Ss65-03 Practical Approaches, Including Roving Safety Reps, to Achieve Decent Work (Sdg 8)

Introduction Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. However, ensuring occupational safety and health (OSH) for workers, particularly those in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the informal sector, is a significant challenge. These workers are more vulnerable to OSH risks due to limited safety training, restricted equipment access, and less regulated work environments. Materials and Methods One practical approach to enhancing OSH in these sectors is to provide access to information and training on OSH risks and preventive measures. This can be done by governments, employers, trade unions, or other organizations. Norway offers an interesting model of prevention for SMEs with its Roving Safety Rep program, which provide interesting templates for other countries as well. OSH regulations are reinforced and stringent enforcement ensured vis-a-vis hierarchy of controls, regardless of employment status. Results Raising OSH awareness among employers, workers, and the public is also essential. This can be done through educational campaigns and sharing real-life workplace incidents. Additional measures are needed to protect migrant workers, who are over-represented in the informal and SME sectors. These include engaging migrant workers in OSH decisions, providing culturally sensitive training and information, and prioritizing the hierarchy of controls for occupational exposure prevention. Conclusions Collectively, these actions will create a safe and healthy work environment for all workers, contributing towards the realization of SDG 8.