Department of Labour Conditions Inspection is to monitor all mines throughout Georgia
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, December 11
A special inspection service under the Department of Labor Conditions Inspection - subordinate to the Ministry of Health - has started monitoring the conditions of all the mines in Georgia.
The first mine which was inspected is the Chiatura Mine, wherein members of the service discovered several violations of working conditions. This is the mine in which two miners were badly injured due to an explosion just weeks earlier.
The workers at the mine say that they do not have proper working conditions such as special protective clothes and a medical station. They complain that it is hard for them to work in such conditions for at least seven hours a day.
According to the miners, the technological equipment at the mine date mainly from the Soviet period, and without special and modern equipment it takes them longer to complete their work.
The same problems were listed by the representatives of Imereti Region Professional Union. They say that safety norms are violated in the mine and it is very dangerous to work there.
Emilo Gumberidze, a member of the Imereti Professional Union says that the equipment is old and in dangerous areas there are no special warning signs in the mine.
According to a specialist of the Inspection Department, Giorgi Pkhaladze, the main violations revealed at the Chiatura mine are the absence of a special protective uniform and the lack of medical supplies.
The Health Ministry says that the inspection of the Chiatura mine was voluntary and they gave the mine special recommendations which should be considered by the administration.
The aim of the monitoring is the prevention of labor condition violations, the assessment of risks, raising awareness of the employees and employers and giving appropriate recommendations.
The specialists of the Inspection Department are going to monitor the Zestaponi and Tkibuli mines next.
