Workplace Safety Act

Resolution History

Overview

Though this resolution was originally developed prior to the Repeal "The Rights of Labor Unions" reaching the floor, it reached quorum after the repeal successfully passed, thus extending the United Nations debates on the subject of labor laws for an additional few weeks.

Proposal Campaign

The early ideas for this proposal were drafted by the private group calling itself the United Nations Old Guard (UNOG). It wasn't until many of the finer points had been agreed upon behind closed doors that the UNOG unveiled its resolution to the general United Nations membership.

UN Debate

Resolution Text

Description: NOTING the absence of UN legislation guaranteeing the safety of employees while in the workplace;

RESOLVED to establish a common standard of workplace safety in all UN nations;

BELIEVING that employees have the right to safe working conditions while at the workplace and that employers have a responsibility to provide a healthy and safe work environment;

DEFINING, for the purposes of this resolution:

- person as one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, business trusts, legal representatives, or any organized group of persons

- an employee as an individual who performs certain tasks for another person in return for financial or other compensation

- a workplace as any site at which the tasks employees are engaged to perform are carried out

- an employer as a person or persons engaging employees to perform certain tasks, excluding the law enforcement and military bodies of UN member nations;

the United Nations hereby,

ENACTS the following:

(1)Each employer shall make every reasonable effort to furnish a place of employment which is free from hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm to his employees and inform employees as fully as possible of potential hazards.

(2)Workplaces must be maintained in such a condition that employees will not be exposed to excessive danger.

(3)Every employer must ensure that regular inspections are made of all workplaces and work methods and practices, at intervals that will prevent the development of unsafe working conditions.

(4)Employers shall, where applicable, inform employees of any Personal Protective Equipment required. The minimum standard of PPE is that which will prevent injury or harm to the employee considering all known or anticipated hazards within the specific workplace. All employees must provide or be provided with, and be required to use, the minimum standard of PPE. Employers shall also provide formal training in the use of PPE and in safe operational procedures for all employees, plus updates whenever significant new procedures are introduced.

(5)The employer must ensure that each tool, machine and piece of equipment in the workplace is capable of safely performing the functions for which it is used and operated.

(6)Employers shall ensure that each employee complies with all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to the employee's own actions and conduct.

(7)Employers must not knowingly permit employees to enter or remain at the workplace while the employee's ability to work safely is so notably impaired as to endanger the employee and/or anyone else, or diminish their ability to operate machinery safely.

(8)Employers shall ensure that employees do not engage in any inappropriate activity or behavior at a workplace that might create or constitute a hazard to themselves or to any other person.

(9)All UN member nations are encouraged to enact workplace safety legislation at the national level that would further expand on the concepts embodied within this act. Nothing in this legislation shall be taken as forcing or inducing nations to lower existing national standards of workplace safety.

(10)Each UN member nation shall ensure that within it there exist one or more adequately funded governmental bodies that can inspect work sites and ensure compliance with this act throughout its territory.

Co-Authored by UNOG

Votes For: 9,792

Votes Against: 4,965

Implemented: Sun Feb 19 2006

Voting Analysis

Gameplay Impacts

This resolution had no significant impacts on changing the way NationStates is played.

Additional Materials

• Workplace Safety Act UN Floor Debate
• Workplace Safety Act UN Draft Proposal Discussions
• Repeal "The Rights of Labor Unions"
• The Rights of Labor Unions
• UN Timeline
• United Nations