Workplace Accidents: 179 Fatalities Since 2018, Including 16 This Year

Workplace accidents are on the rise, increasing concerns about worker safety and the implementation of measures intended to protect them.

New injuries are reported almost every week, while some incidents also result in fatalities. These cases highlight shortcomings in compliance with workplace safety standards.

On Tuesday, a young man lost his life and another person was injured at a construction site in Pristina. Following this incident, the number of people who have died in workplace accidents in Kosovo this year reached 16.

The data show that workplace accidents continue to be one of the most serious problems facing institutions, employers and the bodies responsible for overseeing working conditions, safety and health.

Jusuf Azemi, chairman of SPSP, said that 179 workplace deaths have been recorded since 2018. According to him, neither society nor the institutions have ever treated these cases with the seriousness they deserve. He said the measures taken so far may have been far too lenient, noting that even very young workers have lost their lives, while company owners have been released and allowed to go home after 48 hours.

The Builders’ Association is calling for a national strategy to improve safety at worksites, alongside increased awareness among workers about their rights.

Valon Vataj, chairman of the Kosovo Builders’ Association at OEK, said that inexperienced companies operate in the market, as do companies that disregard safety requirements in order to complete work more quickly. However, he also considers workers’ own failure to comply with these requirements to be a problem, saying they do not understand that they are putting their lives at risk by doing so. Vataj stressed that life must not be put at risk under any circumstances.

In a statement, the Central Labor Inspectorate said it was still too early to draw definitive conclusions about the latest case. Given the nature and circumstances of the incident, further investigations and expert assessments are needed to determine the exact cause of the accident and establish responsibility regarding the implementation of occupational safety and health measures. The Inspectorate also said that institutional coordination between the authorities that issue construction permits and supervisory institutions must be strengthened.

Pristina Mayor Përparim Rama said that monitoring compliance with occupational protection and safety standards falls under the responsibility of the Central Labor Inspectorate, which operates at the central level.

The Prosecutor’s Office has launched investigations into the criminal offenses of “Causing General Danger” and “Destroying, Damaging or Removing Protective Equipment and Endangering Workplace Safety.” Police have detained three people in connection with the case.

The other person who was injured is receiving treatment at QKUK. Shaqir Uka, director of intensive care, said the injured person’s vital signs were stable, although his injuries have been classified as serious.