World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Are you aware of the ‘World Day for Safety and Health at Work’? Yes, you are right! There is a specific day celebrated on April 28 for safety and health at work. Let us know more about it.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a day observed globally on 28 April every year. The theme and focus of the day is different for each year and it addresses different issues related to health and safety at the workplace. The theme for World Health and Safety Day 2022 is ‘Participation and Social Dialogue in Creating a Positive Safety and Health Culture’. In this blog, we are going to read in detail about the theme and other important facts about World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

What is World Day for Safety and Health at Work and how did it originate?

Every year millions of people die due to unsafe or unhealthy work conditions which result in accidents and illnesses related to the work environment. Such diseases and accidents cause long absences of employees from work and at the same time costs enormously in terms of finances and human lives. Further, over 4% of the annual global GDP is also lost due to unsafe practices at workplaces.

Thus, to emphasize on the significance of hindering accidents and illnesses arising out of the workplace, ILO or the International Labour Organization started celebrating World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The first occasion was observed in the year 2003 to promote equality, protection, affability etc. at work and to enhance awareness as part of the celebration.

Another event that is coordinated along with the World Health and Safety Day is the international Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers, which has been held since 1996.

Theme of World Day for Safety and Health at Work

The theme of World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2022 is ‘Participation and Social Dialogue in Creating a Positive Safety and Health Culture’.

Types of Risks experienced at workplace

There are several kinds of hazards that are experienced at the workplace. Some of them are mentioned below:

1. Physical Risks

There are several kinds of physical risks that affect individuals at the workplace. Hearing problems are one such very common hazard faced by employees world over mainly due to being exposed to high noise levels at work sites.  Further, many industrial deaths and injuries also take place in mining industries as well as in the field of excavation. Other fields like shipping, cleaning and maintenance, and medicine are also prone to many injuries and serious consequences if some mishap takes place.

2. Biological Risks  

In many workplaces, the working conditions are such that they make employees prone to diseases caused by inhaling of poison, viruses and several bacterium. Such biological hazards at the workplace affect the workforce in many different ways. Diseases like influenza hit a large community of employees in different sectors. Also, people working in the field of agriculture are prone to illnesses, virus attacks, and animal borne diseases, while those working in veterinary are highly prone to infections.

3. Chemical Risks 

Chemicals are of course risky, and when they are highly used at your workplace, you become prone to several risks caused by such chemicals. There are several chemicals that show risks to the health of humans even if they are used in less proportions or low concentrations. And when these chemicals are mixed with other toxic substances, the risk is further aggravated.

4. Psychosocial risks

Mental health of employees is also affected and might pose a threat in many job situations. It is mostly seen if there are any issues of job security. If the employees are under the scanner of losing a job, or if the employees are over stressed due to long hours of work. In such cases, the emotional health of individuals is affected in such a working environment.

Spreading Awareness about Safety and Health at Work

The World day for Safety and Health at Work is used to spread awareness that there is a need for a positive working environment, which can be achieved by:

• Generating awareness among people about improving safety and health at the workplace on International Safety Day.
• This can be done by exhibiting posters and sharing the concern over social media.
• Bringing the points to fore in meetings and forums at the workplace.
• Taking part in online and offline events related to employee safety and health.
• Getting the workplace environment analyzed by a security specialist to check for any hazards.

To Conclude

Not just on World Safety Day, but health and safety are important for one and all on each and every day at work. To ensure health and safety at the workplace, it is important for the employers to ensure that they offer good working conditions to their employees to maintain safety and health at work. Further, group or corporate health insurances are tools that can be used by companies to ensure good health of their workers.

Also Read: National Safe Motherhood Day (NSMD)