Ministry of labor and social affairs
National center of occupational heath and safety
Iraqi Country Report
Haitham AL_majidi
7 years in the industrial field in

Israa Wasfi AL_Doori
5th years in occupational field ingeneral company vegetable oils andoccupational health department as
3years inspection labor 5 years as adirector of occupational safety
division /Baghdad departmenta technician engineer

Note: our department colored by orange colorOccurrence status of industrial /occupational accident
and occupational diseases(including statistics):
The number of the accident comes from two sources. first one
from the occupational safety department and the second from theministry of health /the emergency clinic so that the Number ofthe labor infection entry to the occupational safety department in
our national center in 2016 was 185 occupational work accidentand (4966) for the emergency clinic .

chart show the accident according to the type of injury
recording in safety department

4%

breaking

woundingburnamputation

suffocation

bruise and scratchmark of electrical current

strip the bone and tendon

sharp toxicity

others

2% 1%

15%

20%

19%

20%
6%

2%

11%

2-The injuries recorded in

Chart

No.1

shows

the

numbersofoccupational accidents that where registered

the emergency clinicin the emergency clinics in Iraqi hospital of
all the governorates except Kurdistan region, for the years 2012 up to 2016 .

Chart No.1 The numbers ofoccupational injuries recordedin the emergency clinics forthe years 2012 - 2016

It was clear that during the starting year
2012,

the number was 2570 occupational

accidents and it increased to reach 7147
occupational accidents during 2014 and thendecreased after the invasion of ICIS to 3

8000

7147

NO. OF INJURIES

7000

major governorates that stopped registration

6358

5882

6000

4966

of occupational accidents since then, to

5000
4000
3000

reach 4966 in the year 2016.
2570

However, we recognized that most of the2000

hospitals

1000
0
2012

2013

2014
YEARS

2015

2016

in

almostalltheincluded

governorates stacked to this program ofregistration of occupational accidents.

Chart No. 2 Work Injuries for the year 2016 according to
the causative agent

Chart No.2 shows the number
and percentage of occupational
accidents divided according to84

766
15.42%

1.70%

108

883
17.78%

the cause.

2.17%

Where the highest

10.03%

percentage 30.93 % of

498
1091
21.97%

1536

occupational accidents

30.93%

happened because of machines
and instruments, 21.97%

else
machines and instruments
falls
stumbleelectric shockchemicals*The total no. of work injuries in the year 2016 was 4966
case** else means terrorist accidents , explosions, gunshot …
etc.

because of stumble and fall
and to a less extent others(
explosions and bullet injuries)

17.78% , 15.42% because oftransport media.

Chart No.3 Work Injuries for the year 2016 according
to place injury in the body

Chart No.3 shows the number
219
467

and percentage of occupational

915

4.41%

18.43%

9.40%

accidents divided according to416

the place of the injury in the

8.38%

682

902

13.73%

18.16%

body.
Where the highest percentage

49

affected the head 18.43% , 18.16%

868

10.01%

17.48%

affected the left upper limbs ,headleft upper limb

right upper limb

left lower limb

right lower limb

back

chest

abdomen*The total no. of registered work injuries inthe year 2016 was 4966 case.

17.48% affected the right upper
limbs.

No. of injuries

Chart No. 4 Work Injuries in theyear 2016 according to the type ofbody injuries
3000

Chart No.4 shows thenumber and percentage of

2814

occupational accidents

2500

divided according to the

2000
1500

type of the injury to the

1135
1000

601
500

153

30

workers.
52

40

102

20

17

2

0

Where the highest typeof injury was 2814 wounds ,1135 bruises and scratches ,Injuriesand 601 fractures.
The total no. of work injuries registered in the year
2016 was 4966Occurrence status of industrial /occupational and occupational diseases(including
statistics):
Although we make a occupational exam for the workers and transfer them to a suitable work if
we see in their exam any hazard on their health by a commission name(commission onchanging the nature of work) but There are no occupational diseases status register on ourcenter because the worker don’t make the primary occupational exam in the beginning of
their employ and because weakness commitment by the legislation ,laws and instructions
there for its difficult to say that is a occupational diseases so they suppose to make primaryexam on our center before their employ to see the work effect on their health and give themsuitable work .on the next chart we show you the No . of the examination in healthdepartment including the normal and un normal examination result that collected from a
program named by(the registry system of worker examination in health occupational Dep.):

軸ラベル

4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0

4141
3020

2677

2010 1813

normalunnormal

1077

1328
735

0

visionclinical

2010
1813

4141
1077

1008

128

97

healthlunghearingheart
psychologi
efficiency
efficiency planning
cal
3020
0
2677
128
735
1328
1008
97

DATA COLLECTION METHODS OF STATISTICS:
1.From the national center for occupational health and safety(department

of information , Baghdad department of OSH , occupational healthdepartment , occupational safety department).
2.Members of a link with the ministries.
3.Ministray of health (from the hospital).
4.Labour inspection department .
5.Social insurance department.
6. Institution of the industrial development / ministry of industry.

