ILO Marks Workers Memorial Day with Risk Management Report
The International Labour Organization doesn't use the American terminology of Workers Memorial Day to mark April 28, choosing instead to mark this date as World Day for Safety and Health at Work. This year, Geneva, Switzerland-based ILO observed it by issuing a new report for managing workplace risks and reducing injuries and illnesses.
The document, titled "My life, my work, my safe work: Managing risk in the work environment," lists risk management techniques and actions to control risks. "Millions of work-related accidents, injury, and disease annually take their toll on human lives, businesses, the economy, and the environment," said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia, who is serving his second five-year term in the post. "We know that by assessing risks and hazards, combating them at source, and promoting a culture of prevention, we can significantly reduce workplace illness and injuries."
Today's events to mark the day include the first Moscow congress of OSH specialists, an OSH training workshop in Indonesia, a conference in the Philippines to push for the ratification of ILO Convention 187 on a Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health, a photo exhibition, "Celebrating Working Lives: Decent Work, Better Tomorrow," in Bangkok, Thailand, ILO's participation in an international book fair in Buenos Aires and in Mexico's leading OSH expo, and presentations in the Ethiopian capital, Addis-Ababa, that illustrate work safety issues.
"There is clear evidence that healthy workforces both enhance business productivity and benefit enterprises and national economies by reducing the number of accidents and diseases and lowering the number of insurance and compensation claims," said Dr. Sameera Al-Tuwaijri, director of ILO's Safework Department.