How much has non-compliance with occupational health and safety regulations grown?

In 2020 and 2021, Sunafil imposed a total of 1,009 and 2,670 fines on companies nationwide, as a result of non-compliance with occupational safety and health standards, respectively. Between 2020 and last year, there has been an increase of 1,661 sanctions, which represents a growth of almost 264%, according to SST ASESORES.

Luigi Prado, general manager of SST ASESORES, explains that the main reason for registering these sanctions is clearly due to non-compliance with the Law No. 29783Occupational Health and Safety Law and its regulations, which aims to promote a culture of occupational risk prevention in the country.

“It is important that, through dialogue and participation, between employers, the State, workers and their union organizations, they comply with the promotion, dissemination and compliance with the norm,” says Prado.

Likewise, Prado added that these sanctions are given for three fundamental aspects. Organizations and their managers are not aware of the existence of an occupational health and safety law. This, even though it is regulated and published. Similarly, they only implement it when another company requires it in the event that they have to work together.

Also, S.unafil has a very weak control systemTherefore, it does not reach all companies and if it does, it only supervises large corporations.

Within the most frequent fines imposed by Sunafil in the last two years, they have been for management system issues, where the organizations have not complied with the requirements in establishing policies, plans and programs for safety and health at work. Not establishing a workplace health and safety committee, which is for companies with 20 or more workers, and not electing a supervisor for companies with less than 20 employees.

As well, Failure to have an adequate hazard identification and risk assessment matrix has been the cause of a penalty.. In short, not having a tool that allows workers to know the dangers to which they are exposed in their activities, the risks and/or events that could occur, and not having adequate control measures that prevent the event or damage occurs.

According to the law, The company has to carry out four training sessions a year for its workers. at least with information on safety and health at work. Not scheduling the training, the non-participation of the workers and not knowing how to execute or apply this information has been reason for a fine.

Finally, it is expected that, by 2022, the fines will be reduced considerablybecause as a result of the sanctions imposed by Sunafil, in recent years, greater awareness has been generated of the importance that workers work in safe and healthy conditions, and how fundamental it is to invest in occupational safety and health issues, assures SST ADVISORS.