April 28th marks the annual World Day for Health and Safety at Work. With the COVID-19 pandemic still present, it’s more important than ever to examine the ways in which OHS systems worldwide can be improved to absorb unforeseen threats and cope with new risks.

On this ocassion, the International Labour Organization (UN agency) announces their latest report – Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises – Invest now in resilient occupational safety and health systems. 

This report provides examples from the COVID-19 pandemic to highlight the way in which OSH systems can build strength following a crisis, enabling them to face unforeseen challenges in the future and protect the safety and health of workers – while supporting the survival and business continuity of enterprises.  

It aims to raise awareness of this need for a resilient system and to serve as a reference for national authorities, employers, workers and their organizations, OSH practitioners, and other interested parties. 

Here are our takeaways: 

• Robust national OSH systems are key to safeguarding lives and livelihoods; it is vital to ensure that they are well-resourced to better absorb the impacts of any challenges head-on. 
• National emergency preparedness and response should actively integrate OSH preparedness within their national emergency plans.  
• If a company has a comprehensive workplace emergency preparedness plan set up to deal with health crises and pandemics, it will be in a better position – when facing unforeseen situations, including crises such as COVID-19 – to organize rapid, coordinated and effective responses. 
• Reaching out to employers and workers in (M)SMEs and the informal economy is perhaps the most daunting challenge for OSH systems. MSMEs often find it hard to meet official OSH requirements and to comply with new OSH regulations adopted to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace.  
• Investing in OSH systems will not only contribute towards responding to the current pandemic and recovering faster by avoiding further contagion but will create resilience to face any future crises that might lie ahead. 
• Effective social dialogue between governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations is essential to promote social justice, inclusive economic growth, improved working conditions, and sustainable enterprises. 

What are your thoughts on the biggest opportunities and challenges lying ahead for the OSH practice?
 

Read the full report on ilo.org.