World Day for Safety and Health at Work is annually observed across the globe on April 28 to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. The day is an awareness-raising campaign intended to focus international attention on the importance of the problem.
- World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2023 was observed on 28th April 2023 under the theme “A safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work”.
- “World Memorial Day” or “International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers” was another global event observed on April 28 by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to remember action for workers killed, disabled, injured, or made unwell by their work.
The annual observance of the day is led and organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations (UN) agency which aims to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards.
Significance:
i. In June 2022, the International Labour Conference (ILC) decided to include “a safe and healthy working environment” in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work.
ii. On 28 April 2023, the ILO celebrated this decision by gathering experts and constituents to discuss the implications it has for the world of work and how to practically implement this right.
Background:
i. World Day for Safety and Health at Work was initiated by the ILO in 2003 by capitalising on its traditional strengths of tripartism and social dialogue.
- The observance of the day is an integral part of the Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Healthy of the ILO, as documented in the Conclusions of the International Labour Conference in June 2003.
- World Day for Safety and Health at Work is one of the main pillars of the Global Strategy in advocacy.
ii. The 1st ever World Day for Safety and Health at Work was observed on 28th April 2003.
- 28 April is also the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers organised worldwide by the Trade Union Movement since 1996.
Event 2023:
i. On 28th April 2023, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2023 global dialogue explored how to implement a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work.
ii. The 2022 International Labour Conference Resolution recognised a new fundamental right, which was promoted at the event along with a discussion on the action ILO tripartite constituents can take moving forward.
About the International Labour Organization (ILO):
Director-General- Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Establishment- 1919