Safety and health related laws and regulation
1)Laws
1. Labor Law NO.37 of the year 2015.
This law is to be a substitute for the previous law to suit the international labor standards
ratified by Iraq, this law consists of 18 chapters and chapter 13 is devoted to occupational

health and safety.
2. Noise control Law NO.41 of 2015
The aim of this law is to protect human beings, especially workers, from the harmful effects ofnoise in the work environment by controlling noise according to acceptable limits of
exposure .
3. Civil defense Law NO.44 of 2015
This law deals with safety measure through the concept of industrial safety.

4. The Law for the protection and Improvement of the Environment NO.27 of 2009.
Where by the national center allows the implementation and application ofoccupational health and safety requirements and referral of the infringing projects
to the competent courts.

5. The Public Health Law NO.89 of 1981
This law includes provision relating to all aspects of preventive medicine.

6. The Law of Retirement and Social Security for Workers NO.39 of 1971.
Aims to protect workers in the private sector through the granting of pensions toworkers as well as the payment of compensation and benefits as a result of work
injuries and disease .

2) Regulations
1.Instructions for occupational Health and Safety Regulations NO.12 of 2016 .
2. Instruction for the verification of work injuries NO. 10 of 2000 .

3. Lighting instruction in working environment NO.7 of 1993 .
4.Instructions to protect workers from vibrations NO.4 of 1993 .
5.Instructions for the dangers of aromatic gasoline NO.6 of 1993 .
6.Instructions for the manufacture ,handling and storage of insecticides NO.2 of 1990 .
7.Safety Instructions in the storage and handling of chemical NO.4 of 1989 .
8. Decision NO.380 of 1989 concerning the allocation of risk provision .
This decision made the center the only national authority competent to grant risk allocations to the public
sector .
9. Instructions for determining harmful and hard work NO.14 of 1988.
10. Instructions of the oil of ASKARAL NO.6 of 1986
11. Instructions for carcinogenic chemical NO.2 of 1984 .

Labor Inspection system:
Labor law No 37 of 2015 in chapter 13 part 2 (labor inspection )provided for:
Article 126: Enterprises and workplaces subject to the provisions of this Law shall be
subject to labor inspection under the Ministry’s supervision and direction.
Article 127: The labor inspection directorate shall have the following powers:

a. To verify the implementation of the legal provisions related to work conditions, theprotection of workers and their essential rights during the performance of their work.
b. To provide information and technical advice to the workers and employers regarding theeffective methods and means of implementation of the legal provisions andinternational conventions.

c. To inform the Ministry of the labor violations and infringements not specified in thisLaw.

d. To provide an appropriate mechanism for the receipt of the workers’ complaints in
respect of any violation of their rights set forth in this law, and inform the workers
on the method of use of this mechanism.
Article 128: 1) Inspection committees shall be presided over by a civil servant in the
Ministry holding the title of labor inspector and shall include a representative of theemployers who . represents them the best, and a representative of the workers who
represents them the best. The
committee shall be accompanied by a representative of the National Center for
Occupational Health and Safety when required by the enterprise.
2) The inspection committee may call upon duly qualified experts from among experts with
scientific qualifications.

Article 129: l) The inspection committee shall have To request the employer in writing tourgently execute the following(a) To make the necessary changes during a specified time-limit, in the installations andmechanical equipment for making them compatible with the legal provisions on the workers‘.safety and health(b) To take emergency measures in case of imminent danger to the worker’s safety and health2) To take emergency measures in case of serious danger which must be dealt with immediately,.including the total or partial suspension of the work or the evacuation of the workplace3) To draw up a detailed report of each inspection visit, including a summary of the violations
and recommendations for taking the legal procedures against the contravening employers

4) The inspection committee must notify the employer or his representative of its
presence on the enterprise during the inspection visit, unless the committee

considers that such notification may affect its execution of it mission.
Article 133: 1) Every 90 days, the directorate and the most representative
employer’s associations and worker‘s associations shall draw up a report andshall submit said report to the Ministry.
2) The directorate shall publish an annual report on the following:
A; Regulations and instructions on the inspection division’s activities
B; Workers in the inspection division;
statistic on the work of the inspection committee’s work, including the following:C; 1. Workplaces subject to inspection and the number of workers in it.
2.Inspection Visits
3.Violations and imposed penalties
4.Industrial accidents
5.Occupational diseases and work injuries
6.Entirely or partially suspended enterprises
D;Data on the levels of prevailing wages
E;Proposals for the development of inspection activities.
Article 134; The Minister must issue a warning to the contravening employer before
referring him to the competent court.

