In 2019, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) released a report indicating that work-related incidents claimed the lives of 2.78 million individuals annually, while over 374 million people sustained injuries in such incidents. The loss of working days due to occupational health and safety issues constitutes around 4% of the world’s GDP, with some countries experiencing a figure as high as 6% of global GDP. According to ILO, up to 80% of work-related injuries and fatalities could be prevented through the adoption of readily available best practices and strategies for accident prevention. However, achieving this would require all member States of the ILO to implement these practices.
Occupational Safety and Health Standards: A Global Imperative
Governments, employers, and workers around the world have established international labour standards to outline fundamental principles and rights in the workplace. These standards can take the form of legally binding treaties or non-binding recommendations, and are crucial tools provided by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to promote preventive practices and ensure optimal safety in the workplace. Among these tools are occupational safety and health standards. The ILO has developed over 40 specific standards addressing occupational safety and health, and nearly half of all ILO instruments address these important issues either directly or indirectly.
While the ILO Constitution states that “workers shall be protected against diseases in general or occupational diseases and accidents arising out of their work”, the most recent global estimates available to the ILO indicate that 2.78 million work-related deaths, of which 2.4 million are related to occupational diseases, occur annually. This highlights the disparity between the legal measures established by the organization and the actual conditions experienced by workers worldwide.
The economic consequences of workplace accidents have a profound impact on companies, states, and the global economy, not to mention the physical and emotional toll on workers and their families. These costs include compensation, lost workdays, interrupted production, training and retraining, and healthcare expenses, which account for approximately 3.94% of global GDP. Employers, also, face significant impacts such as expensive early retirement, loss of skilled workers, absenteeism, and high insurance premiums. However, implementing effective prevention, reporting, and inspection methods could prevent these tragedies. ILO’s occupational safety and health standards are a vital resource for governments, employers, and workers to develop such methods and ensure optimal safety in the workplace.
Along with the ILO codes of practice that offer guidance to governments, employers, workers, enterprises, and organizations accountable for ensuring occupational safety and health protection, there are a total of thirteen international Conventions that address this matter:
- Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187).
- Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) and its Protocol of 2002.
- Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161).
- Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964 (No. 120).
- Port Handling Safety and Health Convention, 1979 (No. 152).
- Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. 167).
- Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176).
- Agricultural Safety and Health Convention, 2001 (No. 184).
- Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115).
- Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 (No. 139).
- Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention, 1977 (No. 148).
- Asbestos Convention, 1986 (No. 162).
- Chemicals Convention, 1990 (No. 170).
The Situation of Occupational Safety and Health in the Arab States: Alarming Statistics
Recent statistics show that the states in the Arab region witness over 70,000 work-related accidents annually. Out of these accidents, around 200,000 cause chronic disabilities, while almost 60 workers lose their lives while on the job. However, many experts believe that these figures underestimate the actual situation since many work accidents go unreported to the relevant authorities.
The alarming numbers in the region show no sign of decline. It is chiefly due to the economic repercussions of the health crisis, less investment by employers in the maintenance of premises and the continuous training of employees and the decline of purchasing protective tools. Governments, for their part, are also struggling to provide sufficient resources to control and inspection bodies so that they can properly carry out the tasks assigned to them.
Arab workers are exposed to deadly risks on a daily basis due to an insufficient legislative framework. This situation not only endangers them in the course of their work but also increases the likelihood of other risks, such as road accidents. Workers in the Arab region are usually required to travel long distances to reach their workplaces, which further exacerbates their vulnerability to accidents.
In this regard, Shaher Sa’ed, President of the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC), stated that “it is no longer acceptable to continue lightly dealing with the issue of occupational safety and health, that represent one of the most fundamental rights of workers. The concerned parties, ministries of labour, ministries of health, employers and representatives of workers should review occupational safety and health policies within the framework of a social dialogue in accordance with the international labour conventions on occupational safety and health, mainly Conventions 155, 161, and 187.”
These alarming indicators are mainly caused by legislative shortcomings. Hind Benammar, the acting executive secretary of the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC), mentioned that “although the issue of occupational safety and health is a concern among all social partners, it is required that this consensus be articulated in national legislation and policies based on the inclusion of occupational safety and health in the curricula of education and trainings, reviewing labour inspection systems in both quantity and quality, and funding health and safety programmes.”
As for the lacunas of Arab ratification of international labour agreements related to occupational safety and health, the acting executive secretary stated that “only Algeria and Bahrain have ratified Convention No. 155. Iraq, Morocco, and Tunisia have ratified Convention No. 187. However, no Arab country has ratified Convention No. 161, on the importance of the government’s engagement with occupational safety and health. On our part, as trade unions, we made all the necessary efforts to secure all safety measures for our workers in all our negotiations. Our aim is to encourage all Arab countries to ratify these agreements and implement national policies respecting occupational health and safety agreements.”
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