Inspection Committee under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population.

© ILO

© ILO

This session concludes a nine-week blended training course (eight weeks online and one in-person), delivered using ITCILO’s EOSH training package. The programme is being implemented in line with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between ITCILO and NCE “PARYZ” in 2024, aiming to strengthen the role of employers in advancing OSH standards at national and enterprise levels. The EOSH programme helps Employers’ and Business Member Organizations (EBMOs) establish innovative OSH training services to improve workplace safety and expand their membership base.

“With this training, by building the capacities of NCE “PARYZ” to provide training services to enterprises in the sphere of OSH, the ILO supports long-term OSH capabilities in Kazakhstan as part of its mandate to provide safe jobs for everyone”, stated Vladimir Curovic, ILO Senior Specialist in Employers’ Activities, ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. “The trainers, trained with support of the ILO, will multiply impact where it matters most – inside enterprises, and moreover, they will disseminate the knowledge further on, thus ensuring the long-lasting impact of ILO support.”

The initiative seeks to establish a national pool of certified OSH trainers capable of delivering workplace-level training across the country, with particular attention to high-risk sectors such as mining and heavy industry. Participants include OSH officers from major companies, along with representatives from national trade union federations and labour inspectorates. The programme also fosters cooperation among OSH stakeholders and supports the development of a stronger national OSH culture.

“This pool of Certified trainers will play a key role in raising awareness and in building preventive OSH culture throughout the country, as well as in strengthening cooperation between employers, workers and labour inspectors in their mutual efforts to make all workplaces safer and healthier,” said Darko Dochinski, ILO Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Specialist, ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

This activity forms part of a broader regional initiative jointly coordinated by the ILO and ITCILO to roll out the EOSH training in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The online component was launched simultaneously in both countries in April 2025 to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, engaging over 100 future trainers (50 from each country).

The offline segment is being delivered separately in each country to tailor content to local needs. In Kazakhstan, the training focuses on OSH challenges in mining and related industries, including participation from companies such as Kazakhmys, Kazminerals and operations in the Karaganda and western Kazakhstan regions.

© ILO

© ILO

The EOSH programme contributes to strengthening national OSH systems and supports the ILO’s wider efforts to promote decent work and a culture of prevention through training, dialogue and institutional collaboration.