WORKERS' ACCIDENT COMPENSATION INSURANCE:
Social insurance law no (31)of(1971)contains in article 56 (a),which provides (if the infection is overtotal disability or death allotted or his successor as pension injury based on 80% of average
wage in recent work or during his tenure that was less than a year.
Article 56(b)provides (if working a deficit caused injury in 35%of total disability and more a partial
injury pension is allocated if working injury caused a deficit of less than 35% of total disability
more equivalent compensatory grants.
Article 57(a) provides (if the injury recurred in the deficit ratio was one factor in the recent injury

added to the previous rate of incapacity is 35%of the deficit .a cash reward is granted on thebasis of disability in recent infection.
Article 57(b)provides (if the ratio of the deficit in recent injure added to the previous ratio of
35%had reached the incapacity of the full disability pension is granted more hit.

Safety of equipment and facilities
The employers obliged to ensure the safety of the machines and equipment in the project to come:
1.Maintaining the safety of steam boilers and various pressure devices and accessories and safetymechanical lifting equipment and peripherals and electrical hoists .
2. Obtaining certification examination league annual machinery and equipment from thecompetent committee .
3.Trian employees on how to operate machines and equipment to ensure the prevention accidents
and injuries during operation .
4.Organizing the distribution of machines and mechanism correctly in the manner that pushaway the risk from the worker .

5.The central organization for standardization and quality control establishes controls for theimport and export of machines and equipment with in international standers.

TRIANING/ EDUCATION PROGRAMS:
1.Training and educational in the field of occupational health and safety for managers
and supervisors in all government institutions responsible for occupational safety andhealth through the establishment of courses inside and outside the national centerand seminars in situ .
2.Trianing of Iraqi and Arab doctor boards and students of institutes coming from theministry of high education to our national center in year around.

3. Vocational education and training programs included whole classes of occupational
health and safety in to the education curriculum for vocational education and training
institutions ,these concepts also exist within a curriculum for obtaining certificate
community medicine.

ACTIVITES OF INDUSTRIAL /OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
ORGENIZATION OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT :In Iraq we have (the Iraqi society of occupational health and safety )the association provides arrange ofactivities related to occupational safety and health as:
1.Prepare safety documents from manuals and plans .
2.Implement training programs inside and outside Iraq .
3. Holding conferences, seminars and exhibition .

4.Provide consultation in the field of engineering examination of elevators and medical examinationof employees .
5.Processing of personal protective and safety equipment.
6.Puplication of books, magazines, flyers and posters and signs.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND RISKASSESSMENT :The national center for occupational health and safety put a national program on occupationalsafety and health in consultation with employers and workers organization mostRepresentative also comes:
1.The Awareness and Training section at the national center and the Awareness and Training
Division in the provincial departments other than the Kurdistan region are developing a plan
to spread a preventive culture in the field of occupational health and safety .
2.The national center provides protection to workers in economic activities through monitoringand surveillance and under an annual plan that reduces the risks of occupational diseases
and occupational injuries with the aim of promoting safety and health at the work place .

3.In the center there are some data for review and analysis of what has been achievedin the area of occupational safety and health.
4.Assesment of monitoring and surveillance based on data on occupational safety andhealth where targets and indicator are available for evolution .
5. The center has strengthen this program through coordination with representative ofministries ,with the aim of providing a healthy and safe working environment .
6.The program is distributed to the National center and provincial departments before
the beginning of each year.

Campaign /Event/national convention/Exhibition
Celebration of the world day for safety and health at 28th of April
every year .
_It’s a media conference reviews the activities and achievementsof scientific research and in particular the national center foroccupational health and safety during the year .also promotes
the foundations of preventive culture with the presence ofseveral organizations the most prominent JICK organization

Three major strategies by the government
1. There are no specific strategies on occupational health and safety .
2. The process of making the improvement going on the occupational
health and safety through the national program .
3. The national center works within the approved annual plans to provide
a safe and healthy working environment and improve it and to combat
the dangers from it’s source and to promote this by developing a cultureof prevention within the national program at all relevant levels .

