“Occupational Health and Safety is not only a legal duty, but an investment in workers’ well-being and the sustainability of organizations. Protecting employees’ health means taking care of the company’s future.”
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a management area focused on protecting workers’ physical integrity and health in their work environment. Its main goal is to prevent workplace accidents, occupational diseases and any other health risk that may arise as a result of working conditions.
OHS covers a wide range of activities and measures, including identifying and assessing occupational risks, implementing preventive measures, training workers in health and safety, complying with the related rules and regulations, promoting a safety culture in the company, and caring for and treating work-related injuries or illnesses.
Many countries have specific laws and regulations that set out the requirements and responsibilities of both employers and workers regarding OHS. Complying with these rules is essential to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. OHS not only benefits workers by protecting their health and well-being; it also contributes to companies’ productivity by reducing absenteeism and the costs associated with work-related accidents and illnesses.
Peruvian occupational health and safety regulations
- Political Constitution of Peru
- Law No. 26842 (General Health Law)
- Law No. 29783 (Occupational Health and Safety Law), as amended by Law No. 30222
- ISO 45001 standard
- Other regulations, such as:
- Law No. 30102, Law on protection against exposure to solar radiation.
- Supreme Decree No. 015-2005-SA, Permissible limits for chemical agents in the work environment.
- Ministerial Resolution No. 480-2008-MINSA, List of occupational diseases.
- Ministerial Resolution No. 374-2008-TR, List of agents that affect the health of pregnant workers.
- Ministerial Resolution No. 375-2008-TR, Basic ergonomics standard and risk assessment procedures.
- Ministerial Resolution No. 050-2013-TR, Records of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
- Supreme Decree No. 003-98-SA, Technical standards for supplementary high-risk work insurance.
- Supreme Decree No. 039-93-PCM, Regulations for the prevention and control of occupational cancer.
Who regulates occupational health and safety?
Occupational health and safety regulation varies by country, but in Peru the body responsible for overseeing and regulating it is the National Superintendency of Labor Inspection (SUNAFIL). This body plays a key role in applying and enforcing occupational health and safety regulations across Peru.
In particular, SUNAFIL is governed by Law No. 28806, known as the “General Labor Inspection Law”, which sets out the legal basis for carrying out labor inspections and enforcement in order to ensure compliance with labor regulations, including those related to occupational health and safety.
In addition to that law, SUNAFIL operates under its regulations, set out in Supreme Decree No. 019-2006-TR and Supreme Decree No. 015-2017-TR. These regulations detail the procedures, responsibilities and technical criteria that guide labor inspection and supervision activities, including specific aspects of occupational health and safety.