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The CPS has developed a draft SanPiN “Sanitary-epidemiological requirements to working conditions of women.” It prohibits the employment of pregnant workers in rooms without natural light. The document also provides for the obligation of the employer to provide the women with children under the age of fifteen years, the room for feeding babies. The new Regulations will come into force in the course of this year. Now the project is being coordinated with the Federal ministries.
Director of the Scientific-research Institute of occupational medicine, Professor Igor Bukhtiyarov told “Izvestia” that the existing hygienic requirements to working conditions of women were adopted in 1996 and are outdated. The draft of the new SanPiN into account all amendments to Russian law. He also harmonized with the Convention of the International labor organization, documents of the world health organization and European Union directives.
Especially important is the fact that Sanmina is supposed to inform women in the hiring of the risks of damage to health, including reproductive health, when working under conditions of harmful production factors, — said Igor Bukhtiyarov.
The draft document also States that women who are preparing to become mothers, should not work in areas without natural lighting. Professor Bukhtiyarov said that “light starvation” there is a violation of metabolism and hormonal levels, reducing the resistance of the organism, which can lead to the disruption of pregnancy.
— Natural lighting has a significant biological effect and regulates essential life functions of the body. Under its influence, enhanced metabolism, aktiviziruyutsya the processes of hematopoiesis, improves the function of endocrine glands, the Professor said. He added that the lack of light can have an adverse psychological impact due to the lack of communication with the outside world, the feeling of the closed space, the monotony of artificial light environment. All this reduces physical and mental performance, concentration and is highly undesirable during pregnancy.
Another innovation for mothers with children up to six years. In the new Sunpine stated that the employer is obliged to provide them a special room equipped with a couch, table, chairs, changing tables, bathroom with toilet, sink for washing hands and taps should be hot and cold water.
— This requirement is due to the fact that some women want to combine work with breastfeeding baby. In a number of organizations such rooms are available, — said Igor Bukhtiyarov.
Project hygiene requirements to the working conditions of women also suggests that pregnant women should work with a PC, i.e. personal computer, not more than three hours per shift. This provision has been migrated to a document from SanPiN 2003 “Hygienic requirements to personal electronic computers and work organization”. Igor Bukhtiyarov told that these standards were developed based on data from national and international studies on the possible adverse effects on fetal development of the electromagnetic fields of the broadband spectrum.
In accordance with the Labour code a pregnant woman according to her statement transferred to other work excluding influence of adverse production factors, with preservation of average earnings on former work. However, experts of the employment sector say that the majority of women do not use their existing rights. And it is unlikely they will be eligible for bonuses under the new Sanpya.
General Secretary of the Union of the Union of Russia Yevgeny Kulikov also believes that workers unaware of their rights due to legal ignorance, and if they do not want to defend them, not to spoil relations with the authorities, and not to keep their jobs.
It’s not really right to compel a woman to work during the period when it is supposed to do to your little child. If we want to live in a developed society, we must give the mother a chance to raise a baby at home and not to open a special room at work, — said Evgeny Kulikov.
According to managing partner of the professional community “HR Experts” Victoria Friday, more regulations on requirements to the conditions of women’s work, is a formal document. Large organizations will adhere to the law, but the average commercial company — no.
She noted that he did not know of any cases to inspection bodies are attracted to employer liability for violation of the conditions of women.
Meanwhile, for the breach of sanitary legislation established disciplinary, administrative and criminal liability (article 55 of the Federal law № 52-FZ “On sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population”). Control over observance of sanitary norms and rules implementing the CPS.
In a press-service of the Ministry “news” reported that the special assessment of working conditions is carried out not less than once in five years.