Major Programme 90. Working Conditions and Environment
Summary of 1998-99 proposals and comparison with previous biennium (including funds from other sources)
| PROGRAMME | TITLE | WORK-YEARS/MONTHS |
U.S.DOLLARS |
|||
| PROFESSIONAL | GENERAL SERVICE | STAFF COSTS | OTHER COSTS | TOTAL RESOURCES | ||
| 90.1 | DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT | 15/04 | 8/00 | 3,053,080 | 1,505,551 | 4,558,631 |
| 90.2 | OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH | 34/01 | 24/05 | 7,234,690 | 543,908 | 7,778,598 |
| 90.3 | CONDITIONS OF WORK | 19/02 | 10/05 | 3,772,655 | 461,072 | 4,233,727 |
| 1998-99 TOTALS | ||||||
| REGULAR BUDGET | 68/07 | 42/10 | 14,060,425 | 2,510,531 | 16,570,956 | |
| OTHER SOURCES | 5/08 | 5/06 | 1,331,390 | 25,453,667 | 26,785,057 | |
| 1996-97 TOTALS | ||||||
| REGULAR BUDGET | 67/07 | 47/00 | 16,918,128 | 3,465,909 | 20,384,037 | |
| OTHER SOURCES | 6/01 | 3/00 | 1,374,336 | 19,525,049 | 20,899,385 | |
90.1. Working conditions and environment are at a crossroads. On the one hand, rapid, massive and often unpredictable economic and technological changes, driven largely by globalization, liberalization and privatization, have called into question accepted values and traditional forms of protection. At the same time, as shown by the current debate on the social implications of trade liberalization, concern about workers’ rights, disparities among and within countries in the extent and levels of worker protection and their perceived implications for trade and competitiveness have catapulted the subject to the top of the international agenda. These challenges and constraints require new and innovative responses from the ILO’s tripartite constituents.
90.2. The objective of this major programme is the design and implementation by constituents of policies and programmes that improve working conditions and the working environment, including programmes and measures to combat child labour. The activities of the major programme have been planned with the goal of producing a series of integrated outputs that will provide a basis for an international symposium on worker protection in the 21st century, to be convened in the year 2000. These activities will include the development and promotion of international labour standards and the provision of technical advisory services, information and training to constituents, supplemented by the following new initiatives:
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the establishment of an ILO Global Programme on Occupational Safety, Health and Environment as a framework for mobilizing new and additional technical cooperation resources to support action by member States in the field of occupational safety and health;
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a concentration of work on combating safety and health problems in particularly hazardous occupations;
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a special publication on the fundamental principles of occupational health and safety, setting out the major principles of prevention and protection embodied in ILO instruments and based on national experience;
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special research on violence at work, with a view to the preparation of practical guidance; and
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the development of new standards on child labour.
90.3. The resources for this major programme are reduced in real terms by some $1.1 million in comparison with the 1996-97 biennium. There is a reduction of 4/02 General Service work-years, partially offset by an increase of 1/0 Professional work-years. Other reductions amounting to some $800,000 include RBTC and non-staff costs. Programme 90.2 (Occupational safety and health) constitutes the merger of two programmes (Occupational safety and health and Safety and health information services).
90.4. Extra-budgetary resources amounting to some $25.4 million are expected to become available during the biennium, over 70 per cent of which is for work under the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). It is estimated that $0.6 million may be available for projects in the area of conditions of work and work-related facilities and services and some $7 million for safety and health. An RBTC provision of $1.1 million will be used to respond to requests for assistance from constituents for the design and implementation of national programmes to combat child labour and improve working conditions and environment. In addition, the launching of the Global Programme on Occupational Safety, Health and Environment will further strengthen technical cooperation activities in the field of occupational safety and health.
90.1. Departmental management
90.5. Provision is made under this programme for the director of the department and support staff, as well as for subprogrammes on environment and the world of work and on child labour and an action programme on extreme forms of child labour.
Child labour
90.6. The Governing Body and the Conference have shown increased concern for issues related to child labour and have called upon the Office to strengthen its efforts to assist member States in this field. The Conference considers that priority must be given to action on extreme forms of child labour. The objective of this subprogramme is therefore the strengthened capacity of the ILO’s tripartite constituents and other relevant groups to take action to eliminate child labour. In this context, special attention will be given to the development of an integrated, targeted and bold approach to child labour through: the identification of new policy frontiers and means of action; policy-oriented research; the collection and dissemination of new and accurate information; the provision of increased support to workers’ and employers’ organizations; and the coordination of activities with international organizations and governments interested in action against child labour in general and in hazardous work in particular.
90.7. An important aspect of ILO action in this respect is its work to enhance awareness at all levels and to collect and disseminate information on child labour. The methodology for surveys of child labour that was developed and tested during the biennium 1996-97 will be used to prepare regular reports on global trends in child labour, as required by the resolution concerning the elimination of child labour adopted by the Conference in 1996 and as requested at the Informal Tripartite Meeting at the Ministerial Level on Child Labour (June 1996). Awareness-raising activities will include the organization of seminars and workshops and the preparation of reports and booklets on emerging and contentious issues, such as labelling and corporate conduct, for use by major business and consumer groups and by workers’ organizations.
