A new report from the ILO reveals that a "plateau" may have been reached in achieving safe, decent and healthy workplaces…
A new report from the International Labour Office (ILO) has revealed that despite formidable expenditure of effort and resources, economic development, scientific and technical progress, a "plateau" has been reached in achieving safe, decent and healthy workplaces.
The report, "Beyond Deaths and Injuries: The ILO’s Role in Promoting Safe and Healthy Jobs", was released for the XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, which ended on July 2. This year’s World Congress – the largest global event on occupational safety and health (OSH) – gathered over 4,000 representatives from more than 100 countries in Seoul, Korea.
The ILO study says the estimated number of non-fatal occupational accidents involving more than four days loss of work increased from 268 million to 337 million between 2001 and 2003, largely due to increases in the number of workers globally. At the same time, the report says, the estimated number of fatal accidents rose slightly over the same period, from 351,000 to 358,000.
On the other hand, the ILO report also indicates that the overall total number of deaths due to work related diseases declined slightly between 2001 and 2003, from 2.03 million to 1.95 million and the total estimated number of deaths due to accidents and diseases also declined slightly, from 2.38 million to 2.31 million.
This mixed picture of results continues when considering where accidents and diseases occur. The report says that although industrialized countries have seen steady decreases in numbers of occupational accidents and diseases, this is not the case in countries currently experiencing rapid industrialization or those too poor to maintain effective national OSH systems, including proper enforcement of legislation.
"The plateau in efforts to turn the objective of decent, safe and healthy working conditions into a reality must be overcome", said Mr. Assane Diop, Executive Director of the ILO Social Protection Sector. "We must do what we can, enforce or enact the laws we need and take the actions we must to make our workplaces safe and decent. It’s our common responsibility."
According to the ILO report, efforts to tackle OSH issues are often dispersed and fragmented and fail to achieve a progressive reduction of work-related fatalities, accidents and diseases. The integration of OSH principles and requirements into national and international action is urgent to address the consequences of a continuous adaptation to a rapidly changing world of work, the ILO says.
The ILO called for a preventative safety and health culture during the World Congress, and recommended that it become an integral part of wider societal culture and economic development. In addition, the ILO urged the further ratification and application of the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention No.187 adopted by the ILO member States at its International Labour Conference in 2006.
About the ILO
The International Labour Organization, founded in 1919, is devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues.
