Occupational Safety and Health Administration Report for 2020 - Conclusions and Lessons Learned
Mar 23, 2021
As every year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs publishes a detailed and important report on the activities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 2020.
As expected, the data emerging from the report concerning the construction industry raises fundamental issues for all of us. We went through the report and here are some interesting data for you to know:
More supervision, more enforcement
In 2020, there was an increase of approximately 47% in the number of inspection visits compared to 2019. In absolute numbers, this amounts to more than 12,000 visits in 2020 compared to only about 8,000 the previous year. At the same time, there was a significant increase of approximately 121% (!) in the number of safety orders issued in the construction industry in 2020 compared to 2019.
The Ministry of Labor closed almost 3,000 sites in 2020 (!!!) due to safety deficiencies, and the report emphasized that "in essence, the closure of these sites achieved great deterrence, since not a single site was reopened without thorough and complete treatment of the construction deficiencies discovered by the administration's inspectors" (emphasis not in the original).
In 2020, approximately 650 intentions to impose financial sanctions were published, and here too this is a "significant increase compared to 2019" (in the words of the report).
The ministry has increased enforcement and done so in close cooperation with the Israel Police, local authorities and other enforcement agencies. "The bulk of the targeted enforcement operations were carried out in the construction industry," the Labor Ministry says (emphasis not in the original).
As every year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs publishes a detailed and important report on the activities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 2020.
As expected, the data emerging from the report concerning the construction industry raises fundamental issues for all of us. We went through the report and here are some interesting data for you to know:
More supervision, more enforcement
In 2020, there was an increase of approximately 47% in the number of inspection visits compared to 2019. In absolute numbers, this amounts to more than 12,000 visits in 2020 compared to only about 8,000 the previous year. At the same time, there was a significant increase of approximately 121% (!) in the number of safety orders issued in the construction industry in 2020 compared to 2019.
The Ministry of Labor closed almost 3,000 sites in 2020 (!!!) due to safety deficiencies, and the report emphasized that "in essence, the closure of these sites achieved great deterrence, since not a single site was reopened without thorough and complete treatment of the construction deficiencies discovered by the administration's inspectors" (emphasis not in the original).
In 2020, approximately 650 intentions to impose financial sanctions were published, and here too this is a "significant increase compared to 2019" (in the words of the report).
The ministry has increased enforcement and done so in close cooperation with the Israel Police, local authorities and other enforcement agencies. "The bulk of the targeted enforcement operations were carried out in the construction industry," the Labor Ministry says (emphasis not in the original).
List of "dangerous" cities
An examination of the list of cities where the majority of orders concerning construction sites were issued includes (in descending order) Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion, Petah Tikva and Ramat Gan.
Moderate decrease in the number of work accidents
A positive trend was recorded in the issue of fatal work accidents, with a decrease of approximately 22% in the number of deaths on construction sites compared to 2019.
An examination of the list of cities where the majority of orders concerning construction sites were issued includes (in descending order) Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion, Petah Tikva and Ramat Gan.
Moderate decrease in the number of work accidents
A positive trend was recorded in the issue of fatal work accidents, with a decrease of approximately 22% in the number of deaths on construction sites compared to 2019.
