Role of International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Health Organization (WHO) in the Protection and Promotion of Occupational Health and Safety

Abstract

About 45 percent of the world's population and 58 percent of the population over 10 years of age are part of the global workforce. Occupational health and safety of working population are fundamental prerequisites for improving worker and organizational productivity, and are highly important for overall socio-economic and sustainable development. Occupational health and safety hazards are common in many economic sectors and affect large number of workers. Many individuals spend one-third of their adult life in such hazardous work environments. At the international level International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Health Organization (WHO), the two specialized agencies of the United Nations, are immensely contributing to occupational health and safety. The main focus of ILO activity has been on the provision of international guidelines and a legal framework for the development of occupational health policies and infrastructures on a tripartite basis (including governments, employers and workers) and the practical support for improvement actions at the workplace, while the WHO has concentrated on the provision of scientific backgrounds, methodologies, technical support and on the training of health and related manpower for occupational health.