The XIX World Congress on Safety
and Health at Work to be held in Istanbul
A new ILO report “Global Trends and
Challenges on Occupational Safety and Health” says the number of fatal
accidents at work is falling. What is the reason for this?
Seiji Machida: It is notable that the overall
number of fatal accidents as well as the fatal accident incidence rate has
fallen over the last ten years. The reason for this is because, over the past
decades, significant advances have been made in occupational safety and health
(OSH
What do you expect as an outcome of
the World Congress?
Seiji Machida: The XIX World Congress on Safety
and Health at Work, organized jointly by the ILO, the International Social
Security Association (ISSA) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of
the Republic of Turkey
Can you give us a concrete example
of a more effective occupational accidents and diseases prevention strategy?
Seiji Machida: The question remains how a
preventative safety and health culture can be achieved in practice at the
national level to protect all workers – across all employment sectors. For
safety and health programmes to be successful at the enterprise level, it is
essential to have top management commitment and the active participation of
workers. Similarly, at the national level, we also need high level commitment
to OSH
What are some of the new
occupational safety and health risks that are emerging today?
Seiji Machida: New and emerging risks in the
world of work have been the focus of much attention in recent years. For
example, modern manufacturing processes using nanotechnology are found
increasingly all over the world. It is expected that by 2020 approximately 20%
of all goods will be partly based on the use of nanotechnology. Unfortunately,
the long-term impact of these new materials on human health and the environment
remains largely unknown. Emerging forms of employment, such as outsourcing,
temporary and part-time work, have inevitably had an impact on working
conditions and often contributed to increased work-related stress, depression,
alcohol and drug abuse, and in some cases suicide, which can be more acute
during a global economic crisis.
Furthermore, green jobs, which are
particularly being promoted in recent years, need to be examined carefully from
a safety and health perspective to ensure that new types of work are properly
assessed and preventive measures are taken. For example, work related to wind
power generators needs safety measures for work at heights in construction and
maintenance.
What is the ILO doing to react to
these new challenges?
Seiji Machida: As workplace conditions are
constantly changing, safety and health measures need to be adapted in parallel.
Despite progress with respect to the management of OSH
in many countries, there is still an urgent need to reinforce national OSH OSH OSH
What are the main strategic goals
for the future?
Seiji Machida: One important task is to continue
promoting a global preventative safety and health culture. We want safety and
health to be placed high on national agendas and to increase awareness and
understanding of the purpose and usefulness of a systems approach to OSH
Secondly, the plan of action that I mentioned before,
aims at improving the situation at national and workplace levels on the basis
of the principles of good practices found in ILO standards. Special attention
should be given to particularly hazardous sectors such as construction, mining
and agriculture, to the special needs of workers in the informal economy, and
to the needs of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
Thirdly, we will
continue the process of capacity building, enabling national authorities,
employers’ and workers’ organizations to develop or further improve their
national occupational safety and health systems.
The ILO recently published a new
list of occupational diseases. What is new about this list?
Seiji Machida: The new list is the revised
version of the list annexed to the List of Occupational Diseases Recommendation
(No.194, 2002). It was revised by a tripartite committee of experts taking into
account recent scientific and technological development. It is an international
reference for the prevention, recording, notification and compensation of
occupational diseases. This revised list for the first time includes mental and
behavioural disorders and post-traumatic stress; a very important step in the
recognition of the direct link between the exposure to psychosocial risks at
the workplace and mental disorders.
Are businesses cutting back on
financing for occupational safety and health in times of crisis?
Seiji Machida: Indeed, some companies may think
that cutting back on safety and health will make them save money in the
short-term, but if they cut back now, they will pay the price in the future. It
has been clearly demonstrated that the overall costs of accidents and
ill-health are often much greater than immediately perceived.
Conversely,
investing in safety and health reduces both direct and indirect costs,
absenteeism and improves worker morale, reduces insurance premia and improves
performance and productivity. Therefore, the current situation should not be an
excuse to reduce efforts in this field.
Prevention is good for business. In the
long run, investment in the physical and mental health of workers pays off. As
we work longer than previous generations we have to make sure that our
well-being will permit us to do so. If we fail to invest in a healthy workforce
now we will lack a healthy workforce in the future. Attempting to save money in
this area will also cause an additional financial burden for, for example,
national social security systems.
What are the next steps for the ILO
to cope with the upcoming OSH
Seiji Machida: Through its technical cooperation
activities, the ILO will provide training in reinforcement of national OSH OSH
The XIX World Congress on Safety
and Health at Work takes place 11-15 September 2011 in Istanbul , Turkey
The XIX World Congress is
co-organized by the International Labour Organization and the International
Social Security Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and
Social Security of the Republic
of Turkey
Source: ILO. 12 September 2011
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