World Day for safety and health at work 2008
Worldwide events to mobilise workers, employers and
governments on managing risks at work:
The world of work marked the World Day for Safety and Health at Work
this year, amid a new call by the International Labour Office (ILO) for
managing risks in the work environment to reduce both the human and the
economic burdens of work-related accidents and illhealth.
In a new report published on the occasion of the World Day entitled
"My life, my work, my safe work: Managing risk in the work environment",
the ILO listed risk management techniques which identify, anticipate and
assess hazards and risks and take positive action to control and reduce
them.
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia said, "Millions of work related
accidents, injury and disease annually take their toll on human lives,
businesses, the economy and the environment. We know that by assessing
risks and hazards, combating them at source and promoting a culture of
prevention we can significantly reduce workplace illness and injuries."
This year, as in previous years, numerous field events and activities
are planned around the world to mark the day.
Among others, a street campaign is to be held in Moscow on
occupational safety and health (OSH) along with the first congress of
OSH Specialists, while in Asia, an OSH training workshop is organized in
Indonesia, a conference is to be held in the Philippines to push for the
ratification of ILO Convention 187 on a Promotional Framework for
Occupational Safety and Health, and a photo exhibition "Celebrating
Working Lives: Decent Work, Better Tomorrow" will be presented in
Bangkok.
In Latin America, the ILO will take part in the international book
fair in Buenos Aires to promote the importance of health and safety in
the world of work, and in Mexico the ILO will participate in the
country's premier Health and Occupational safety exhibition.
In Africa, tripartite events will take place including in Ethiopia
where renowned local artists will perform in Addis-Ababa to illustrate
work safety issues.
The ILO says globally 2.2 million people die annually from
work-related accidents and diseases and work-related deaths appear to be
on the rise. Moreover, each year an estimated 270 million people suffer
non-fatal, work-related accidents resulting in at least three days
absence from work and an additional 160 million new people suffer from
some work-related illnesses.
"There is clear evidence that healthy workforces both enhance
business productivity and benefit enterprises and national economies by
reducing the number of accidents and diseases and lowering the number of
insurance and compensation claims", says Dr. Sameera Al-Tuwaijri, the
Director of the ILO's Safework Department.
In 2003, the ILO began to observe the World Day for Safety and
Health, bringing its tripartite strength and social dialogue to the
International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers organised
worldwide by the trade union movement since 1996 and coordinated by the
International Trade Union Federation (ITUC). GENEVA (ILO News) |