The 21st World Congress on Safety & Health at Work 2017, which is going to take place in Singapore on 3-6 September 2017, will bring together occupational health and safety professionals, business leaders and government officials across the world to share their knowledge and expertise for safer and healthier workplaces
During the event, the chief executive of British Safety Council will explore the nature of wellbeing at work and the practical management of workplace risks.
British Safety Council has estimated that around 2.3mn workers worldwide die every year in workplace accidents and work-related diseases. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), about 6,400 people die from occupational accidents and diseases and 860,000 are injured at work each year.
Guy Ryder, director general at ILO, said, “As well as appalling consequences for workers and their families, this represents a colossal social and economic burden on enterprises, communities and countries. Most occupational deaths and diseases are preventable and it would be a mistake to cut back on occupational safety and health, even in the face of economic downturn. Occupational safety and health is a basic human right as well as a labour right.”
The event will hold an ‘Wellbeing through Work’ session on 5 September 2017, hosted by the National Safety Council (USA). The session will present the business case for managing health and wellbeing in the workplace and explore the nature of workplace wellbeing.
Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, explained, “While the business case for managing safety is well documented and understood, the case for managing health and wellbeing is just as compelling, but the progress is not as strong. Health conditions are much more difficult to define and manage. That’s why businesses need to adopt a holistic approach to promoting wellbeing and the resilience of their staff.”
Robinson further commented, “Progress in relation to health and wellbeing can only be made when organisations will move beyond the need to comply with regulations and inspire employees to engage in wellbeing because this benefits them as well as their companies.”
The world congress will also hold another session entitled ‘A culture of prevention on OSH’ on 4 September 2017, demonstrating how to effectively manage health risks in construction through good design and early interventions on issues such as mental health.
The World Congress on Safety & Health at Work takes place every three years in conjunction with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA).
