Tripartite discussion and validation of ILO reports on OSH, safety in mines and labour inspection in Kazakhstan

ASTANA (ILO News) - On 22–23 April 2025, a tripartite seminar organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) brought together more than 30 representatives of the Government, employers and workers for an in-depth discussion of three expert-prepared reports. The reports were developed within the framework of the ILO RBSA-funded initiative Promoting occupational safety and health through social dialogue in the mining sector of Kazakhstan.

The discussions focused on reviewing the content, challenges, observations and proposed recommendations presented in the following reports with the participation of international consultants who worked on them:

• National OSH Profile in the Republic of Kazakhstan (updated).
• GAP-Analysis of the legislation of Kazakhstan in relation to Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176).
• GAP-Analysis of the labour inspection system in Kazakhstan.

This seminar provides a unique opportunity to develop valuable recommendations for the further improvement of the labour protection system, labour inspection and national labour legislation.

Yerbolat Abulkhatin, Acting Chairman of the State Labor Inspection Committee of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan

"This seminar provides a unique opportunity to develop valuable recommendations for the further improvement of the labour protection system, labour inspection and national labour legislation," noted Yerbolat Abulkhatin, Acting Chairman of the State Labor Inspection Committee of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Darko Dochinski, Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Specialist at the ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, stressed the importance of direct engagement between all key partners and international experts in effectively addressing existing challenges and strengthening the enforcement of labour legislation.

© ILO

© ILO

The participants expressed particular interest in sensitive issues such as the definition of occupational diseases, a smooth and gradual transition from a compensation model to a risk-oriented one, improvement of the methodology for assessing occupational risks, the hierarchy of risk management measures, social insurance (in particular, of individual entrepreneurs), economic incentives for employers to modernize OSH systems at enterprise level, the status and functions of labour inspectors, compliance with international standards on labour protection and safety in mines, readiness to ratify ILO Convention No. 176 and issues of interdepartmental cooperation.

Following the two-day workshop, participants, together with international experts, formulated final recommendations and proposals for all three reports which would allow experts to finalize the reports for publication.

Participants noted the importance and timeliness of the event, which signifies contribution to the implementation of the Roadmap for Promoting Decent Work in Kazakhstan for 2024-25.

© ILO

© ILO

Sholpan Abikenova, Deputy Director General of the National Confederation of Employers "PARYZ", reinstated the Confederation’s continued support for the joint activities of the ILO and tripartite constituents in improving approaches in socially significant areas, such as OSH.

Marat Imash, representative of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted the importance of the project and the raised issues in connection with the high rate of injuries in the mining industry of Kazakhstan. Referring to the provisions of the General Agreement, he emphasized that ensuring the workers’ life and health safety at work is one of the national priorities in preserving human capital.

In conclusion, all parties reached a consensus on priority areas and next steps within the framework of the ILO initiative Promoting occupational safety and health through social dialogue in the mining sector of Kazakhstan.