World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2008
Numerous events around the world
were held to recognise World Day for Safety and
Health at Work 2008 hoping to highlight the need to
manage workplace risks correctly -
1st May 2008
The 28th April 2008 saw
the 'World Day for Safety and Health at Work'. The
aim is to raise awareness of the management of risks
at work to workers, employers and governments.
In the UK alone there were 241 deaths and a further
790,000
workplace injuries or illnesses caused by
poor health and safety last year. According to
the
International Labour Organization (ILO) there are
2.2 million deaths worldwide each year a result of
workplace accidents or diseases and it says they
appear to be on the increase. They also estimate
that there are around another 270 million non-fatal
accidents at work each year which require three or
more days of absence from work, with a further 160
million new people worldwide suffering from a
work-related illness.
Director-General of the ILO Juan Somavia said,
“Millions of work related accidents, injury and
disease annually take their toll on human lives,
businesses, the economy and the environment. We know
that by assessing risks and hazards, combating them
at source and promoting a culture of prevention we
can significantly reduce workplace illness and
injuries.”
The ILO has concerns about unrecorded instances of
accidents at work and work-related illness in
developing countries where it appears to be on the
increase.
There were many events and activities organised
around the world in places as far a field as Moscow,
Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangkok, Buenos Aires,
Mexico, Ethiopia among others.
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