Ten people, one of whom a minor, died in accidents at work so far this year. In a press briefing, Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Family Valentina Buliga said that these cases could have been avoided if the security and health requirements at work had been met.

Contacted by IPN, Labor Inspectorate head Dumitru Stavila said that 55% of the accidents happened through the employer’s fault, while the others are blamed on the employee or the blame is common. “The police will establish the guiltiness degree of the sides. The 17-year-old boy who died worked illegally and did not have a work contract,” he stated.

In January – May 2013, there were recorded 162 accidents at work, including 28 serious accidents. Most of the accidents occurred in the processing industry and the building trade.

The employer is obliged to cover all the treatment costs incurred by the injured employee, up to the recovery of the work capacity. If the work capacity is lost, the employer pays a lump sum equal to an official average salary from the month preceding the month when the accident happened multiplied by every percent of the lost work capacity. In case of death, the employer pays a lump sum to the family, equal to the deceased employee’s annual average salary multiplied by the years remaining until the age of 62, but not less than 10 annual average salaries.

If the employer refuses to pay compensation, the salary earner can file a lawsuit.

In the same period of 2012, there were recorded 158 work accidents, four of which resulted in death.