Advancing Mine Safety: Kazakhstan's Tripartite Dialogue Charts New OSH Path

Opening the seminar, Mr. Yerbolat Abulkhatin, Acting Chairman of the State Labor Inspection Committee under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, highlighted the significance of the event.

 

In a major step forward for occupational safety and health (OSH) in Kazakhstan's mining sector, a tripartite seminar organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) convened on 22–23 April 2025. The event brought together over 30 representatives from the Government, employers, and workers’ organizations for an intensive two-day discussion, supported by international experts.

The seminar, held under the framework of the ILO project Promoting Occupational Safety and Health through Social Dialogue in the Mining Sector of Kazakhstan, served as a platform to critically review three expert-prepared reports:

• Updated National OSH Profile in the Republic of Kazakhstan

• GAP-Analysis of Kazakhstan’s legislation regarding the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176)

• GAP-Analysis of Kazakhstan’s labour inspection system

Aiming for Higher Safety Standards

Opening the seminar, Mr. Yerbolat Abulkhatin, Acting Chairman of the State Labor Inspection Committee under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, highlighted the significance of the event.

"This seminar provides a unique opportunity to develop valuable recommendations for the further improvement of the labour protection system, labour inspection, and national labour legislation," Mr. Abulkhatin remarked.

Throughout the workshop, participants and international consultants engaged in rigorous debates, identifying key gaps, challenges, and necessary reforms. Mr. Darko Dochinski, Specialist in Labour Administration, Labour Inspection, and OSH, emphasized the value of direct engagement between national actors and international experts to tackle persistent challenges and strengthen the enforcement of labour standards.

Spotlight on Critical Issues

Several sensitive and highly technical issues captured participants' attention:

• Definition and recognition of occupational diseases, crucial for improving worker compensation and preventive strategies.

• Transition from a compensation-driven model to a risk-oriented framework, focusing on prevention rather than reactive payouts.

• Enhancing methodologies for assessing occupational risks and reinforcing the hierarchy of controls in risk management.

• Social insurance expansion, particularly for self-employed individuals and entrepreneurs in mining communities.

• Incentives for OSH modernization at the enterprise level, through economic motivators for employers.

• Strengthening the capacity and role of labour inspectors in ensuring workplace safety.

• Alignment with international labour standards, particularly regarding readiness to ratify ILO Convention No. 176.

• Fostering interdepartmental cooperation to create a unified national approach to OSH in mining.

The dynamic roundtable sessions facilitated open dialogue and a collective commitment to actionable improvements.

Building Consensus for the Future

The seminar culminated with the joint drafting of recommendations and proposals to finalize the three reports for eventual publication. Participants agreed that the work undertaken would not only modernize Kazakhstan’s labour protection and inspection systems but would also support broader national efforts under the Roadmap for Promoting Decent Work in Kazakhstan (2024–2025).

Key voices from the employers’ and workers’ sides reinforced the importance of sustained collaboration:

• Mrs. Sholpan Abikenova, Deputy Director General of the National Confederation of Employers "Paryz," reaffirmed the Confederation’s commitment to ongoing partnership with the ILO to enhance social policy approaches in vital sectors like OSH.

• Mr. Marat Imash, representing the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, pointed to the mining sector’s high injury rates, stressing the urgency of protective measures. He invoked the General Agreement’s provisions that prioritize safeguarding workers' lives and health as essential for preserving the nation's human capital.

Clear Path Ahead

Consensus was reached among all parties regarding priority areas and next steps under the ILO project. The tripartite dialogue demonstrated the strength of social partnership and the shared vision to elevate Kazakhstan’s mining sector to international best practices for occupational safety and health.

As the finalized reports move toward publication, the efforts of this seminar are expected to lay a solid foundation for long-term improvements, ensuring safer working conditions for thousands of miners and setting a precedent for other industries across Kazakhstan.