90.8. The ILO’s work on child labour is carried out by various major programmes and the field structure. One of the responsibilities of this subprogramme is the development and implementation of a consistent Office-wide policy and programme of action to strengthen linkages between research and information activities, the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) and other field activities, including those of the multidisciplinary advisory teams. Support will continue to be provided for the development of the new international labour standards on child labour that are expected to be adopted in 1999. A Meeting of Experts on Labour Inspection and Child Labour will also be convened, as proposed at the Informal Tripartite Meeting at the Ministerial Level on Child Labour (June 1996). The meeting, which will be held in Geneva for five days with the participation of 20 governments, ten employers and ten workers ($154,140), will provide an opportunity to draw attention to the critical role of labour inspectors in combating child labour, identify best practices and approaches and facilitate the sharing of experience in this area. The work of the subprogramme will also include playing an active and catalytic role in promoting policies and action by organizations in the United Nations system and elsewhere to enhance the achievement of ILO objectives in this field.
Economic implications of action against
child labour
90.9. The goal of the immediate elimination of the most abusive forms of child labour requires policy reforms and a change in social attitudes at the national level. Reforms are needed on various fronts, including the education system, with the aim of providing affordable, relevant and good quality education to all children. Labour market measures also need to be taken to empower the poor. These measures all have a cost and organizational implications. Member States require assistance in setting realistic goals and formulating integrated programmes of action. Information will therefore be collected and analyses undertaken of the economic and institutional implications of: providing universal and free education to all children; providing effective rehabilitation programmes for children who are withdrawn from hazardous work; and establishing an efficient labour inspection system. An analytical framework will be developed to estimate the macroeconomic cost of selected interventions. The framework will be tested in a number of African, Asian and Latin American countries and a publication will be produced containing an analytical model for policy options, as well as information and analysis on the economics of action against child labour. The publication will be used in advisory work and as an advocacy tool to promote a radical shift in public policy.
Action programme
Action against extreme forms of child labour
90.10. There is growing consensus within the ILO and in the international community that the ILO should give priority to the most intolerable forms of child labour. This is reflected in the resolution on child labour adopted by the Conference in 1996, the discussions of the Informal Tripartite Meeting at the Ministerial Level on Child Labour (June 1996) and the World Congress on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (Stockholm, August 1996), as well as in the programmes of conferences in Amsterdam (February 1997) and Oslo (October 1997) that are being organized respectively by the Governments of the Netherlands and Norway in collaboration with the ILO. The subject has also been placed on the agenda of the Conference in 1998 and 1999 with a view to the adoption of new standards on child labour. The objective of this action programme is greater awareness by constituents of how extreme forms of child labour can be eliminated immediately. The assistance provided in this respect will be based on previous ILO activities, particularly the guidelines and manual on action planning prepared in previous biennia. Further conceptual and empirical work will be carried out, including: the definition of work-related hazards; the identification of the occupations and industries that are especially hazardous and dangerous, and the groups of child workers that are especially vulnerable; the articulation of appropriate legislative changes and enforcement measures; and the design and implementation of rehabilitation programmes to support enforcement. Taking account of national experiences and case studies, this work will focus on effective enforcement. The findings of this new work will be integrated with selected previous ILO materials in order to publish a practical, up-to-date handbook containing information, analysis and proposals on how to develop specialized activities which target extreme forms of child labour. It will also provide other relevant information on the fundamental components of legislative action, with emphasis on enforcement provisions; and action by governments to carry out effective enforcement and inspection in collaboration with employers’ and workers’ organizations and non-governmental organizations. The handbook will be complemented by media kits and information leaflets and will be intended for the use of Ministries of Labour, Education and Social Welfare, as well as by the multidisciplinary advisory teams and IPEC to provide practical support in the design of national programmes of action against the most intolerable forms of child labour. The findings of the action programme will be reviewed and tested in workshops.
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
90.11. The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) now covers more than 20 countries. Contributions have risen from around $5 million in 1992-93 to some $24 million in 1996-97. The objective of IPEC continues to be the progressive elimination of child labour through the strengthening of national capacities and the promotion of a worldwide movement against child labour. The Programme focuses on preventive measures and gives priority to the eradication of the most hazardous and exploitative forms of child labour.
90.12. IPEC will continue to assist member States to assess the scope of their child labour problem, develop a strategic and coherent national plan of action and implement innovative measures to address the issue. The emphasis will be on replicating and expanding successful pilot projects and systematically integrating child labour issues into social and economic development policies, programmes and budgets. IPEC will therefore continue to expand cooperation with Ministries of Labour and Education and other key governmental agencies at the national and local levels, as well as with employers’ and workers’ organizations, other NGOs and United Nations agencies.
Environment, sustainable development and the world of work
90.13. The achievement of environmentally sound and sustainable development is one of the most important priorities at the national, regional and international levels and is directly related to the ILO’s objectives, including employment promotion and the protection of workers. The approach adopted in assisting constituents to meet this challenge is to integrate an environment and sustainable development dimension, as appropriate, in ILO programmes and projects, as well as to assess the environmental impact of ILO activities.
