News Release

ILAB News Release: [10/14/2003]
Contact Name: Bob Zachariasiewicz
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676

Labor Grant Will Teach Workplace Health and Safety

Secretary Chao Announces International Technical Assistance Project in Serbia

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao has announced a $500,000 grant that will improve occupational safety and health in Serbia. The project is part of the department’s International Cooperation Program.

“The health and safety of workers at the workplace must be a priority as economic development evolves,” said U.S. Secretary Elaine L. Chao. “This Administration is working with various countries around the world to increase workplace health and safety and to foster the host-country institutions that can carry on this work. This $500,000 grant will help to improve occupational safety and health of Serbian workers.”

The grant will promote occupational safety and health in Serbia. The process began when the late Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djinjic, called for a complete reorganization of the Serbian labor inspectorate to meet 21^st century standards. Djinjic ordered such measures due to Serbia’s high incidence of work related injuries and deaths. The U.S. Department of Labor responded to a request from Serbia for assistance in designing and carrying out this overhaul of its labor inspectorate. The Labor Department provided a grant to the International Labor Organization to work with the Serbian Ministry of Labor to improve safety and health standards in the workplace by developing an effective labor inspectorate. This program, which started Oct. 1, will run for two years.

The grant is funded and managed through the International Cooperation Program of the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs.

Additional information about the Department of Labor can be found at www.dol.gov.

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