Each day, over 6,300 people from around the world pass away due to occupational accidents and work-related injuries, resulting in over 2.3 million deaths per year. To counter this alarming statistic, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Office (ILO) banded together in 2003 to establish World Day for Safety & Health at Work. This global campaign raises awareness about preventative safety culture, the dangers associated with rapid industrialization, and the many ways technology can improve the work environment.
Per the ILO, the most common – and deadly – workplace illnesses include, but are not limited to:
- Cancers from exposure to hazardous substances
- Respiratory diseases
- Musculoskeletal diseases
- Hearing loss
- Circulatory diseases
- Communicable diseases caused by exposure to pathogens
- Mesothelioma and asbestosis
- Pesticide poisoning
The ILO plans to launch a global report that details how their organization has improved the lives of workers since 1919. It will also discuss how technology, demographics, climate change, globalization, and other drivers can impact the dynamics of safety and health in the workplace.
As the ILO website explains,“official World Day on 28 April 2019 will only be the beginning of worldwide events and activities to continue through the rest of the year, around the theme of safety and health and the future of work, celebrating and building on the wealth of knowledge and action accumulated over 100 years as we get ready to face and appreciate the changes brought forward by the future of work we want.”
Safety Can Improve a Company’s Business Model
The ILO also wants to teach business owners that it’s important to emphasize employee safety over profit and production. The ILO has “found that in addition to job-related deaths, each year there are some 268 million non-fatal workplace accidents in which the victims miss at least three days of work as a result, as well as 160 million new cases of work-related illnesses. The ILO has previously estimated that workplace accidents and illness are responsible for the loss of some four per cent of the world’s GDP in compensation and absence from work.”
The ILO has developed specialized courses and training activities to help companies around the world design and implement policies that prioritize employee safety via preventative measures.
Injured on the Job? Schedule a Consultation Today
The Charleston workers’ compensation attorneys at Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy & Early LLC have been representing the sick and injured employees of South Carolina since 1999. Because we prioritize the well being of our clients, we’ve inexorably developed a comprehensive understanding of the various physical, emotional, and financial challenges that tend to accompany occupational injuries and illnesses. For this reason, we are proud supporters of World Day for Safety & Health at Work.
Contact our firm if you’ve been injured in a workplace accident. Our experienced legal team can investigate the incident, help you file an effective workers’ compensation claim, and do everything in our power to ensure you’re awarded the maximum benefits you deserve. If necessary, we can also help you pursue a claim against a negligent third party to make certain you obtain the compensatory damages your injuries warrant.
We’ve recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our clients. Call Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy & