ASSE, ILO Sign Memorandum of Understanding at Safety 2009
SAN ANTONIO -- The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Geneva, Switzerland-based International Labour Organization (ILO), committing the organization to work together to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, during the ASSE Professional Development Conference (PDC) and Exposition at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The MOU states that ASSE and the ILO will work together toward the common objective of preventing illness and injuries in the workplace across all industry sectors through advocacy, promoting awareness, knowledge development, information dissemination, and the application of relevant standards and industry best practices in the community and workplace.
"As there are no global marketplace boundaries today and with a large number of our 32,000 occupational safety, health and environmental (SH&E) professional members continuing to work in countries and projects around the world, this agreement will help us move forward in preventing injuries and illnesses worldwide," said ASSE President Warren K. Brown, CSP, ARM, CSHM. "This agreement also reflects the value of the SH&E profession and ASSE's growth."
The 98-year-old ASSE is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. The ILO's workplace principles include: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor; effective abolition of child labor; elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation; and the human rights, environment and, anti-corruption related principles of the United Nations' Global Compact.
"We look forward to working with the ILO through this MOU as we continue to meet our members' needs and those of ASSE as and expand our outreach to other safety, health and environmental organizations," ASSE Director of Professional Affairs Dennis Hudson said today.
The signing took place at the ASSE "Meet the President" booth in the Gonzalez Convention Center.