Scope and Purpose of Occupational Health and Safety Standards .

 

The ILO Conventions and Recommendations on occupational health and safety embody  principles which define the rights of workers in this field as well as allocating duties and  responsibilities to the competent authorities, to employers and to workers. Occupational health  and safety standards broadly fall into six categories. Conventions and Recommendations on  occupational health and safety may serve several purposes, acting as: 

∙ Fundamental principles to guide policies for action; 

∙ General protection measures such as guarding of machinery, medical  examination of workers, or limiting the weight of loads to be transportrd by a single  worker; 

∙ Protection in specific branches of economic activity such as mining, the building  industry, commerce and dock work; 

∙ Protection of specific professions (for example nurses, farmers etc) and categories of  workers having particular needs (such as women and young workers) 

∙ Protection against specific risks (ionizing radiation, benzene, asbestos) prevention of occupational cancer; control of air pollution; noise and vibration in the  working environment; measures to ensure safety in the use of chemicals, including  prevention of major industrial accidents;

∙ Organizational measures and procedures relating, for example, to labour inspection or  compensation for occupational injuries and diseases. 

The ILO policy on occupational health and safety is essentially contained in two International  Labour Conventions and their accompanying recommendations (OHS Convention, 1981 (No.  155). The ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention (No. 155) and Recommendation  (No. 164), 1981, which provide for the adoption of a national occupational safety and health  policy, as well as describing the actions taken by governments and within enterprises to  promote occupational safety and health and improve the working environment  

Key principles of occupational health and safety 

Occupational health and safety is a multidisciplinary field, invariably touching on issues related  to, among other things, medicine and other scientific fields, law, technology, economics and  concerns specific to various industries. Despite this variety of concerns and interests, the  following are the core principles identified: 

∙ All workers have rights. Workers as well as employers and governments, must ensure  that these rights are protected and foster decent conditions of labour. The International  Labour conference (1984) state that: 

 - work should take place in a safe and health working environment; 

- conditions of work should be consistent with workers’ well-being and human dignity - work should offer real possibilities for personal achievement, self fulfillment and  service to  

 society 

∙ Mandates governments and enterprises to implement occupational health and safety  policies and communicate such policies to all concerned parties 

∙ Workers, employers and competent authorities have certain responsibilities, duties and obligations. For example workers must follow safety procedures; employers mus  provide safe workplaces and ensure access to first aid 

∙ Policies must be enforced. A system of inspection must be in place to secure  compliance with 

 occupational health and safety and other labour legislation 

∙ Education and training are vital components of safe, healthy working environments.  Workers and employers must be made aware of the importance and means of establishing safe  working procedures 

∙ Compensation, rehabilitation and curative services must be made available to workers  who suffer 

 Occupational injuries, accidents and work related diseases 

∙ Health promotion is a central component of occupational health practice. Efforts must  be made to enhance workers’ physical, mental and social well-being 

∙ Occupational health services covering all workers should be established. Ideally, all workers in all categories of economic activity should have access to such services, which aim to  protect and promote workers’ health and improved working conditions 

∙ The collection of and dissemination of information on hazards and hazardous  materials, surveillance of workplaces, monitoring of compliance with policies and  good practices, and other related activities are central to the development and  implantation of effective programmes and policies 

∙ Prevention and protection must be the aim of occupational health and safety  programmes and policies. Efforts must be focused on primary prevention at the  workplace level 

∙ Consultation with the social partners, that is, employers and employees including other  stakeholders during formulation, implementation and review of such policies