In the services sector
Prevention begins before danger arises.
Worker safety is not limited to factories or construction sites. Cleaning, arranging goods, serving the public or driving can involve risks of different kinds and severity. Prevention starts with understanding the task and its environment, then addressing the causes of risk.
The Public Services Workers’ Union in Nablus Governorate considers workers’ knowledge and participation essential to improving working conditions. We promote awareness, representation and dialogue while respecting the responsibilities of employers and the competent oversight authorities.
Complementary responsibilities to protect workers
Employer
Providing safety conditions and procedures appropriate to the task, and explaining work instructions, training and prevention in accordance with applicable legislation.
Women and men at work
Understanding and following instructions, using protective measures correctly, and helping identify what needs improvement.
Competent bodies
Setting rules, oversight, inspection and enforcement of legislation. Union representation supports participation without replacing these authorities’ powers.
Risks to consider in the services sector
The following examples illustrate the variety of risks and do not replace a professional assessment of the workplace and task.
Offices and screen work
Unsuitable sitting positions, repetitive movements, lighting and workspace setup, and sustained workload pressures.
Cleaning and handling substances
Exposure to chemical or biological substances, poor storage or labelling, slipping, and inadequate ventilation.
Shops and warehouses
Lifting loads, falling objects, unsafe passageways and risks from electricity or equipment.
Delivery and field services
Road, heat, weather and fatigue risks. Task organisation must take actual working conditions and rest into account.
Prevention goes beyond protective equipment
Prevention focuses on addressing hazards at source, because relying only on workers’ vigilance leaves the causes of danger in place. Improvements may require changing a substance, tool, workspace layout or task method, alongside suitable training and protective equipment.
Practical discussion in a service workplace might cover clear walkways, understandable instructions for substances used, organising lifting and repetitive tasks, and defining emergency procedures. The competent body selects the appropriate solution after assessing risks.
- Identify the hazard and who may be affected.
- Consider eliminating or reducing it at its source wherever possible.
- Organise work and training and provide suitable protective measures.
- Review procedures when tasks, equipment or conditions change.
The Palestinian framework and the international standard
Palestinian Labour Law No. 7 of 2000 addresses occupational safety and health. Article 90 concerns regulations on protective measures, health conditions, first aid and medical examinations; Article 91 concerns workplace instructions and their display under the law.
Article 92 also provides that workers must not bear costs or deductions for the provision of occupational safety and health conditions. Applying these provisions requires consideration of the law’s scope, relevant regulations and the circumstances of the case.
Internationally, in 2022 the ILO recognised a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work, and Conventions Nos. 155 and 187 became fundamental conventions. We draw on them to strengthen prevention and dialogue without assuming undocumented local ratification.
Workers’ participation brings prevention closer to reality
Workers know details that may not appear in a job description, such as congested passageways at peak times or a task changing at the end of a shift. We therefore emphasise opportunities to discuss risks and safety instructions clearly, respecting workers and their experience.
Occupational health includes work organisation and its impact on mental health, protection from violence and harassment, and procedures suited to the diverse needs of women and men. In immediate danger, established emergency procedures and competent bodies take priority.
From awareness to action
What is our union’s role?
Education connected to everyday work
Explain prevention concepts through examples from services and encourage knowledge of procedures and risks beyond slogans.
Representing safety demands
Include training, protective measures, task organisation and a suitable environment in dialogue and bargaining over working conditions.
Strengthening participation and improvement
Defending workers’ voice in discussions of safety procedures and advocating enforcement and effective oversight.
A safe workplace results from prevention, organisation and participation; workers should not bear the cost of providing safety conditions.
For a fuller picture
Frequently asked questions
Is protective equipment alone enough?
Protective equipment is one part of the system. The source of the risk, working methods, training and organisation must be examined, and suitable measures identified through a competent assessment.
Is this page medical advice or an emergency plan?
This is awareness-raising material explaining the union’s role and general references. Workplace instructions, emergency plans and medical or technical assessments are issued by qualified, competent bodies.
Further reading
References
- Palestinian Labour Law as published by the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions
- ILO: Safety and health at work
- ILO: A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental right
- ILO: The fundamental conventions on occupational safety and health
Awareness content explaining the union’s role. Consult the laws in force and the competent authorities when examining an individual case.