Directive No. 44/2013, focuses exclusively on the conditions and procedures for issuing work permits to foreign nationals in Ethiopia and does not contain information regarding Directive No. 834-2014. Directive 44/2013 is designed to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology by allowing foreign experts to work in fields that cannot be covered by Ethiopian citizens. Because Directive No. 834-2014 is not part of the excerpts provided for this query, the following explanation is drawn from our previous conversation history.
Purpose and Scope of Directive No. 834-2014
Directive No. 834/2014 (E.C.) was issued by the Ethiopian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to establish the mandatory formation of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committees within workplaces. Its primary objective is to institutionalize safety protocols to prevent workplace accidents and health hazards, thereby minimizing the human and economic damage associated with industrial injuries. This directive applies to any organization that employs ten or more workers under the jurisdiction of the national labor proclamation. While smaller organizations with fewer than ten employees are not strictly required to form such committees, they are encouraged to do so through joint arrangements with other small entities.
Committee Composition and Selection Processes
The directive requires the formation of a bipartite committee, which means it must consist of an equal number of representatives from the employer and the workers. The total number of members on the committee is determined by the size of the organization’s workforce. For example, organizations with between 10 and 100 workers require a total of four members, while those with over 1000 workers must have sixteen members. Employer representatives are selected from the management team, while worker representatives are chosen through their trade union or by a majority vote of the employees if no union is present. Members serve a term of three years, and the directive places a specific emphasis on ensuring that female workers are represented in the committee structure.
Core Responsibilities and Hazard Management
The OSH committee is tasked with several critical functions, including the development of annual safety plans and the allocation of budgets for health and safety initiatives. They are required to conduct comprehensive workplace inspections at least every three months and provide recommendations to management for mitigating identified risks. These responsibilities extend to identifying hazardous machinery or work processes and ensuring they undergo regular safety evaluations. Additionally, the committee must track and analyze data related to workplace accidents, medical expenses, and lost work hours. They also investigate the causes of “near-misses” and actual accidents to prevent recurrence and are responsible for drafting and monitoring the organization’s overarching safety policies.
Meetings and Administrative Compliance
In terms of operations, the committee must meet at least every three months, although emergency meetings can be called if an immediate or serious hazard is identified. Leadership of the committee, specifically the roles of Chairman and Vice-Chairman, must rotate annually between the employer and worker representatives. For any meeting to be considered valid, more than half of the members must be in attendance, and there must be representation from both the employer and worker sides. Furthermore, committees are required to register with the relevant government authority to obtain an annual certificate. They are accountable to the organization’s General Manager and must submit regular reports, including monthly accident summaries and quarterly activity updates, to both the employer and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.