Article
Singapore: Experts say that annual cost of failing to address occupational safety and health issues is about 3.7 per cent of global GDP
"Occupational safety, health are basic rights," 28 August 2017
Dr Joachim Breuer, president of the International Social Security Association (ISSA), stresses: "The quality of occupational health and safety has tremendous impact on people's lives. Prevention contributes to society as occupational safety and health are basic human rights."
He was speaking...ahead of the 21st World Congress on Safety and Health at Work...
...Nancy Leppink, chief of the Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch of the ILO, says the international forum...aim is to reinforce and build networks and alliances, while laying the groundwork for cooperation among all involved, as well as to develop and exchange knowledge and strategies that can be implemented locally.
...Leppink says the ILO estimates occupational accidents and work-related diseases cause over some 2.7 million work-related fatalities a year.
"The economic impact of the failure to adequately invest in occupational safety and health is currently estimated to be 3.7 per cent of the global GDP per year, not to mention the human suffering caused," she adds.
...Breuer adds that the good news is that all occupational accidents and diseases are preventable.