Load, pressure and security threats: the risk of work accidents increases in war

“Reality shows that security threats and safety risks are intertwined, and we have to deal with them simultaneously,” said Dr. Ziv Karni-Efrati from the research department of the Institute for Safety and Legal Affairs at a conference held today (Tuesday) that dealt with issues of worker safety and health during war, according to her, a study they conducted in combat. 277 safety inspectors across the country from a variety of branches and industries, shows that during the war the most common risk factors were working with insufficient personnel, protection problems, working under stressful conditions, improper escape routes and unsafe passages, fear of explosions and flying shrapnel.

According to her, in the first weeks of the war, about 50% of the workers were absent from their workplaces, and the organizations faced the challenge of maintaining production continuity. Therefore, many workplaces recruited or trained new employees and extended the shifts for existing employees, and the Ministry of Labor even extended the permit to work overtime. “Many safety inspectors pointed out risk factors arising from the organizational response to the lack of workers, because inexperienced workers or those who work long hours are at a higher risk of injury to work or health. This requires a proactive risk extension on the part of safety inspectors and employers also in relation to the organizational response to emergency situations.”

The inspection also revealed that in the southern region the safety inspectors reported an increased risk of exposure to noise or slipping compared to other places. It is possible, according to her, that these data are affected by the increased exposure to the noise of the planes, alarms and explosions, as well as the risk of tripping and slipping when running to protected areas. Karni-Efrati noted that only a few of the safety inspectors mentioned risks arising from factories near their workplaces, such as factories that store or produce explosive or flammable materials, and that according to the professional literature, this is another issue that must be taken into account.

Dr. Lalib Aguzi from the Safety and Legal Institute presented the findings of a study that compared the state of stress and burnout of workers before the war and two months after it. According to her, in addition to dealing with the existential threat, in recent months many workers are also dealing with bereavement and loss, financial worry, dealing with evacuation and concern for conscripts. In addition, about 54% of the workers reported an increase in the workload, most of them due to the absence of workers during the war. 38% reported a decrease in the workload due to a decrease in demand and job closures.

“The stress during the war increased a lot, and the number of employees who testified to stress almost doubled, and was higher than during the Corona period,” Aguzi explained, noting that 15.6% of the employees reported daily stress and 27.9% reported stress several times a week compared to 7.8 % and 16.8% respectively before the war.

“Stress and sleep disorders are related and usually come together, and they have a connection to an increased risk of being involved in work accidents,” she said, adding that in the first two months of the war, 7% of workers reported being involved in an accident, compared to 11% a full year earlier. “We recognized that the higher the level of burnout of the employee, the more exposed he was to accidents, and among those who testified that they were in extreme burnout – 20% were involved in an accident.” She added that the number reporting neck and neck, upper back and shoulder pain has doubled, and there is also an increase in reporting pain in the lower back, arms, palms, legs and knees.

“However, it is worth noting that 56% reported that work actually contributes to their feelings during this period,” Aguzi said, noting that work is not only a livelihood, but also a source of a sense of meaning and mission. Two thirds of the workers also volunteered during the war – some also in physical jobs, such as farming and transporting donation boxes. “We checked to see if it had an effect on injuries at work, and happily we found no effect.”

Dr. Amnon Dovdevani commented that in many workplaces, especially those that are closed and noisy, and with an emphasis on those that require the use of protective equipment against noise, workers may have difficulty hearing alarms during an emergency. Ways to overcome the difficulty – among other things, by using an application with a vibration on the back of the head, a smart watch or a vibrating bracelet. For this purpose, it is important that the employer has sufficient Wi-Fi reception. In addition, employers can use an internal announcement and a flashing light warning. or in the appointment of those responsible for evacuating the workers during an alarm.

Adv. Diana Baron and Adv. Orit Ronen Meko LeOved pointed out the unique difficulties faced by foreign workers in Israel following the war. According to them, on October 7, 64 migrant workers were murdered, and more than 30 were kidnapped. Since then, four more migrant workers in the agricultural sector have been killed and ten more injured by gunfire from a steep route.

“The workers lack knowledge and understanding of the situation, and they were not given sufficient explanations in advance about the ways to deal with it,” they explained, adding that the agricultural workers work, and often sleep, in residences located near the agricultural areas that are defined as open areas. “They don’t have sufficient protected areas, and many times neither alarms or warnings, nor Iron Dome protection. It became clear to us that the application of the Home Front Command is also blocked for them to download, and at the very least is not accessible to them in terms of language.” Migrant workers in the agricultural sector in the north remained to work and spend the night there, and were not evacuated together with the Israeli communities in the settlements where they work. In addition, injured foreign workers are entitled to recognition as victims of hostilities, but most of them have barriers in exercising their rights, and the workers who experienced severe traumas during the war do not often seek psychological help.

According to Baron and Ronan, the worker line is also concerned about the fact that the State of Israel allowed the entry of foreign workers during the war, not through interstate agreements, like the workers from India. “Some of the workers who arrived are already reporting to us that they paid very high brokerage fees of $7,000 and $8,000, which make them debtors and more vulnerable in the labor market, also in terms of safety.”