Health, safety and a pandemic

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work falls on April 28. The Covid-19 pandemic, and its profound impacts on the world of work, underscore just how important Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is to all of us.

Workplaces can easily become contaminated with the novel coronavirus, exposing workers, their families and communities to the risk of infection. In addition to the risk of infection, workers in all sectors face additional hazards that have emerged due to new work practices and procedures adopted to mitigate the spread of the virus. Teleworking, for example, has led to ergonomic and psychosocial risks with some 65 percent of surveyed enterprises reporting that worker morale has been difficult to sustain while working from home.

Certain workplaces have been particularly affected, such as the 136 million health and social workers at serious risk of acquiring Covid-19 during their work. Moreover, those workers as well as essential staff in many other sectors have faced increased workloads, longer working hours and reduced rest periods. The risk of violence and harassment at work has also risen, with consequences for both physical and mental well-being.

The protection of workers against sickness, disease and injury related to their work environment has been a central issue for the ILO since 1919. From the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, the principles contained in the ILO Occupational Safety and Health standards have shown to be more relevant than ever, especially the principle of prevention.

Faced with an unprecedented public health emergency, governments have taken rapid measures to curb the spread of the virus through public health systems. Actors in the world of work, and particularly in the field of OSH, have been crucial in the emergency response for protecting workers including those who support public health systems.

At the same time, special attention has been needed to ensure that policies and strategies do not discriminate against any workers, and consider those in vulnerable situations including the young, women, disabled and migrant workers, the self-employed and the informal economy.

Amongst the many lessons learned from this crisis is the need for countries to have a sound and resilient OSH system in place. A system which can build capacity to face future emergencies and protect workers’ safety and health, while supporting the survival and business continuity of enterprises.

The key elements of a national OSH system are set out in the ILO’s Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187). They comprise national OSH policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks; occupational health services; information, advisory services and training; data collection and research; and mechanisms for strengthening OSH management systems at the enterprise level to prevent and respond to OSH risks. Investing in these systems enables countries to better face and recover from crises by safeguarding lives and livelihoods and advancing the protection of workers.

In the Asia and the Pacific region the Covid pandemic has led to many countries taking steps to strengthen the priority elements of their national OSH system.

In Pakistan, the governments of Sindh and Punjab have adopted comprehensive laws on OSH in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and are now realigning their labour administration systems to improve implementation of these laws. Other provinces are in the process of adopting such laws. This progress is in line with the other key OSH Convention – the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No 155).

The non-fatal injury frequency rate in Pakistan rose between 2009 and 2014, increasing from 3 percent of the employed workforce to a peak of 4.3 percent. Subsequently, it has been on a downward trajectory, declining to 3.8 percent in 2017-18. This rate was higher for employed men than for women and for rural workers than for urban workers. In view of a large workforce in the country, there is a need to invest more on OSH including prevention against Covid-19 at workplaces, to ensure continuity of industrial and other production processes, while effectively protecting workers.

The pandemic has furthermore demonstrated the importance of social dialogue between governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations not only in responding to crises but also in promoting good OSH conditions. A climate of trust, built through social dialogue, is essential for the effective implementation of measures to address emergencies such as Covid-19, which require quick but effective action. Strengthened respect for, and reliance upon, mechanisms for social dialogue create a strong foundation for building resilience and encouraging commitment from employers and workers to the necessary policy and practical measures.

Covid-19 has undoubtedly been one of the gravest occupational safety and health challenges the world has ever faced. Through the concerted action and commitment of all stakeholders, let us together forge the strong and effective national OSH systems we need to safeguard the life and health of every worker for years to come.

The writer is the ILO’s assistant director-general and regional director for Asia and the Pacific