90.14. The interdepartmental project on environment and the world of work carried out in the biennium 1994-95 provided considerable practical experience related to safety, health and environment and identified innovative ways of promoting action by constituents to follow up the relevant Agenda 21 recommendations at the enterprise, local and national levels. Through the ILO’s field structure, and particularly the multidisciplinary advisory teams, assistance will be provided to constituents for the design and implementation of work-related measures linked to the environment, including new approaches to promoting the implementation and ratification of the relevant international labour standards. Technical support will be provided to constituents for the integration of work-related issues into national environment and sustainable development strategies and policies. Relations will be maintained with the United Nations system, especially as regards follow-up to Agenda 21 and other major United Nations conferences on environmental matters. The consideration of work-related issues will be promoted in the context of sustainable development programmes and policies throughout the United Nations system, and particularly with UNDP and the World Bank. The work of this subprogramme includes special responsibility for the design, development and promotion of the Global Programme on Occupational Safety, Health and Environment.
90.2. Occupational safety and health
90.15. Despite national efforts to improve occupational safety and health performance, many countries continue to experience unnecessarily high rates of occupational accidents and diseases. It is estimated that there are over 125 million work injuries and 220,000 fatal work accidents per year. Moreover, policies and programmes to prevent and reduce accidents and diseases are confronted with new challenges arising from the introduction of new processes and substances, increasingly sophisticated technologies and manufacturing techniques, the lack of a global classification and labelling system for chemicals and, worse still, the low priority often accorded to safety and health programmes and activities. These constraints are further compounded by inadequate training and the limited availability of information on hazards and how to deal with them. Constituents therefore need assistance in: adopting and reviewing policies and programmes for the prevention of occupational accidents, major industrial accidents and work-related diseases; promoting safety in the use of chemicals, new technologies and energy sources; and designing and implementing measures to improve the working environment.
90.16. The objective of this programme is the increased capacity of member States to prevent or significantly reduce the incidence of occupational accidents and work-related diseases and to improve the working environment. The activities to be undertaken to achieve this objective include the development of standards, the dissemination of information to constituents and the provision of practical guidance for the design and implementation of national and enterprise-level programmes, the improvement of laws and regulations and the development of national tripartite safety and health structures. Special priority will be given to strengthening the ILO’s capacity to provide technical assistance to constituents through the establishment of a Global Programme on Occupational Safety, Health and Environment, which is expected to mobilize significant resources in support of technical cooperation activities. The support provided to the multidisciplinary advisory teams and the field structure will concentrate on the promotion of codes of practice and guidelines, the preparation of policy and technical guidance notes and the production of practical briefing kits to assist in responding to requests for assistance from constituents. Taking account of the very wide range of international action in this field, the Office will strengthen and focus its capacity to act as a catalyst on occupational safety and health issues within the United Nations system and elsewhere.
Policies for occupational safety and health
90.17. Safety and health policies are witnessing a change of emphasis from adversarial enforcement activities to the development of collaborative partnerships for the management of safety and health at the workplace. With a view to responding to the changing requirements of constituents in this field, in addition to the continued provision of a variety of forms of technical assistance, priority will be given to two areas of work. The first of these is the preparation of a special publication on the fundamental principles of occupational health and safety based on the ILO’s occupational health and safety philosophy of prevention and protection. The second will consist of a coordinated programme of activities designed to improve occupational safety and health performance in particularly hazardous occupations and sectors. These activities will be supported by work to promote greater compliance with the large number of ILO standards related to occupational safety and health, as well as the collection of information, research and analysis. Support will be provided for the revision of the classification of occupational accidents and to the work of the Sixteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians (1998), the Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health and the XVth World Congress on Occupational Safety and Health, to be held in Brazil in 1999. Policy guidance and briefing notes based on the results of these activities will be produced to assist constituents develop improved occupational safety and health policies.
Fundamental principles of occupational health and safety
90.18. Taken as a whole, international labour standards on occupational safety and health, including the relevant Conference resolutions, contain an occupational safety and health philosophy that can be used as a basis for policies and programmes to make the working environment safe and healthy for all. The principles of prevention and protection embodied in these instruments will be compiled in an attractive and user-friendly publication on the fundamental principles of occupational health and safety for the use of those responsible for occupational safety and health policies, laws, regulations and programmes. Taking account of this work, a briefing note will be prepared on minimum occupational safety and health requirements for national labour codes.
Hazardous occupations
90.19. Special emphasis will be placed on activities to improve occupational safety and health performance in particularly hazardous occupations and sectors. Research will be carried out to identify hazardous occupations, review the relevant national laws and practice and prepare briefing materials on successful policy and programme responses to improve conditions in hazardous occupations. This work will be supplemented by the development of a series of focused and integrated tools to assist constituents take immediate and practical action to respond to the most urgent and significant occupational safety and health problems. This collaboration will cover work on ergonomic measures in hazardous occupations, data sheets on hazardous occupations, work-related diseases, safety in the use of chemicals at work and child labour, as well as the action programme on safety culture and the various activities related to information services.
90.20. In response to technological developments, the ILO’s codes of practice on the protection of workers against noise and vibrations in the working environment (adopted in 1975) and on occupational exposure to airborne substances harmful to health (1980) have been updated in the 1996-97 biennium in the form of a single draft code covering all types of air pollutants and other ambient factors in the working environment, such as noise and vibrations, temperature and humidity, illumination and radiation. The draft code will be submitted to a tripartite meeting of experts for final revision and approval. It will form the basis for training and technical cooperation activities and provide guidance on the implementation of the Working Environment Convention, 1977 (No. 148). The meeting will be held in Geneva for seven calendar days and will be attended by five participants nominated by each group of the Governing Body ($68,330).
