Ministry of Social Security and Labour within its competency implements the state policy in the field of occupational safety and health (together with Ministry of Health), following provisions of Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, laws, Governmental resolutions and other standard acts. Minister of Social Security and Labour (on his/her own or in conjunction with other minister or ministers) approves of relevant standard acts on occupational safety and health, establishes the procedure of their enforcement and application, represents interests of the Republic of Lithuania in the field of occupational safety and health in other countries and international organizations.

State Labour Inspectorate under Ministry of Social Security and Labour

Controls compliance with requirements of standard acts on occupational safety and health, other labour relations legislation in enterprises. It also provides consultations to employees, trade unions, employers, safety services in enterprises on issues of safety, occupational hygiene, compliance with labour laws, also collective agreements and contracts, as well as labour disputes.

The State Labour Inspectorate investigates accidents at work, occupational diseases, applications and requests of employees, participates in investigation of industrial accidents, attestation of employees on issues of occupational safety and health. It also controls the compliance with procedure and terms of inspection of technical status of potentially dangerous equipment as well as performance of permanent supervision, organizes drafting of standard acts on supervision of equipment, performs the functions of the institution responsible for maintenance of state register of potentially dangerous equipment. In addition, it also approves of OSH rules and standard instructions and provides consultations to employers, employees on issues of application of labour laws and prevention of accidents at work and occupational diseases.

Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority under Ministry of Social Security and Labour Performs functions of labour market vocational training, orientation and consultations management and implements state policy in these fields. Organizes development and approval of training programmes of labour market vocational training, including issues of occupational safety and health.

Performs expertise of material training basis in enterprises, organizations, educational establishments and submits recommendations to the Ministry of Education and Science on issuance of permits (licences) to provide labour market vocational training.

Technical Supervision Service in November 2000 accredited by the Lithuanian National Accreditation Bureau following the requirements of the standard LST EN 45004 as A type control institution for inspection of various potentially dangerous equipment.

State Public Health Care Service performs state public safety control and analysis of health care, educational, social protection and care institutions.

Occupational Medicine Centre of Institute of Hygiene carries out scientific research, upgrading and requalification of occupational health specialists, expert research of environmental impact upon human health and compiles relevant information, develops criteria for diagnosing of occupational diseases, manages state register of occupational diseases.

Radiation Protection Centre In the field of radiation protection coordinates actions of public administration and municipal as well as other institutions, performs state supervision and control of radiation safety, carries out assessment and expertise of public exposure.

State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate Controls and supervises the ensurance of safe use of nuclear and radioactive substances as well as nuclear power.

State Energy Inspectorate performs supervision and control of all energy equipment of legal and natural entities in order to secure reliable, effective and safe supply and use of energy resources and energy.

Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate Controls compliance with requirements for development of documents on territorial planning, compiles, systemises and analyses activity results of services supervising construction, investigates construction accidents and catastrophes, performs qualification assessment procedures of construction and consultancy companies.

State Non Food Inspectorate Controls if non food products, also services provided for the consumers in the domestic market are in compliance with obligatory requirements on safety and labelling established in standard acts.

State Food and Veterinary Service Inspects if food for domestic market and for export is safe, properly labelled, not contravening interests of consumers and is in compliance with requirements of the Law on Food and other standard acts.

State Road Transport Inspectorate Performs state regulation, supervision and control of activities of road transport entrepreneurs and carriers.

Civil Safety Department Prevention of industrial accidents, compilation of lists of dangerous objects and development of methodology of establishment of criteria, risks analysis.

Lithuanian Standards Board Develops and improves national standards, establishes technical committees for development of Lithuanian standards and coordinates drafting thereof, establishes the procedure of adoption of international, European and standards of foreign countries as Lithuanian standards, adopts, publishes and disseminates Lithuanian standards, which are applied voluntary, strives at non-violating of copyright of international and European standards, provides information on standards, technical regulations, standard acts on conformity assessment procedures in force in Lithuania for Lithuanian institutions and economic entities.

Institutions of safety and health management at the regional level:

County administration

Delegates representative of municipalities to the regional occupational safety and health commission.

Council of municipalities (administration)

On the consent of enterprises, has the right to develop and approve joint occupational safety and health improvement programmes or measures and commit funds for their implementation. Has the right to establish a vacancy of municipal inspector-consultant on safety and health in compliance with Model regulations on municipal safety at work inspector - consultant. (Approved by the Ministry of Public Administration Reforms and Municipal Affairs and the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, Decree No.31/84, 8 July 1996)

Regional occupational safety and health commissions in counties

(Their Regulations are approved by the Decree No.137/573 of 29 October 2001 of the Minister of Social Security and Labour)

Following the principles of tripartite cooperation of social partners of state, employees and employers participate in delivery of state policy on occupational safety and health.

