Worker Health & Safety

Occupational health and safety (OHS) encompasses prevention of work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities through hazard identification, risk assessment, control measures, training, and emergency preparedness, with ILO estimating 2.78 million work-related deaths annually and 374 million non-fatal injuries.¹ OHS risks vary by sector, with manufacturing, construction, agriculture, mining, and healthcare facing elevated risks from machinery, chemicals, physical hazards, and biological agents. Corporate OHS responsibility extends beyond legal compliance to supply chain due diligence, with high-profile incidents including Rana Plaza factory collapse (2013, 1,134 deaths) and ongoing concerns about silicosis in manufacturing demonstrating reputational, legal, and operational risks from inadequate OHS management.

Standards and Management Systems

OHS is governed by international standards and management system frameworks.² ILO conventions including C155 (Occupational Safety and Health) and C187 (Promotional Framework) establish principles. ISO 45001 provides OHS management system standard covering policy, planning, implementation, evaluation, and improvement. Management systems require hazard identification, risk assessment, control hierarchy (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE), training, incident investigation, and continuous improvement.

Sectoral Hazards

OHS risks vary by sector with specific hazards.³ Manufacturing faces machinery hazards, chemical exposures, repetitive strain, and fire risks. Construction involves falls, struck-by hazards, electrocution, and caught-between hazards. Agriculture includes pesticide exposure, machinery, heat stress, and musculoskeletal disorders. Mining faces collapse, explosion, toxic gas, and dust exposure risks. Healthcare involves biological hazards, needlestick injuries, and violence. Informal economy workers often lack OHS protections.

Supply Chain Due Diligence

Companies are expected to ensure supplier OHS standards.⁴ Risk assessment identifies high-risk suppliers, processes, and geographies. Requirements include supplier codes, building safety standards, chemical management, and emergency preparedness. Monitoring involves audits, incident data analysis, and worker feedback. Remediation addresses identified hazards through corrective action plans. Capacity building supports supplier OHS management capability.

Challenges and Innovations

OHS management faces challenges including hidden hazards, cost pressures, weak enforcement, and audit limitations.⁵ Innovations include worker-led safety committees, real-time monitoring technologies, industry collaborations like Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, and integration of OHS into purchasing practices.

Further Reading

ILO OHS resources at ilo.org/safework. ISO 45001 at iso.org.

References