character drawing illustrating the importance of safety in the work place

Safety ambassador

Not all superheroes wear capes. Some promote a safe and healthy workplace for all.

What does it mean?
It means protecting workers from physical and mental harm and ensuring that the workplace is free from danger, pressure, and risk.

What can I do?
You can raise concerns, follow safety procedures, and support a culture where well-being is a shared priority — not an afterthought.

Discover stories of people who stood up through their actions or wished they had done it.

Kate, 30 years old, England

The challenge

I was working as a junior doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic when my hospital, like many others in the country, ran out of N95 respirators.

The action

There is not much we could do because there was a nationwide shortage everywhere but we kept raising the issue with hospital management, stressing the urgent need for proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Refusing to work wasn’t an option - we had patients to care for. In the absence of N95 masks, we had no choice but to use basic surgical masks, even though we knew they didn’t fully protect us from the virus.

The impact

Many of my colleagues, especially junior doctors and nurses, faced repeated exposure without adequate protection. Some of us tested positive for COVID-19. I know that management was trying their best to ensure we had what we needed for our protection but they were really difficult times. I remember being terrified.

Fatima, 26 years old, Jordan

The challenge

I am an accountant at a large company. Working from the office when our office building was undergoing renovation was a challenge. The construction work was concentrated on the floors occupied by entry-level and support staff, but we were still required to work onsite. The environment was disruptive - there were wires and ladders everywhere and the loud construction noises made it difficult to concentrate.

The action

I raised the issue with an employee representative in my company. I told them someone was going to get hurt walking through an active construction site everyday if we didn’t do something about it. I urged other colleagues to also share their concerns with this representative.

The impact

The employee representative formally raised the matter with management. As a result, a temporary work-from-home policy for all impacted staff was put in place during the renovation period. This ensured our safety but also minimized disruptions to our productivity and work quality.

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