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The World Day for Safety and Health at Work will be celebrated on 28 April. This year’s theme is “Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises – Invest Now in Resilient Occupational Safety and Health Systems”.
Dr. Manal Azzi, Senior OSH Specialist at the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Coordinator of this event answers our 3 questions.
Why this theme of resilience?
“The Covid-19 crisis has had profound impacts on the world of work and many implications for occupational safety and health. Not only were workers at risk of contracting the virus, but the measures and policies put in place to control the spread of the virus also led to other health and safety risks, including chemical, ergonomic and psychosocial risks. This year’s theme and report aim to highlight the lessons that have been learned in managing the pandemic. We stress the importance of integrating OSH into the overall crisis response and encouraging stakeholders to invest in strengthening national OSH systems.
What elements of these OSH systems are you talking about?
The theme of the Day is based on ILO Convention 187 of 2006, which describes the elements of a national OSH system. The report groups these elements into thematic areas, covering the need for a national policy and regulatory framework, institutional frameworks, occupational health services, information, advice and training, data collection and research on OSH. The current crisis also demonstrates the importance and need to strengthen OSH management through enterprise level systems.
What will be the highlights of 28 April 2021?
One of the highlights is a global webinar on the Zoom platform. ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, representatives of governments, workers, employers and OSH experts will show how investing in OSH helps to respond to crises such as Covid-19. There will also be national and regional events to celebrate this World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
Register for the webinar (in English, French and Spanish)
To find out more about the 2021 Day