OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
Globally, occupational hazards are increasing due to the acceleration of industrialisation, climate-related risks, emerging technologies and changing employment patterns.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), approximately two million deaths and 270 million injuries occur annually due to occupational accidents and illnesses. In total, the ILO estimates that 2.93 million workers die each year from work-related causes, a figure that continues to rise, while an estimated 395 million suffer non-fatal injuries. Alarmingly, 2.41 billion workers, nearly 70 per cent of the global workforce, are exposed to excessive heat, posing severe health risks and increasing the likelihood of accidents.
In Pakistan, the situation is particularly dire for the 85.18 million-strong labour-force in 2025. Hazardous working conditions persist across both formal and informal sectors. Media frequently report deadly incidents, including boiler explosions, construction site collapses and mining accidents. The ILO estimates that 1,136 occupational injuries occur per 100,000 workers annually in Pakistan, a figure likely underreported. The prevalence of workplace accidents and occupational disease -- especially in the informal sectors of industry, services and agriculture -- remains a serious concern. This crisis is compounded by weak enforcement of safety regulations, lack of worker training and employer negligence.
The socioeconomic consequences are substantial, including productivity losses, escalating healthcare costs, and depletion of human capital. Despite being a founding member of the ILO since 1947 and having ratified 36 of its 190 conventions (30 of which remain in force), Pakistan has yet to adopt key international instruments on occupational safety and health (OSH). These include the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No 187), its accompanying Recommendation No 197, and the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No 155), with Recommendation No 164. These instruments outline essential policies for building national OSH systems and promoting a preventive safety culture. Although Pakistan has been considering ratification since September 2022, no formal decision has been made.
Pakistan has yet to ratify 57 other ILO conventions covering various sectors, reflecting broader inertia in advancing labour rights. A major gap is the absence of a centralised mechanism to collect and report data on occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities, which makes it difficult for authorities to monitor trends or adopt targeted prevention strategies.
A key contributor to Pakistan’s poor OSH performance is the widespread disregard for safety protocols, worsened by low awareness and weak regulatory enforcement. Dangerous conditions prevail in high-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing, and mining. Industrial pollution adds to the risks -- textile dyeing units discharge carcinogens and workers in steel and engineering sectors are exposed to dust, smoke and chemical fumes. Tragic incidents such as the 2012 Baldia garment factory fire, which killed 258 workers, continue to highlight the dire state of workplace safety. In six months of 2025 alone, boiler explosions claimed ten lives and injured many in Taxila, Dera Ghazi Khan and Karachi, underlining the persistence of these hazards.
The Pakistan Occupational Safety and Health Act (2018), along with similar laws enacted in Sindh (2017), Punjab (2022) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2022), provides a legal framework, but enforcement remains ineffective, particularly in the informal sector, which comprises nearly two-thirds of non-agricultural employment
Despite the ILO having developed over 40 OSH-related conventions, including those specific to construction (No 167), chemicals (No 170), and major industrial accidents (No 174) -- Pakistan has yet to ratify any of them. Domestically, some legislative progress has been made. The Pakistan Occupational Safety and Health Act (2018), along with similar laws enacted in Sindh (2017), Punjab (2022) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2022), provides a legal framework, but enforcement remains ineffective, particularly in the informal sector, which comprises nearly two-thirds of non-agricultural employment.
In January 2023, Pakistan expressed its intent to ratify the ILO’s Safety and Health in Mines Convention (No 176). Yet no tangible progress has followed. The mining sector, employing around 300,000 workers, sees up to 300 deaths annually, not to mention numerous injuries and chronic health conditions.
One promising development, however, is the Pakistan Accord, an outcome of the 2021 International Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry. This legally binding, country-specific agreement between global brands and trade unions came into effect on January 1, 2023. Covering 133 international brands from 18 countries, the programme involves 530 factories and employs 567,000 workers in Pakistan, focusing on workplace inspections, remedial action and training. Implementation began in August 2024, although without the active participation of the government and has made significant progress. The agreement runs through December 31, 2025, and is expected to be renewed.
To address Pakistan’s entrenched occupational safety and health (OSH) deficiencies, a comprehensive national strategy is essential. This should begin with the ratification of key ILO OSH conventions to bring domestic standards in line with international norms. Labour laws must be modernised and consolidated to ensure that all workers, including those in the informal sector, are adequately covered. A centralised OSH database should be established to enable evidence-based policymaking and allow for effective monitoring of occupational health trends. Strengthening labour inspections and regulatory enforcement, including the implementation of punitive measures for non-compliance, is crucial.
Simultaneously, awareness campaigns and vocational training programmes must be launched to cultivate a culture of workplace safety among both employers and workers. Offering tax incentives and subsidies to industries that adopt OSH-compliant technologies and practices can further encourage safer work environments. Lastly, the development of inclusive and sustainable safety frameworks should involve active collaboration with civil society, employers, trade unions and international partners.
Workplace safety is not merely a regulatory formality; it is a fundamental human right and a strategic economic imperative. Unsafe working conditions undermine productivity, burden the healthcare system, and, most critically, endanger lives. For Pakistan to protect its workforce and achieve inclusive economic growth, urgent and sustained action is required. The cost of continued neglect is far too high.
The writer is a retired chairman of the State Engineering Corporation.