OSHA announced the policy guideline for Labor Inspection on June 22 in 2022. The new guideline aims to intensify the inspection of biological pathogen and high risk of hazard inherent to the construction industry, implementation of inspection on the labor condition for child and juvenile workers, and the advocacy of occupational hazard insurance and protection for works. OSHA will ensure relevant labor inspection agencies and local competent authorities conduct related inspections, and remind employers to duly observe applicable laws for the protection of the safety and health of the workers.

According to the “Labor Inspection Act”, the outlook of labor condition, safety and health condition, severity rate of occupational accidents and frequency of injury in Taiwan shall be taken into account and the labor inspection policy shall be announced 6 months prior to the beginning of the new fiscal year annually, mentioned OSHA.
Note the focus of inspection after adjustment after comparing the labor inspection policy of 2022 with the policy of the previous year:

1. Intensification of the preventive inspection of biological pathogen: in response to the spread out of COVID-19, it is necessary to continue the intensification of preventive inspection of the hazards from biological pathogen with the inclusion of related special inspection and supervision of inspection as the key point for the prevention of the hazard from a biological pathogen.

2. Intensification of the preventive inspection of the high risk of hazards inherent to the construction industry: for the proper implementation of occupational safety management for the high-risk construction industry and the continued intensification of accident reduction in construction, the signatures for confirmation of the professional designers and operation supervisors of construction engineering should be properly checked and included in the inspection. Preventive inspection of roofing operation hazards will be also included as the key point of supervision and inspection.

3. Implementation of inspection on the labor condition for child and juvenile workers: for the continued implementation of “The Convention on the Rights of the Children”, labor inspection is in effect. If the employers employ labor under the age of 18, they will be the prior targets for inspection for the protection of the labor rights of child and juvenile workers.

4. Advocacy of occupational accident insurance and protection for workers: in supporting the “Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act” scheduled to be enacted in 2020, occupational accident insurance and protection advocacy is included. Occupational accident insurance of labor is included as the key point of supervision and inspection. The resources of the Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation Center will be integrated to provide small and medium enterprises diagnosis of safety and health, supervision of related know-how, the subsidy of facilities, and consulting service for management practice for intensifying the promotion and application of the knowledge of safety and health.

Ministry of Labor emphasized that the purpose of announcing the labor inspection policy guideline is to perform the function of supervision and inspection with limited human resources in an inspection under the uniform standard to protect the safety and health of the workers. Relevant labor inspection entities and local competent authorities shall proceed with the guideline's content in planning and implementation. The institution of the principle for sorting out enterprises on the top of the list for inspection, the key point of inspection, and the inspection proceedings is an effort to remind related enterprises to pay attention and duly observe applicable labor laws. Contact OSHA (02-8995-6666) or the labor inspection agencies in different districts and local competent authorities if you have a query.