The bill, which concerns the end of the mandatory and prolonged standing of workers, which is imposed by a significant number of companies, has entered the final stretch, since before Christmas the bill is brought to the Plenary of the Parliament for a vote.
This was said during today's session of the Parliamentary Labor Committee, during which the specific issue was discussed, on the basis of a proposal by AKEL and specifically by the MP Giorgos Koukoumas.
In his statements, after the session, Mr. Koukoumas stated that the legal proposals filed by AKEL were discussed at the Pancypriot Safety and Health Council and then at the Labor Advisory Body, where the spirit of the proposal was embraced by all, to note that now "there is before us a government bill, which covers everything that was AKEL's intention".
"For us, it is very important that this legislation be passed, because thousands of workers, in many workplaces, who work endless hours standing and in addition to the daily physical strain, accumulate in the long term more serious health problems for workers who work in prolonged standing, are waiting for it , health problems that the European Organization for Safety and Health at Work has also documented, such as rheumatism and musculoskeletal diseases," he said.
He stated that this legislation must be passed, noting that "it must be passed immediately and before the Christmas holidays, because next Christmas there will be thousands of workers in the retail trade, at a time when work is being intensified, which they will work endless hours to serve everyone else."
What the bill provides
The bill includes the obligation of employers to provide the possibility to employed persons to use sufficient and appropriate seats during their work to avoid continuous and prolonged standing.
Specifically, the bill will amend article 27 of the Occupational Safety and Health Laws to require every employer to provide a suitable seat for use by every employee.
In cases where the job involves duties involving exposure to prolonged standing, the employer will be required to provide adequate seating or take organizational measures for the occasional rest of each employee.
It is noted that through the bill, Cyprus will be more fully harmonized with the provisions of the European Directive, regarding the implementation of measures to promote the improvement of the safety and health of workers at work.
Source: KYPE