International Agency Efforts to Protect Workers and the Environment

Every year 335,000 workers die in occupational accidents and altogether 1.1 million fatalities are caused by work-related factors. Some 250 million nonfatal accidents causing absence from work are aggravated by permanent disabilities, reduced capacity of life and work, and economic losses amounting to 4% of gross national product. The role of the International Labour Office (ILO) in promoting social justice is based on ethical principles and demonstrated by the ILO's standard-setting work, information exchange, and proposed Global Program on Occupational Safety, Health and the Environment, Ethical and policy dimensions of the ILO's practices are targeted to a participatory process aimed at better legislation and enforcement, as well as trained and well-informed specialists to modify work environments and cultures to eliminate or reduce the problems and suffering. The ILO's key present and new activities and outputs, such as the new 4th edition of the Encyclopedia on Occupational Health and Safety, are described. A better system of collaboration and networking in occupational safety and health is still needed.