Issues and challenges in Implementing OSH in my country
1) Issues on OSH

1. Weakness and lowest community culture on occupational health and safety
field.
2.Weak commitment by the legislation ,laws and instructions.
3.Non commitment by the primary examination for the workers.
4.Un commitment of some ministries to the special guidance by the program ofthe safety management through un activate the role link member and not todevelop occupational health and safety formation.

5.Inability to update the limits of occupational exposure (TLV) because we hadn’tscientific laboratories that help with this.

6.Present of austerity lead to few the financial allotments for that and that effect on thefollowing sides:
a. Build the capacity of workers and need courses to develop associate capabilities on thefield of health and safety in coordination with relevant organization .
b. Need to new instrument and equipment and that for keep up with evolution because thecurrent instrument didn't enough most of needs.
c. Renew the subscription with(ILO,WHO)organization to provide us by the modern

versions and handouts .
7.Scarcity accurate specialization as (the occupational medical specialties _ the occupationalsafety specialties) .
8.Less of statistical data received and weak reporting on accidents and injuries.

My suggestions
1. Make a plan by the national center and support by the ILO to raise awareness about occupationalsafety and health through Expanding and strengthening of spread the preventive culture media

and increased distribution of the leaflets on occupational safety and health at the national level .
2. Application of legal provisions against violators of non-compliance with legislation ,laws andregulations related to occupational safety and health and that for the point (2,3,4,8) from issues .
3. Allocating financial support for occupational safety and health at the beginning of each year andwithin the overall operational budget of the national center and that for the point (5,6)from issues.

5. a. The coverage of educational curricula on occupational safety and health concepts and not belimited to professional educational school .
b. Postgraduate studies in occupational safety and health and that for the point (7)from issues.

Good practices item (a) :1) what was achieved
Joint campaigns against environmental pollution and disease among workers and the local
population close to the production plants (brick production plants in the nahrawan area
located 60 km south east of the capital Baghdad as well as the asbestos factory), where there

emerged cases of suffocation and cirrhosis in the lung and cancer and death because smoke
and gases resulting from the burning of black oil which used in the production of bricks.
2) key element of success1. Coordination between government institution .
2. The implementation of joint campaigns was mandatory and the report assessed the risk
status.

3) Lessons learned
1. The importance of joint work to reduce occupational risks.
2. Evaluate the risks of work in the production site and classify then according to the degree of risk.
4) Implementation partners
Ministry of health
Ministry of environment
Ministry of labor and social affairs (national center for occupational health and safety )5) monitoring methods
1. The prevalence of many cases of illness among employers and parent close to the production site.
2. periodic inspection by the inspection committees of the national center for occupational health andsafety department of Baghdad where it. was noted the rise in the number of injured in diseases.

5) good practices item( b)1. what was achieved
There are methods to ensure compliance with the occupational health and safety law through inspection

system which are the executive arm of the national center in this area and according to forms for thispurpose the first disclosure forms picture No. (1) and continuation forms picture No.(2)to determine the rates of implementation of OSH requirements.

2. key elements of successa. The inspection committees have a variety of professional specialties .
b. Submit reports and statements on the nature of the work and its commitment to the implementation of thelaws.
3. lessons learned
a. Evaluation of occupational risks by nature and classification of activity.
b. Reducing occupational risks based on the implementation of occupational health and safety condition .

picture No. (1)picture No.(2)4. Implementation partners
Inspection committees at the department of OSH .
5. Monitoring methods
The implementation of occupational safety and health condition shall be carried out within
one month from the date of the initial examination and follow-up according tocontinuation form which specify the completion percentage of the nature of activity .

# Diagrams and drawings accompanying show the important of conduction inspection
visits and following up the implementation of occupational health and safety condition
through the mentioned forms and organizing them with statistics as follows :

300
250
200
150
100
50

0

weak

ChemicalBlacksmit
andweaving
Presses Carpentry Plastics
hing
Pharmaceutical
3
2
0
9
1
3

Food

ConstructService Shepherd education others
ion

1

3

32

4

12

11

acceptable

159

19

14

81

55

11

62

65

268

5

15

9

good

103

14

5

49

24

8

65

58

194

8

18

7

very good

22

11

5

23

11

11

41

20

70

12

20

10

excellent

1

3

3

17

3

4

17

9

4

0

6

0