Safety and health at work in enterprises, institutions and organizations:

Occupational safety and health services at enterprises

Carry out prevention of industrial injuries and occupational diseases, supervision and control of safety and health at work, provide consultations to employees on issues of occupational safety and health following provisions of Model regulations on safety at work services in enterprises (approved on 10 June 2002; No.77/262, Official Gazette 2002, No.69-2850)

Occupational safety and health committees in enterprises

Analyse and evaluate activities of employer, units of the enterprise, services in the field of occupational safety and health, develop measures to improve safety and health at work, proposals to collective agreements, analyse causes and circumstances of accidents at work and occupational diseases, following the provisions of General regulations on occupational safety and health committees in enterprises. (Approved by the protocol of Occupational Safety and Health Commission No 65; 11 March 2002)

System of tripartite institutions

Safety and Health Commission of the Republic of Lithuania adjusts interests of state, employees and employers in the field of safety and health on the tripartite cooperation principle of social partners. Safety and Health Commission of the Republic of Lithuania – established in 1994 – implements the provisions of the then-in-force Law on Safety and Health at Work. The Commission participates in the formulation and delivery of safety at work policy; analyses status of safety at work and proposes improvement measures, develops relevant recommendations and draft measures; discusses and submits proposals regarding laws and other standard acts on issues of safety at work, etc. Commission is made up of 15 equal members: 5 representatives of employees, employers and public administration institutions. The Commission is headed by chairman, elected from members of the Commission following the principle of rotation.

The system of tripartite institutions in Lithuania is made up of a group of tripartite structures, majority of which are specialised. Majority of these institutions function on the national level, some – in regions.

Since 1995 the Tripartite Council of the Republic of Lithuania is functioning (hereinafter – Tripartite Council), which discusses at the national level the topical labour, social and related economic issues. Four standing specialised commissions function under the Tripartite Council. Many other specialised tripartite structures are functioning in Lithuania: State Social Insurance Fund Board, Employment Council under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, Safety at Work Commission of the Republic of Lithuania, Guarantee Fund Board, Lithuanian Vocational Training Council, Tripartite Commission under National Labour Exchange (National Commission), and Board of Experts under the Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority.

Organisations of social partners

Trade unions and their organisations. Lithuanian laws provide for only one legitimate form of organised workers’ representation – trade unions. Four organisations of trade unions function on the national level in Lithuania:

Lithuanian Workers Union – formed as a branch of the grass-root movement "Lietuvos atgimimo sąjūdis". The first group of Workers Union was established in 1988 in Kaunas, and in summer 1989 the first congress was held, during which political and economic requirements were raised. After reestablishment of independence of the Republic of Lithuania, during the congress held on 1 July 1990 the political objectives were renounced and Lithuanian Workers Union was declared to be an organisation of trade unions. Currently Lithuanian Workers Union unites 25 towns/regions, i.e., regional workers unions and 12 industrial – trade federations and in total has about 52,000 members;

Lithuanian Labour Federation – was functioning from 1919 till 1941. Its activities were re-established in 1991. Lithuanian Labour Federation in 1995 merged with Lithuanian Association of Trade Unions, and in 1997 joined the Lithuanian Federation of Regional Trade Unions. Currently the Labour Federation unites 10 branch trade unions, functioning on different production, industry and regional levels and has more than 20 thousand members. Since 1996, the Lithuanian Labour Federation is a full-pledged member of the World Labour Confederation;

Lithuanian Centre of Trade Unions – established on 23 March 1993 and unites 14 branch trade unions with more than 90 thousand members. This organisation actively participates in the activities of the Baltic (Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian) Board of Trade Unions and strives to establish cooperation with trade unions of other European countries and the Baltic Sea Region states. As the other three above mentioned trade unions, Lithuanian Centre of Trade Unions actively participates in the process of drafting laws and tripartite dialogue in formulation of labour and social policy;

Lithuanian Confederation of Trade Unions – a confederation of trade unions, uniting 11 independent branch trade unions. Lithuanian Amalgamation of Trade Unions was established in 20 February 1992 on the agreement of free trade unions and is a constituent part of Lithuanian movement of trade unions. In 1994 this organisation of trade unions joined the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), and in 1998 became an associated member of European Confederation of Trade Unions (ETUC). It also maintains relations with trade unions in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and other countries.

Employers' organisations

Two large confederations of employers are functioning on the national level:

Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists

Lithuanian Confederation of Business Employers

These confederations unite smaller branch and regional associations and separate enterprises.