Accident prevention and ergonomics
90.21. The objective of this subprogramme is the reduction of the number of occupational accidents and injuries, especially fatal accidents, in member States. With a view to achieving this objective, technical assistance will be provided to assist constituents broaden the application of ergonomic methods through the strengthening of participatory safety and health initiatives and mechanisms. Special emphasis will also be given to activities that respond to the most urgent and significant problems encountered in particularly hazardous occupations, such as mining, construction and agriculture. Case studies will be prepared on best practices and training materials will be produced to support the identification of safety, health and environmental risks at the enterprise level in hazardous occupations and sectors. Training and technical cooperation activities will be undertaken to strengthen tripartite safety councils, voluntary national organizations and safety and health committees at the enterprise level. In collaboration with major programme 120 (Statistics), a networking arrangement for the collection and dissemination of reliable statistics on occupational injuries will be established involving the national and collaborating centres of the Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS), the Occupational Safety and Health Hazard Alert System and WHO.
90.22. In view of the lack of handbooks, manuals or other single sources of information on the hazards related to specific tasks and occupations, information activities in this field will include the development of data sheets on hazardous occupations. This work will be closely related to the production of other materials, such as chemical safety data sheets and ergonomic data sheets. These data sheets will be reviewed by experts and practitioners and will be introduced to constituents through workshops organized in the context of technical cooperation projects. Work on the harmonization of occupational safety and health terminology will include the finalization of the compiler’s guide and phrase collection prepared during the biennium 1996-97.
Action Programme
Safety culture
90.23. Recent reports of public inquiries into major industrial accidents and fires attach considerable importance to the establishment of a safety culture as a key to the improvement of safety, health and well-being at work. The development of a safety culture is a process in enterprises that links quality, productivity and occupational safety and health and in which emphasis is placed on sound managerial systems and voluntary action. A multidisciplinary approach is required and in an increasing number of cases a safety culture has now been recognized as an integral part of industry strategies to enhance competitiveness, credibility and occupational safety and health performance. With better access to information on the experience of enterprises in this respect, the safety culture approach would be adopted more widely.
90.24. The objective of the action programme is greater awareness by managers and workers of the benefits of a safety culture, with a view to the more widespread adoption of the safety culture approach. A critical review will be carried out of experiences of the development of a safety culture at the workplace and its value in promoting occupational safety and health. The findings of this review will be included in a report, which will examine the concept of working cultures, including safety culture, labour protection culture and corporate culture. It will also define the unifying concepts of prevention, protection and promotion, and identify the technical, economic and ethical conditions that influence the implementation of an effective safety culture. The report will be widely circulated for review and will provide the basis for a publication highlighting examples of good practices by enterprises that have implemented a safety culture, with emphasis on the importance of a participatory approach and the integration of occupational safety and health into management practices. A practical guide will also be developed to foster a commitment by managers and workers to the development of a safety culture approach at the enterprise level. These materials will be used and tested in a number of national workshops and seminars to promote internal safety and health audits by workers and managers at the enterprise level. Taking account of the experience and information gained during this process, the materials will then be revised for wide dissemination and use, particularly by the multidisciplinary advisory teams.
Occupational respiratory diseases and work-related disorders
90.25. If occupational diseases and work-related health problems are to be controlled, preventive action and early detection is essential. Member States therefore need to adopt occupational health practices, including health surveillance, which take into account the changing patterns of health hazards and the specific problems of the various sectors of activity. The objective of this subprogramme is the adoption by constituents of measures and the development of efficient infrastructures to prevent and combat occupational and work-related diseases and stress. The work of the subprogramme will focus in particular on occupational respiratory diseases and health surveillance. Guidance, training and information activities will be undertaken in order to develop the capacity of health professionals to detect occupational respiratory diseases at an early stage. Seminars will be organized on the use of the ILO classification of radiographs of pneumoconiosis. A digitalized version of the classification of radiographs will be prepared and the possibility will be explored of launching a joint ILO/WHO programme for the elimination of silicosis. The technical advisory services, training and guidance provided to constituents for the extension and strengthening of occupational health services will emphasize the need for a participatory approach and the quality management of health services.
Safety in the use of insulation wools
90.26. The international community has long been concerned at the potential hazards involved in the use of mineral and synthetic fibres. The Meeting of Experts on Safety in the Use of Mineral and Synthetic Fibres (Geneva 1989) recommended that the ILO should prepare and adopt a code of practice on safety in the use of insulation wools (glasswool, rockwool and slagwool), covering the potential hazards of these fibres, the protection of workers against them, and safety measures for their use and handling. A draft code of practice will be prepared and submitted for examination and adoption to a meeting of experts to be funded by extra-budgetary resources.
Chemical safety and occupational hygiene
90.27. The widespread application of technological developments has resulted in the exposure of a growing number of workers to known and unknown hazards related to chemical substances, physical and biological agents, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and electromagnetic fields. Nearly two out of three workers, or some two billion workers worldwide, are exposed to one or more of the thousands of potentially hazardous chemicals and biological agents used at the workplace. Moreover, the effects of exposure to hazardous chemicals are frequently compounded by inadequate training and the unavailability of the necessary information on hazards and the safe handling of chemicals. The problem is particularly acute in small enterprises and in agriculture. The establishment of adequate hazard communication tools is impeded by the absence of a global system for the classification and labelling of chemicals. Another growing threat is the potentially disastrous impact of major industrial accidents related to the production and use of chemical substances and the long-term consequences of chemical wastes on human health and the environment. Other priorities are the assessment and management of risks arising out of environmental factors, such as noise and vibration, temperature and humidity, and lighting and radiation.
