World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2017
ILO calls for the importance of collection and utilization of reliable occupational safety and health data
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated on 28 April 2017 with the theme “Optimize the Collection and Use of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Data”
The World OSH Day is an awareness-raising campaign aiming to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally intended to focus international attention on the magnitude of the problem and on how promoting and creating a safety and health culture can help reduce the number of work-related deaths and injuries. 28th April is also the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers organized worldwide by the trade union movement.
The theme of this year’s World OSH Day is to draw attention on the collection and utilization of reliable OSH data.
It is estimated that over 2.3 million fatalities occur as a result of occupational accidents and diseases while 300 million accidents occur in the workplace each year. However, these estimates do not properly reflect the magnitude of the problem, nor the real impact of occupational accidents and diseases on workers, families and economies. Better national data is needed for a better understanding of the dimensions and consequences of work-related accidents, injuries and diseases and to underpin effective policies and strategies for safe and healthy workplaces.
Multiple ILO OSH conventions recognize that the collection and utilization of reliable OSH data are indispensable for the detection of new hazards and emerging risks, the identification of hazardous sectors, the development of preventive measures, as well as the implementation of policies, systems and programmes at international, national and enterprise levels. Reliable OSH data facilitates the setting of priorities and also provides the basis for measuring progress.
The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in particular, provides for the promotion of “inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all” and calls for the “protection of labour rights and promotion of safe and secure working environments for all workers, including those in precarious employment.”
Making a statement to celebrate the World Day for OSH, the Director of the ILO Office in Turkey, Numan Özcan, highlighted that “Prevention of occupational accidents and diseases is dependent on the elimination of hazards and the identification of risks before accidents and diseases occur. Collection of data on dangerous occurrences and suspected cases of occupational diseases are key to the creation of a culture of prevention. For producing reliable OSH data, it is evident that an effective social dialogue among stakeholders is of utmost importance including government, employers’ and workers’ organizations.”
Director General of the ILO, Mr Guy Ryder on the importance of the day declared that: “Accurate data will help to save lives. Let us make it a priority.”
The trade union movement have commemorated the dead and injured workers of victims of occupational accidents and diseases on this day of 28 April since 1996. The ILO became involved in this campaign in 2003 by recognizing this day both as a day for commemoration and for celebration by organizing annual thematic campaigns for the prevention of injuries and fatalities.
The theme of this year’s World OSH Day is to draw attention on the collection and utilization of reliable OSH data.
It is estimated that over 2.3 million fatalities occur as a result of occupational accidents and diseases while 300 million accidents occur in the workplace each year. However, these estimates do not properly reflect the magnitude of the problem, nor the real impact of occupational accidents and diseases on workers, families and economies. Better national data is needed for a better understanding of the dimensions and consequences of work-related accidents, injuries and diseases and to underpin effective policies and strategies for safe and healthy workplaces.
Multiple ILO OSH conventions recognize that the collection and utilization of reliable OSH data are indispensable for the detection of new hazards and emerging risks, the identification of hazardous sectors, the development of preventive measures, as well as the implementation of policies, systems and programmes at international, national and enterprise levels. Reliable OSH data facilitates the setting of priorities and also provides the basis for measuring progress.
The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in particular, provides for the promotion of “inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all” and calls for the “protection of labour rights and promotion of safe and secure working environments for all workers, including those in precarious employment.”
Making a statement to celebrate the World Day for OSH, the Director of the ILO Office in Turkey, Numan Özcan, highlighted that “Prevention of occupational accidents and diseases is dependent on the elimination of hazards and the identification of risks before accidents and diseases occur. Collection of data on dangerous occurrences and suspected cases of occupational diseases are key to the creation of a culture of prevention. For producing reliable OSH data, it is evident that an effective social dialogue among stakeholders is of utmost importance including government, employers’ and workers’ organizations.”
Director General of the ILO, Mr Guy Ryder on the importance of the day declared that: “Accurate data will help to save lives. Let us make it a priority.”
The trade union movement have commemorated the dead and injured workers of victims of occupational accidents and diseases on this day of 28 April since 1996. The ILO became involved in this campaign in 2003 by recognizing this day both as a day for commemoration and for celebration by organizing annual thematic campaigns for the prevention of injuries and fatalities.