Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch (LABADMIN/OSH)
Mission and vision
Achieving decent, safe and healthy working conditions has been central to the mission of the International Labour Organization since its creation and an objective that has been reaffirmed in the 1944 Declaration of Philadelphia and the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for Fair Globalization. Almost half of all ILO Conventions and Recommendations, either wholly or in part, address issues related to occupational safety and health (OSH) and a significant number of Conventions and Recommendations similarly address the important role labour administration and labour inspection play in achieving compliance with international labour standards.
The Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch (LABADMIN/OSH) is responsible for developing and assisting in the implementation of the ILO’s objectives in these important areas through the provision of technical expertise and support on global, regional and national levels. LABADMIN/OSH combines within one branch the responsibilities previously divided between the former Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork) and the Labour Administration and Inspection Programme (LAB/ADMIN).
The Branch’s vision is for its work to focus on and be directly tied to achieving impact in the areas of labour administration, labour inspection and occupational safety and health in countries where governments, employers, and workers seek ILO assistance. The Branch will work to develop comprehensive strategies that deliver services and products that are solutions to governments, employers, and workers priority problems. To achieve this vision, the Branch will engage with existing and work to foster new collaborators, including ILO headquarters and field staff, partner agencies, organizations and networks, employer and employee organizations, governments, and experts, consultants and knowledge centres around the globe.
The LABADMIN/OSH Branch aims to create worldwide awareness of the human and economic cost of work-related fatalities, injuries and diseases and to place the health and safety of all workers high on the international agenda.
In the areas of labour administration and labour inspection, the LABADMIN/OSH Branch is working to support the ILO constituents, in particular Ministries of Labour and their labour inspection systems, in fulfilling their roles to improve working conditions for all workers, to achieve compliance with labour laws and regulations, to prevent and settle labour disputes, and to promote governance and tripartisim. The Branch is working to develop a suite of tools to assist labour inspectorates in diagnosing the causes of compliance problems, in mapping industries, stakeholders and partners, and employment relationships, and in developing and implementing inspection plans and strategies.

The Branch’s vision is for its work to focus on and be directly tied to achieving impact in the areas of labour administration, labour inspection and occupational safety and health in countries where governments, employers, and workers seek ILO assistance. The Branch will work to develop comprehensive strategies that deliver services and products that are solutions to governments, employers, and workers priority problems. To achieve this vision, the Branch will engage with existing and work to foster new collaborators, including ILO headquarters and field staff, partner agencies, organizations and networks, employer and employee organizations, governments, and experts, consultants and knowledge centres around the globe.
The LABADMIN/OSH Branch aims to create worldwide awareness of the human and economic cost of work-related fatalities, injuries and diseases and to place the health and safety of all workers high on the international agenda.
In the areas of labour administration and labour inspection, the LABADMIN/OSH Branch is working to support the ILO constituents, in particular Ministries of Labour and their labour inspection systems, in fulfilling their roles to improve working conditions for all workers, to achieve compliance with labour laws and regulations, to prevent and settle labour disputes, and to promote governance and tripartisim. The Branch is working to develop a suite of tools to assist labour inspectorates in diagnosing the causes of compliance problems, in mapping industries, stakeholders and partners, and employment relationships, and in developing and implementing inspection plans and strategies.
Global Technical Team and Global Action for Prevention

- improve national regulatory frameworks on OSH and strengthen capacity to develop and implement compliance strategies and inspection practices;
- enhance national institutional capacities to acquire and use OSH knowledge and information to develop effective prevention policies, strategies, systems and programmes;
- encourage and facilitate consultation, collaboration and cooperation in OSH between governments, employers and workers through effective dialogue;
- strengthen national employment injury compensation legislation and administrations to interact with OSH systems and programmes through integrated functions, where appropriate, and economic incentives for investment in prevention and compliance.
