ILO Helpdesk: Business, occupational safety and health

Every day, 6,300 people die as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases – more than 2.3 million deaths per year. 317 million accidents occur on the job annually; many of these resulting in extended absences from work. The human cost of this daily adversity is vast and the economic burden of poor occupational safety and health practices is estimated at 4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product each year.

Many of these tragedies are avoidable through the implementation of sound prevention, inspection and reporting practices. The ILO has adopted more than 40 standards specifically dealing with occupational safety and health (OSH), as well as over 40 Codes of Practice. Enterprises should apply to the greatest possible extent the principles embodied in these standards and Codes of Practice.

Workers, including through their representatives, have an important role to play in ensuring safe workplace practices and cooperation between workers and management is essential. Workers and their representatives should be provided adequate information on safety measures to be taken and given appropriate training.

The ILO MNE Declaration calls on governments to ensure that both multinational and national enterprises provide adequate safety and health standards for their employees. MNEs should maintain the highest standards of safety and health, in conformity with national requirements, bearing in mind their relevant experience within the enterprise as a whole, including any knowledge of special hazards. Enterprises should provide information on their safety and health practices and inform those concerned of any special hazards and related protective measures associated with new products and processes. They also should play a leading role in the examination of causes of industrial safety and health hazards and promote improvements within the enterprise as a whole.