DÜSSELDORF (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) will host an international conference “Implementing Occupational Safety and Health Standards Globally” in Düsseldorf from 3-6 November 2009 to consider the potential impact of the global economic crisis on safety and health at the workplace.
More than 300 participants from 60 countries will discuss whether possible cuts in occupational safety and health budgets and public spending could lead to more workplace accidents and diseases, severely affecting social security expenditures and productivity.
According to ILO estimates established before the start of the crisis, every 15 seconds a worker in this world dies from a work-related accident or disease. Each year about 2.3 million men and women die from work-related accidents and diseases including close to 360,000 fatal accidents and an estimated 1.95 million fatal work-related diseases.
In economic terms it is estimated that roughly four per cent of the annual global Gross Domestic Product, or US$1.25 trillion, is siphoned off by direct and indirect costs of occupational accidents and diseases such as lost working time, workers’ compensation, the interruption of production and medical expenses.
Hazardous substances cause an estimated 651,000 deaths, mostly in the developing world. These numbers may be greatly under-estimated due to inadequate reporting and notification systems in many countries.
The conference programme covers a wide range of issues, including good practices on prevention and occupational safety and health management, labour inspection, sustainable corporate action, the implementation of standards, the role of the social partners and social security.
On 4 November, a press conference is scheduled at 10.45 a.m. in the premises of the A+A Trade Fair, Düsseldorf, room 1, base floor with the participation of Assane Diop, Executive Director, ILO Social Protection Sector, Dr. Sameera Al-Tuwaijri, Director of the ILO Safework Department, Dr. Axel Stepken, President and CEO of TÜV SÜD AG, and Michele Patterson, Executive Director, SafeWork SA, South Australia and President of the International Association of Labour Inspectors (IALI).
On 5 November at 4.15 p.m., a round table discussion on “Threat or Opportunity for Occupational Safety and Health in Time of Crisis” will resume the conference with international representation from governments, worker and employer organizations.
This year, the co-organizers and main partners of the conference are the German Federal Ministry of Labour, the International Association of Labour Inspectors (IALI), the International Social Security Association (ISSA), the German testing and inspection organization TÜV SÜD AG, the German Social Accident Insurance (DGVU), and Fraport AG, the owner and operator of Francfort airport.
For more information or to request interviews please contact:
ILO Media and Communication Unit
Mr. Hans von Rohland
Tel.: +4122/799-7916
Mobile: +4179/593-1321
Email: rohland@ilo.org
You may also visit the conference website on http://www.ilosafetyconference2009.org/index.html which includes the programme and other background documentation prepared for the event.