90.28. The objective of the subprogramme is the design and implementation by constituents of measures and programmes for the identification, prevention and control of occupational hazards from exposure to chemicals, hazardous wastes, biological agents and energy sources at work. In addition to the provision of technical assistance, training and information to constituents, activities to achieve this objective will focus on the coordination of international action in these fields, the harmonization of systems of classification and the development of guidance materials, including codes of practice and international labour standards.
Safety in the use of chemicals at work
90.29. ILO activities to promote safety in the use of chemicals at work have the dual role of: providing technical guidance and assistance to government institutions and employers’ and workers’ organizations engaged in chemical safety activities; and playing a leading part in international cooperation on chemical safety. In this respect, the ILO will continue to promote a tripartite perspective on worker protection issues within the framework of: the joint ILO/WHO/UNEP International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) and the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS). In this context, the ILO will continue to be the lead agency in the process of elaborating and implementing a globally harmonized system for the classification and labelling of chemicals at the national level by the year 2000, as recommended in Agenda 21. Assistance will be provided to member States to build up the required human and institutional capacities to implement these systems. Another important ILO activity is the management of the IPCS International Chemical Safety Cards Project (ICSC), which provides concise information on the risks and preventive measures for specific chemicals.
Safety in the use of biological agents at work
90.30. Exposure to biological agents through their use at work makes it necessary to adopt effective measures to minimize the risks to workers, as well as to the public and the environment. In response to the resolution adopted by the Conference in 1993 concerning exposure to and safety in the use of biological agents at work, emphasis will continue to be placed on the prevention of biological hazards at work with a view to the possible development of international instruments on this subject. In the context of the follow-up to Agenda 21, the ILO has been invited to take a lead role in work related to occupational safety and health aspects of biotechnology. Work to address this issue will include the development of a draft code of practice on biosafety, which it is planned to submit to a tripartite meeting of experts in the biennium 2000-01.
Radiation protection
90.31. Many workers in the energy and health sectors are exposed to ionizing radiation, which is known to be hazardous and cause cancer. Moreover, many workers in industry, commerce and transport are exposed to electromagnetic fields and other types of non-ionizing radiation, which are a cause of increased public concern regarding their possible health hazards. Activities in this field will focus on cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the development of guides on the implementation of Basic Safety Standards, the preparation of safety guides and the strengthening of international cooperation on protection against ionizing radiation, including the participation of employers’ and workers’ organizations in relevant IAEA and joint activities. ILO cooperation with the WHO and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) on electromagnetic fields will be strengthened, as will its international research and development arrangements on non-ionizing radiation. In this work, particular attention will be paid to the relationship between hazard communication, the right to know and the duty of employers and occupational health professionals to provide sound information to workers on occupational hazards and preventive measures.
Occupational safety and health information services
90.32. Inadequate safety and health information is responsible for a large proportion of the deaths and injuries suffered by workers every year. Government programmes are hindered by lack of data on the prevalence and impact of accidents and diseases, employers are unable to take into account experience acquired elsewhere and workers are frequently unaware of the dangers presented by the products and processes with which they come into contact. The compilation and dissemination of safety and health information in a readily usable and internationally comparable form is therefore a major means of supporting national safety and health information activities. The objective of this subprogramme is the development and implementation by constituents of occupational safety and health information policies and programmes. The International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) will constitute the principal framework for the achievement of this objective through the provision of technical assistance to strengthen national safety and health information services and develop networking between these services, as well as through the production of guides to occupational safety and health literature in the form of databases and a bimonthly bulletin, ready-to-use publications on occupational safety and health, and the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety. A wide range of technical advisory services will also be provided to member States within the context of the proposed Global Programme on Occupational Safety, Health and Environment.
The ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety
90.33. Following the completion of the Fourth Edition of the Encyclopaedia in the biennium 1996-97, emphasis will be placed on updating the Encyclopaedia; translating it into French; coordinating its translation into other languages; and promoting its effective use by constituents. In order to protect the Encyclopaedia against rapid obsolescence and help to avoid the start-up costs incurred in past updating exercises, the management system developed in previous biennia will be used to maintain contact with the scientific and professional community. An automated monitoring system will also be established to retrieve relevant material from CISDOC and other databases to update the information contained in the Encyclopaedia. The translation of the Encyclopaedia into French and the technical work of producing it in printed and electronic form will be continued. Once the French version has been produced, ongoing work will be necessary to ensure that it reflects the updated English versions. The work of translating the Encyclopaedia into languages other than French was also begun in the biennium 1996-97. Although almost all the work of producing these different language versions is being undertaken by national institutions, the subprogramme is responsible for coordinating the process and promoting the exchange of experience between the various national teams. With a view to promoting the use of the Encyclopaedia by constituents, it will serve as a source for the production of practical ready-to-use publications, which will also contain material available from CIS centres and other sources. Making use of the availability of the Encyclopaedia in electronic form, these publications will include the production of thematic “offprints” and electronic multimedia presentations. Extracts from the Encyclopaedia will also be used for the production of training materials.
