So, how do we respond?

Governments: A regulatory approach to systemic issues and risks

• ILO member states must ratify ILO OSH Conventions* and uphold, reinforce and promote Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, including ‘a safe and healthy working environment’.
• Protect and preserve human rights, decent work, worker protections, ethics and security regarding new and emerging hazards related to climate change, the green transition and technologies such as AI using the scope of ILO Convention No.155.
• Build and strengthen national OSH capacity and pathways to good mental health and psychosocial risk management in business, OSH systems and occupational health services.
• Review, and where necessary, update regulatory frameworks to ensure the changing risk profile of OSH is addressed. For example, considering OSH climate risks and mental health in the workplace.
• Equip workers with the necessary OSH awareness, knowledge and skills to build positive and proactive cultures, and a healthier and safer future generation of workers. This can be achieved through education, vocational training programmes and lifelong learning.

* ILO fundamental OSH Conventions: C187 Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health (No. 187) and C155 Occupational Safety and Health (No. 155) as well as other core OSH Conventions including C161 Occupational Health Services (No. 161).

Businesses: a blueprint for better work

• Better understand the structural enablers and barriers to attracting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce, protect vulnerable workers and address the unique OSH needs of different worker groups.
• Support sustainable development, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and national targets. Apply recommendations from IOSH’s ‘delivering a sustainable future’ report to identify, activate and measure a business’s contribution towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals through good OSH.
• Identify and address existing and emerging OSH risks and opportunities across all parts of the supply and value chain, including SMEs.
• Deliver operational excellence by incorporating effective OSH management into organisational strategies, plans and business continuity and recognising the strong connections between physical safety and psychological safety. Focus the cultural and leadership behaviours that enable workers to feel safe as well as be safe.
• Collaborate widely on standards, practices, approaches and policies, share evidence and insights, and be a learning organisation that adapts to addresses complex and increasing issues associated with OSH principles and practice such as ethics and inequity.

OSH professionals: deliver change on the ground

• Contribute to, support and implement socially sustainable work practices and standards within procurement, across supply chains and in OSH management systems.
• Argue for and support the implementation of evaluation and control strategies regarding climate change-related occupational hazards.
• Argue for safety-in-design, health-in-design, and human-centric approaches within new and emerging technology advancements.
• Support the development, application and recognition of training, skills, knowledge, innovations, technologies and experience from other contexts, sectors, regions and organisations to provide better outcomes for worker health, safety and wellbeing.
• As the role of the OSH professional evolves, take individual responsibility for championing new approaches and advancing continuing professional development, competencies, and improved skills. Including the ability to pilot and evaluate emerging technologies, data analytics, ‘soft’ skills, critical thinking, systems thinking and ethical decision making.

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