NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY CULTURE VIEWED THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE PRINCIPLE OF PROBABILITY ADEQUACY

Problem statement. According to the State Labour Service of Ukraine, 3,509 occupational accidents were registered in Ukraine in 2024, of which 14 % were fatal. This significantly contrasts with international statistics, where the average ratio of fatal to non-fatal occupational injuries is approximately 1:763. The analysis of the current state of occupational safety in Ukraine reveals systemic issues, in particular the inefficiency of the occupational health and safety (OHS) management system. A comparison with international practices confirms the absence of a structured risk-based approach to occupational safety and health (OSH) in Ukraine, the lack of clearly defined thresholds for acceptable risk levels, and the low level of harmonization of national legislation with leading international standards in this field. The persistently high level of occupational injuries in Ukraine indicates a low level of national safety culture, which constitutes a critical problem. The purpose of the article – to analyse the current state of occupational safety in Ukraine, identify key deficiencies in the occupational health and safety management system, improve the risk-based approach to OSH in order to establish and maintain adequate, safe, and healthy working conditions, ensure a safe working environment, minimize the socio-economic consequences of workplace hazards for workers’ health, enhance employee productivity during work activity, and lay the foundations of a national occupational safety culture. Conclusions. For the first time, based on the findings of a retrospective analysis of occupational safety, it has been determined that the primary cause of the high level of workplace injuries and occupational diseases in Ukraine is the low level of occupational safety culture and deficiencies in the occupational safety and health management system at the state level. For the first time, a direct correlation has been established between the level of workplace injuries, the number of employees, and the country’s economic indicators (GDP). For the first time, the Principle of Probability Adequacy has been proposed as the foundation for a national occupational safety culture. For the first time, the Concept of Occupational Safety in Ukraine (COSU) and the Concept of National Occupational Safety Culture (CNOSC) have been proposed, grounded in a human-centered, risk-oriented approach, harmonization with international standards, training, and incentivization.