Occupational Safety and Health in Micro-, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs)

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) constitute the vast majority of enterprises worldwide, providing incomes and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of workers.

Kalerwe Market, in the suburb of Kampala city. © Yasin Nsubuga ILO / RUDMEC

Precariousness and lack of resources are consistently found in most MSMEs. They are also characterized by high levels of informality and low levels of awareness and compliance with occupational safety and health (OSH) standards. Their relatively small size and heterogeneity often imply a lack of the institutional and organizational structure required to support OSH. These factors leave workers in MSMEs particularly exposed to OSH risks.

Safety and Health in Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Describes the OSH situation in MSMEs and support mechanisms that national governments, social partners and other actors have developed in order to incentivize the adoption of OSH measures in MSMEs