Hellenic Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Greece
Mission Statement
The Hellenic Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the host organization of the Greek Focal Point of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), has undertaken by law the responsibility of all issues related to the Occupational Health and Safety at national level, by excluding only the OSH legislation enforcement and the workplace inspections.
The two principal competent state OSH authorities, are:
1. The Directorate for Health and Safety at Work, under the General Directorate for Labour Relations, Health and Safety at Work and Work Inclusion of the Hellenic Ministry of Labour and Social Security, which is the responsible state authority for all OSH aspects (including OSH legislation, strategy, policies, organization/management, information, awareness-raising, education, training, research and networking issues), by excluding only OSH legislation enforcement and workplace inspections.
2. The Independent Authority “Labour Inspectorate” (ex. S.EP.E.), which is the responsible enforcement and inspection state authority regarding the implementation of the national labour legislation, including OHS issues, under the responsibility of the Division for the Inspection of the Occupational Safety and Health.
Through the established national tripartite OSH social dialogue and by minimizing the number of accidents at work, the work-related diseases and the occupational diseases, the above governmental authorities in close collaboration with the organizations of the national OSH social partners and other involved scientific and professional OSH organizations and institutions, all together are playing a crucial role for the common mission of:
- improving the working environment conditions,
- protecting the safety and health at work, and
- promoting an OSH prevention and protection culture at national, regional/local, and sectoral level.
The two principal competent state OSH authorities, are:
1. The Directorate for Health and Safety at Work, under the General Directorate for Labour Relations, Health and Safety at Work and Work Inclusion of the Hellenic Ministry of Labour and Social Security, which is the responsible state authority for all OSH aspects (including OSH legislation, strategy, policies, organization/management, information, awareness-raising, education, training, research and networking issues), by excluding only OSH legislation enforcement and workplace inspections.
2. The Independent Authority “Labour Inspectorate” (ex. S.EP.E.), which is the responsible enforcement and inspection state authority regarding the implementation of the national labour legislation, including OHS issues, under the responsibility of the Division for the Inspection of the Occupational Safety and Health.
Through the established national tripartite OSH social dialogue and by minimizing the number of accidents at work, the work-related diseases and the occupational diseases, the above governmental authorities in close collaboration with the organizations of the national OSH social partners and other involved scientific and professional OSH organizations and institutions, all together are playing a crucial role for the common mission of:
- improving the working environment conditions,
- protecting the safety and health at work, and
- promoting an OSH prevention and protection culture at national, regional/local, and sectoral level.