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`Cry` for safety, health at work grows louder
2007-04-29 09:33:54
By Correspondent Michael Haonga
Tanzania yesterday joined the rest of the world to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
The event was marked at National level in Mwanza just two days before the UN Agency (ILO) inaugurates its permanent home in Dar es Salaam tomorrow Monday.
Dar es Salaam is the ILO East Africa sub-region headquarters for four countries Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and Tanzania from which it serves to, among other things, promote Safety and Health at Work.
In its statement to mark the World Day, the ILO sub-region office has raised alarm to the effect that as stakeholders strive in prioritizing the issue of Safety and Health at Work, many keep dying from preventable accidents.
Paramount in the hair-raising alarm is the portrayal that ``Most accidents at work could be prevented if standards are respected.``
The call was accompanied by statistical supported portrayal that work-related accidents and illnesses claim some 2.2 million lives each year .
It is further revealed that ``Most accidents at work could be prevented if standards are respected.``
The statement underlines the need for every stakeholder to curb work-place related deaths by observing and applying internationally-agreed labour standards .
It has been stressed that countries in all regions of the ILO fraternity should as a matter of priority plan Safe Day events ranging from the launch of public awareness campaigns to solemn commemorations.
Many have declared April 28 as a day for discussing safety and health at work, while others have brought together workers, employers, government officials and academics to discuss workplace safety.
The UN Agency renews its call in no uncertain terms, calling for workplace safety and health practices, including reporting, inspection and standards, as a means of reducing the number of accidents, injuries and illnesses on the job as well as improving productivity.
``Accidents don`t go with the job``, says Dr. Sameera Maziadi Al-Tuwaijri, the newly-appointed Director of the ILO’s Safework programme, adding that ``Experience shows that most accidents are preventable,`` adding that ``Sound prevention practices need to be implemented by governments, employers and workers systematically at the national and enterprise level.``
Additional statistics have it that while 2.2 million people die every year due to work-related accidents or illnesses, more than 270 million workers are injured and an estimated 160 million suffer work-related illnesses.
The report says this grim toll also costs the global economy an estimated 4 per cent in lost GDP, equivalent to 20 times all official development aid put together.
The ILO also highlights the links between decent work and occupational safety and health, beaming light on various elements of the ILO`s Decent Work Agenda.
The elements include respect for fundamental principles and rights at work, its international labour standards, occupational safety and health mechanisms.
Others include labour inspection, codes of practice on occupational safety and health and the workplace, and social dialogue which provides the basis for a strong workplace response to prevention of occupational accidents and disease.
The ILO adopted a systematic approach to safety and health at work with a Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention adopted last year.
The new Convention establishes a framework within which occupational safety and health can be promoted as well as fostering political commitments to develop national strategies to promote continuous improvement of occupational safety and health.
This is banked upon to, among other things, prevent occupational injuries, diseases and deaths.
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