CISDOC and CIS bulletin
90.34. The exchange of information promoted by the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) is greatly facilitated by the network of designated institutions in member States. This network now consists of over 100 “national centres” and “collaborating centres”. One of the major activities carried out in support of the exchange of safety and health information is the maintenance of a directory of useful recent publications prepared electronically as the CISDOC database and issued in bimonthly instalments as the bulletin Safety and health at work. Records of at least 4,200 publications will be prepared and 12 issues of the bulletin will be published in English and French during the biennium 1998-99. The use of CD-ROMS and electronic access to CISDOC, especially through Internet, will be promoted. The capabilities of the CIS network of national centres will be further developed and the Asian occupational safety and health information network, which was established in the biennium 1996-97, will be strengthened and further networking encouraged in other regions. These activities will be supported by research on hazard communication and shopfloor information needs.
90.3. Conditions of work
90.35. For millions throughout the world, conditions of work are poor and getting worse, with the growth of precarious employment. Policy-makers are aware that this deterioration threatens the future of society, but are faced with a dilemma. There is little dispute that respect for an individual’s dignity and adequate protection in his working life are basic rights. At the same time, the need for enterprises to sustain or improve their economic performance in a climate of fierce competition, high unemployment and widespread poverty means that it is all too easy to make the assumption that economic growth is the key to protecting workers and promoting their safety, health and dignity. Yet, adequate working conditions are central to the achievement of long-term sustainable growth, good living standards and social harmony. The challenge for constituents is to ensure that emerging work patterns and relationships do not undermine basic worker rights and to develop strategies that enhance both worker protection and enterprise productivity.
90.36. The objectives of this programme are: increased awareness by constituents of the need to provide essential protection to workers; wider acceptance that good working conditions lead to enterprise efficiency and productivity; and the adoption by constituents of policies and programmes to protect the dignity of workers and improve their working conditions. These objectives will be met through: action-oriented research; the formulation of guidance and standards, including activities to promote the relevant international labour standards; the provision of technical advisory services; the collection and dissemination of information; and the preparation of training materials and the organization of training activities. In particular, improvements will be sought in areas such as maternity protection; protection against the various forms of violence that workers encounter at work; and the protection of workers’ privacy. A sharp focus will be maintained on the implications of working time arrangements for the achievement of major social aims, such as the protection of workers’ health and safety, the promotion of gender equality and employment growth. Work to address the problems faced by particular groups of workers will focus on the needs and concerns of women workers and, as appropriate, especially vulnerable categories of workers. The technical assistance provided to constituents will concentrate on the priorities set out in country objectives and will include support for governments engaged in drafting labour legislation and advice to enterprises on improving conditions of work, the quality of employment and productivity. In this work, emphasis will be placed on promoting the ratification and implementation of basic standards on conditions of work as well as the most recently adopted standards.
90.37. The collection and analysis of information will continue to be a major activity with a view to the provision of up-to-date information to constituents for use in the development of legislation, collective agreements, shop-floor action and practical programmes on conditions of work, and with a view to the development of new or revised standards. The Clearinghouse on Conditions of Work will continue to be the main channel for the compilation and dissemination of information. Its databases will be strengthened and developments in information technology will be used to provide information services through the Internet. Major publications and short papers will be prepared on selected items with a view to stimulating reflection, discussion and action on current and emerging issues of interest to various target groups.
Workers’ dignity and equality
90.38. Good working conditions safeguard the dignity and equality of workers. However, discrimination against women, older workers and persons in non-standard employment relationships is still widespread and the technology used to improve job design and work organization can also be a source of intrusive monitoring and surveillance of workers, in violation of their privacy and dignity. Moreover, all too often, failure to foster respect for individuals at work leads to violence, harassment and abuse. When the dignity and equality of workers are not respected, the consequences can include a decline in performance, stress-related illnesses, marginalization and loss of employment. There is also a tendency to think of protection in terms of specific types of employment relationships, rather than in relation to work and the worker in general. Failing to adapt systems of protection to new forms of employment leaves large groups of people without basic protection.
90.39. The objectives of the subprogramme are: increased awareness by constituents of the significant relationship between conditions of work and the dignity and equality of workers; and the adoption of the necessary legislative and practical measures to prevent and remedy discrimination and violations of workers’ dignity arising out of poor working conditions. The technical support provided to constituents for the achievement of these objectives will include the development and dissemination of guidance materials and information and the setting and promotion of standards. In particular, the recently adopted standards on night work, part-time work and home work were designed to address difficult working conditions and hours of work, the problems of vulnerable workers and the exclusion of certain categories of workers from protection. To promote the implementation of these standards, information packages will be prepared containing explanations of their provisions, illustrations of the legislation and collective agreements through which they are given effect, examples of best practice and programmes at the enterprise level and analyses of barriers to their implementation and how they can be overcome. Preparatory work for a possible revision of the Maternity Protection Convention (Revised), 1952 (No.103), will involve a study of feasible alternatives to the current provisions of the Convention.
Workers’ privacy
90.40. The spread of modern telecommunications and computer technologies is giving rise to serious challenges for the protection of workers’ privacy. As enterprise operations become more global, data transfers across borders make the protection of personal data more complex. A new European directive on the processing and movement of personal data illustrates how restrictions can be placed on their transmission to third countries that do not guarantee adequate protection. This has implications for enterprises which employ workers or contract for work to be done in foreign countries. A code of practice on the protection of workers’ personal data was adopted by a Meeting of Experts in October 1996. To raise awareness of privacy issues and promote the application of the code of practice, practical information materials will be produced and disseminated. These will consist of case studies, examples of good practice and privacy checklists for the use, in particular, of enterprises, workers’ and employers’ organizations and the multidisciplinary advisory teams.
