Publications & technical tools
2021
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© ILO 2022
Briefing note
COVID-19 and the port sector
05 July 2021
Ports provide key infrastructure in support of international trade and the global economy. They vary in size from wharves handling at most a few hundred tonnes of cargo a year to large international ports or multi-modal hubs combining a broad range of logistical services, from warehousing to total supply chain management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ports have had to adjust to the reality of lower volumes, worker shortages, the implementation of occupational health and safety measures for dockers and shore personnel, and the adoption of teleworking and remote operations for office workers. In some countries, calls by cruise ships have come to a halt. This policy brief summarizes the issues relating to COVID-19 and decent work challenges in the port sector.
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© ILO 2022
Briefing note
Impact of COVID-19 in the meat processing sector
09 February 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to exert pressures on the agri-food industry both from the business and workers’ sides, with some sectors shouldering a particularly high burden. The meat processing sector is one of them. As the effects of the pandemic on our food systems continue to unfold, the learnings from the outbreaks in processing plants in several major meat-producing countries are catalysing reforms that should contribute to the sustainable development of the sector.
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© ILO 2022
Briefing note
Impact of COVID-19 on the construction sector
25 January 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the construction sector, which is sensitive to economic cycles. Yet, on the upside, construction holds much potential to stimulate recovery, thanks to its potential to create jobs; and in turn, recovery measures can support the sector’s transformation towards sustainability and digitalization. Tripartite cooperation and social dialogue, together with international labour standards, are key to promote a human-centred recovery of the construction sector from the crisis.
2020
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© The National Guard 2022
Briefing note
COVID-19 and care workers providing home or institution-based care
16 October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the already overburdened and understaffed home and institution-based care sector in many countries. This brief highlights the challenges faced in the recruitment, deployment, retention and protection of sufficient numbers of well-trained and motivated care workers. Sustainable investment in health and social care systems, including in the workforce itself, and in decent working conditions are needed to ensure the preparedness and resilience of the sector in times of crisis and beyond. Ensuring that care workers, together with their employers and other relevant stakeholders have an opportunity to make their voices heard is critical if they are to play a full and active role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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© Mwasalat 2022
Briefing note
COVID-19 and Urban Passenger Transport Services
05 October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unparalleled consequences to urban passenger transport services. The impact on the different urban mobility modes is widespread but a common denominator has been the decline of ridership across all modes. Urban transport workers are serving those who serve: hospital, care and other critical service workers. Yet, they can find themselves at the forefront of service provision during the pandemic and may be at high risk of illness. This policy brief seeks to summarize the issues relating to COVID-19 and urban passenger transport workers. The brief discusses the mains impacts of the pandemic in the sector. It also includes information on the tripartite and sectoral measures that employers, workers and governments have taken to support the sector and its workers, and on the ILO’s principles and tools, including international labour standards.
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© WaterAid 2022
Briefing note
Hand hygiene at the workplace: an essential occupational safety and health prevention and control measure against COVID-19
08 September 2020
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Briefing note
A safe and healthy return to work during the COVID-19 pandemic
21 May 2020
This guidance note aims to assist governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations in developing national policy guidance for a phased and safe return to work, and provide guidelines for workplace-level risk assessments and implementation of preventive and protective measures according to a hierarchy of controls.
2018
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Briefing note
SafeYouth@Work Action Plan
27 April 2018
2014
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Joint WHO/ILO briefing note for workers and employers
Ebola Virus Disease: Occupational safety and health
05 September 2014
This briefing note is based on the existing WHO and ILO guides and recommendations for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) at the time of the publication. It will be updated as new information and recommendations become available.
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Joint WHO/ILO briefing note for workers and employers
Ebola Virus Disease: Occupational safety and health
05 September 2014
This briefing note is based on the existing WHO and ILO guides and recommendations for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) at the time of the publication. It will be updated as new information and recommendations become available.
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Joint WHO/ILO briefing note for workers and employers
Ebola Virus Disease: Occupational safety and health
05 September 2014
This briefing note is based on the existing WHO and ILO guides and recommendations for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) at the time of the publication. It will be updated as new information and recommendations become available.
2011
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Briefing note
Information Note on International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
18 October 2011
The ICSCs project is a joint undertaking between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Office (ILO), with the cooperation of the European Commission. The technical Secretariat is provided by WHO.
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Briefing note
Acute mental care policy in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, Japan, 2011
08 June 2011
The earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan, on March 11th 2011, was the worst massive earthquake in the last two decades in this country, following those happened in Kobe in 1995 and in Niigata in 2006. The comprehensive picture of Japanese mental health care after the Tohoku earthquakes will be reported soon elsewhere, here some of the general principles of post-disaster mental health care are presented. These basic principles are also outlined in the Guidelines for Local Mental Health Care Activities after a Disaster in more detail. Although the guidelines were prepared prior to the Tohoku earthquakes, the following will introduce the basic principles of mental health care activities that can be applicable to the Tohoku relief effort.
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Briefing note
ILO tools and resources for safety and health at work in recovery and reconstruction following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami
08 June 2011
In recovery efforts after natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunami, in areas where roads have suffered great damage and the supplies of water, electricity, and other utilities are cut off, work is carried out amidst the scatter of fallen trees and other debris; because this kind of worksite differs in many ways from regular worksites, it is essential to pay increased attention to, and to take extra measures to protect the health and safety of, workers. The ILO has provided international labor standards to secure the health and safety of workers and, including practical guidelines, operational rules that cover various points to keep in mind to protect worker health and safety. Of these, the most relevant to work connected with recovery and reconstruction after earthquakes and other natural disasters is the Convention Concerning Safety and Health in Construction (No. 167) (unratified by Japan). Other ILO documents dealing with occupational health and safety in the construction industry include "How to prevent accidents on small construction sites" and the ILO Code of Practice — "Safety and health in construction", and the “Disaster, Natural and Technological” chapter in the "ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety". Besides the things mentioned in the Convention, another especially important concern in recovery and reconstruction after an earthquake is how to deal with asbestos and dust.
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Briefing note
Radiation safety and protection of workers in nuclear and radiological emergency operations
14 April 2011
Workers working in response to the emergency at the site of the Fukushima Daiichi's nuclear plant are exposed to traditional OSH risks including explosion and fire as well as to radiation. The International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (BSS) provide a worldwide basis for harmonized radiation protection standards that complement the ILO Convention No. 115 and for the protection of workers engaged in nuclear and radiological emergency operation.
2010
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Briefing note
Women workers and gender issues on occupational safety and health
05 November 2010
ILO action in this field is undertaken through its In Focus Programme on Safety, Health and the Environment SAFEWORK. The main objective of the Programme is to increase the capacity of Member States to protect workers' health, to prevent and reduce occupational accidents, injuries, occupational and work-related diseases, through the improvement of their working conditions and working environment.
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Briefing note
Update: March 2010 - International labour standard on HIV/AIDS and the world of work
01 March 2010