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MANILA: The world of work is to mark the World Day for Safety and
Health at Work this year, amid a new call by the International Labor
Office (ILO) for managing risks in the work environment to reduce
both the human and the economic burdens of work-related accidents
and ill health.
In a new report published on the occasion of the
World Day entitled My life, my work, my safe work: Managing risk in
the work environment, the ILO listed risk management techniques
which identify, anticipate and assess hazards and risks and take
positive action to control and reduce them.
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia said millions
of work related accidents, injury and disease annually take their
toll on human lives, businesses, the economy and the environment. We
know that by assessing risks and hazards, combating them at source
and promoting a culture of prevention we can significantly reduce
workplace illness and injuries.
This year, as in previous years, numerous field
events and activities are planned around the world to mark the day.
Among others, a street campaign is to be held in Moscow on
occupational safety and health (OSH) along with the first congress
of OSH specialists, while in Asia, an OSH training workshop is
organized in Indonesia, a conference is to be held in the
Philippines to push for the ratification of ILO Convention 187 on a
Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health, and a
photo exhibition Celebrating Working Lives: Decent Work, Better
Tomorrow will be presented in Bangkok.
In Latin America, the ILO will take part in the
international book fair in Buenos Aires to promote the importance of
health and safety in the world of work, and in Mexico the ILO will
participate in the country’s premier health and occupational
safety exhibition. In Africa, tripartite events will take place
including in Ethiopia where renowned local artists will perform in
Addis-Ababa to illustrate work safety issues.
The ILO says globally 2.2 million people die
annually from work-related accidents and diseases and work-related
deaths appear to be on the rise. Moreover, each year an estimated
270 million people suffer non-fatal, work-related accidents
resulting in at least three days absence from work and an additional
160 million new people suffer from some work-related illness.
There is clear evidence that healthy workforces
both enhance business productivity and benefit enterprises and
national economies by reducing the number of accidents and diseases
and lowering the number of insurance and compensation claims, says
Dr. Sameera Al-Tuwaijri, Director of the ILOs Safework Department.
In 2003, the ILO began to observe the World Day
for Safety and Health, bringing its tripartite strength and social
dialogue to the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured
Workers organized worldwide by the trade union movement since 1996
and coordinated by the International Trade Union Federation.
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