Violence at work
90.41. Violence at work is on the increase in many countries and sectors. Workplace violence includes criminal acts, such as murder, assault, rape and robbery; racial and sexual harassment; and other types of victimization and abuse by co-workers and supervisors, such as ridiculing or isolating workers, or intimidating and degrading them. Workplace violence is a particular threat to women, who experience not only sexual harassment, but other physical and verbal abuse. Another category of workers for whom violence at work is a serious problem is migrant workers. Violence at work has complex and interrelated causes, which may include serious problems in the working environment. Left unanswered, it is a serious threat to the safety and health of workers, results in heavy personal, social and economic costs, drains the productive capability of an enterprise and destroys the goodwill necessary to attract clients and workers. Building on work carried out in the biennium 1996-97, research and analysis will be carried out on violence as it affects various sectors and vulnerable groups, such as women, ethnic minorities, and migrant workers, and on prevention and assistance measures. An assessment will be made of safety and health legislation to address workplace violence and of industrial injury laws to provide compensation to victims. Publications will be prepared on best practices in selected sectors of activity and occupations, and model guidelines will be developed for the prevention of violence at work and assistance to victims. Special materials will be produced for women, ethnic minorities and migrant workers and a methodology will be developed for collecting and analysing statistics on violence at work.
Workers’ protection and organizational effectiveness
90.42. The changing nature of the workplace, work patterns and relationships and the organization of work are involving management and the workforce in delicate processes of adjustment. Competition, unemployment and the need for flexibility are threatening working conditions and making jobs more precarious in both developing and industrialized countries. However, good working conditions help to increase flexibility, output and quality, meet customers’ demands and adapt to technological innovation. They also contribute to reducing accidents, errors, stress and strain, and to increasing job satisfaction, morale and commitment, thus minimizing absenteeism and turnover. But improved working conditions require increased awareness, the development of bold policies and the implementation of innovative practical measures to provide individual protection and enhance the efficiency of the enterprise, thereby promoting both economic growth and social progress. Based on the premise that good working conditions enhance organizational effectiveness and business performance, the objective of this subprogramme is the adoption by constituents of policies and measures to improve working conditions.
Work and protection: Options for the 21st century
90.43. Many commentators and experts in different disciplines are suggesting that one of the most pressing concerns facing society in the decades to come may well be to rethink the nature of work. This is fundamental not only to conditions of work, but also to whether there will be meaningful work to be done, both in terms of individual human development and the survival of a healthy community. Some speak of a paradigm shift. Some point to the need to distinguish meaningful work from a “job” and maintain that “job creation” efforts will be fruitless unless society moves beyond a trade-off between efficiency and equity as the best that can be hoped for to meet social needs. If the ILO’s principles of pursuing social justice through the world of work are to gain more widespread application and acceptance, for example by the Bretton Woods institutions and in the international debate on trade, the Organization and its constituents need to articulate a vision of work for the future. An analysis will therefore be made of the linkages between the changing concept of work, strategies and approaches for the improvement of working conditions and the long-term creation of employment. Examples will be collected of practical initiatives by communities and enterprises based on new approaches to work. Background papers will be prepared to stimulate discussion and reflection and case studies will be carried out with a view to inspiring policies and new ways of thinking about meaningful work.
Action programme
Social initiatives by enterprises
90.44. There is increasing recognition among policy-makers and business leaders of the crucial contribution that enterprises can and already do make in addressing socio-economic issues and of the strategic role that workers’ protection plays in enterprise development and restructuring, as well as in achieving balanced socio-economic growth. The World Summit for Social Development placed the role of enterprises in social development firmly on the global agenda when it agreed that many of the social challenges, such as employment and social exclusion, can only be met through effective partnerships between business and governments. Increasing numbers of enterprises, individually or as part of wider associations, are voluntarily setting socially responsible goals, embarking on programmes to support the wider community and participating in labelling schemes covering such issues as child labour, the situation of women and vulnerable groups of workers, occupational safety and health, working time arrangements and other conditions of employment. For example the International Organization of Employers is preparing a handbook entitled Towards the elimination of child labour: The challenge for employers and several national employers’ organizations are taking similar action. Such initiatives are often implemented in collaboration with employers’ and workers’ organizations, sometimes using ILO standards as a reference.
90.45. The current movement has been stimulated by the changing nature of competition, which puts increased emphasis on flexibility in all aspects of business operations in order to maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly changing and increasingly complex market. This puts people at the centre of today’s competitive strategies and more enterprises are finding that the integration of social considerations into overall business practices contributes to higher levels of productivity and competitiveness, while also improving human resource management, the quality of work and the environment. These trends are further reinforced by increased pressure from a widening group of stakeholders, such as the communities in which enterprises are located and consumers, who are increasingly concerned with both the price and the ethical dimensions of production. However, a lack of awareness of the operational and broader benefits of such social initiatives is impeding the wider application of the principles and practices involved.
