On December 12. 2024, the Dean of UP FM, Prof. Dr. Tatjana Horvat, hosted Prof. Dr. Snežana Živković, Prof. Dr. Slobodan Milutinović, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Tamara Radjenović from the Faculty of Occupational Safety, University of Niš. The meeting was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Mirko Markič as part of the project Exploring Occupational Health and Safety Practices in Slovenia and Serbia: Enhancing Occupational Safety and Health in Organizations and Improving Employee Well-being.
The aim of the project is to combine transnational scientific knowledge and skills under a common theme of managing best practices in occupational health and safety (OHS) and employee well-being. The significance of the project lies in connecting previous research initiatives in Slovenia and Serbia in the field of occupational health and safety and employee well-being. The research and practices developed so far in both countries have diverse backgrounds and orientations, driven by the economic and social conditions of each country. The primary goal of the proposed project is to evaluate and manage best practices in occupational health and safety and well-being in Slovenia and Serbia. To respond to the project’s objectives, the following scientific research goals have been established:
- Conduct a comparative analysis of current practices in occupational health and safety and well-being in Slovenia and Serbia through a review of professional literature and case studies.
- Conduct field research in Slovenia and Serbia on the culture of occupational health and safety and well-being in selected business organizations.
- Perform a comparative analysis of the obtained information and propose a framework for improving the management of occupational health and safety and well-being in companies and other institutions.
Occupational health and safety (OHS) represent a key aspect of decent work, as recognized in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth), particularly outlined in target 8.8: "Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment" (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/economic-growth/).
As Slovenia is an EU member state and Serbia is committed to the EU accession process, EU legal documents also play a significant role in OHS. The Council Directive (89/391/EEC) (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex%3A31989L0391) introduces measures to encourage improvements in the health, safety, and well-being of workers at work. To ensure a safe and healthy working environment for workers in the EU, the European Commission proposed a strategic framework for occupational health and safety for 2014–2020, which was updated in 2021 for the period 2021–2027 to address health and safety in the changing world of work.