90.46. The objective of the action programme is increased awareness among the social partners and interested parties of the social initiatives that have been adopted by enterprises with a view to their wider replication. The action programme constitutes a practical follow-up to the ILO Enterprise Forum (November 1996). Cases of “good practice” will be identified and documented, and a systematic analysis will be undertaken of the reasons why enterprises initiate social programmes and practices, and the factors which contribute to their success or failure. A comparative analysis will be made of human resource and enterprise management strategies that improve competitiveness and productivity while maintaining employment security, improving working conditions and demonstrating social responsibility. Specific tools and resources, including a multi-media package, will be prepared for the use of constituents, enterprises and policy-makers, with particular emphasis on the roles that employers’ and workers’ organizations can play, both individually and collectively, in promoting social initiatives. To enhance visibility and provide easy, low-cost access to this information, an electronic resource centre will be set up on the Internet intended for the use, in particular, of governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, enterprises, business schools and other interested educational institutions. The resource centre will become a permanent feature and may be expanded to cover a range of other themes relating to the current and potential roles of enterprises in addressing socio-economic concerns, including improved working conditions and the environment. The possibility will be explored of obtaining extra-budgetary financing for the resource centre.
Working time
90.47. The well-being of workers is so directly linked to the time spent at work and the manner in which it is arranged that working time is, after remuneration, the aspect of working conditions that has the most obvious impact on the day-to-day lives of workers. The challenge of preserving or creating jobs in a context of high unemployment and rapid technological and structural change has led to much interest in working time as a potentially useful tool of economic and social policy and a reassessment in many countries of the relevant rules and measures. It has also become obvious that working time has other significant implications. For men and women, the allocation of time is at the heart of powerful concerns about gender, family and reproduction. A trend towards computing hours of work over the year rather than the week allows longer intervals for the average calculation of maximum hours, which has implications on occupational safety and health. Decisions in the field of working time may therefore have far-reaching consequences. However, there is insufficient knowledge of the impact of reduced hours of work and more diversified and flexible working time arrangements. Moreover, while flexible working time arrangements may provide opportunities to invest in further education and training, reconcile work and family responsibilities or adapt to changing needs and aspirations during different phases of life, the type of flexibility sought by enterprises does not always allow this potential to be realized and may in practice have the effect of undermining basic protection. Governments, employers and workers therefore need to achieve a balance in working time patterns that is adapted to both social and economic needs.
90.48. The objective of the subprogramme is greater awareness by constituents of the available options in the field of working time and their social and economic implications, with a view to the adoption of programmes and measures that reconcile the needs of workers and their employers in this respect. Support to constituents to assist in the achievement of this objective will include responses to requests for assistance in the design and implementation of policies and programmes in these areas, as well as information, guidance, studies and research.
Working time and gender
90.49. Despite the steady growth in the labour force participation rate of women, the division of labour based on the commonly held view of men as breadwinners and women as home-makers continues to influence the workplace. Many innovative working time patterns that enhance flexibility have the potential to improve the sharing of paid and unpaid work between men and women. However, their impact in this respect may be negligible or even negative where they are introduced with the sole purpose of increasing enterprise efficiency. Due to the extensive use of overtime, for example in production jobs or managerial positions, as well as the growth in the numbers who work part time, there has also been a sharpening polarization of the workforce into those who work excessive hours and those who work short hours, with men a majority in the former group and women a majority in the latter. Although part-time work can be a valuable option for workers, its more widespread use may stand in the way of progress towards a general reduction in working time. Where part-time work is associated with temporary contracts, little or no social protection, low pay and unsocial hours, its development may well hasten the segmentation of the workforce. Its use by women may also serve to reinforce the division of home-making tasks by gender. An assessment will therefore be made of flexible working time arrangements in terms of their impact on: the gender division of labour at work and at home; and labour market segmentation. An in-depth analysis will be made of initiatives that have had a positive impact on gender issues. This work will provide a basis for the development of policy recommendations taking into account the variety of national approaches to the regulation of working time.
Working time, health and safety
90.50. The safety and health of workers depends to a large extent on the length and arrangement of working time and the nature of their work. Despite the potential offered by new technologies and innovative forms of work organization to reduce working hours and make work easier, long hours of work have remained a key feature in several sectors. Excessive hours of work produce physiological changes which affect work performance. In particular, there is a ceiling to the energy that an individual can dedicate to work, beyond which the counter-productive effects of fatigue set in. A significant part of the workforce has to work unsocial hours or follow irregular schedules, while a growing number of workers have to cope with an intense pace of work, a lack of autonomy and control, and the monotony and repetitive nature of certain operations. The combination of excessive and unsocial or irregular hours of work with poor job content can have a serious impact on the health and safety of the workers concerned. Depression, neurosis, alcohol and drug problems, stress, accidents at work, violence at the workplace and even suicide have been associated with long hours of work, unsuitable working time schedules, time pressures and tight deadlines, which also have detrimental consequences for social and family life. Costs in terms of health care, absenteeism, lower productivity and efficiency are on the increase and represent a major burden for the enterprise and the community. A related problem is that many standards and guidelines on health and safety protection were conceived on the basis of the traditional eight-hour day. Research will be carried out on the relationship between certain safety and health regulations and various working time arrangements. The research will focus on the impact of these arrangements on workload and occupational safety and health problems, taking into account the technology used and the extent of the participation by workers in the design of working schedules. The results of this research will be used to develop guidelines, checklists and auditing techniques.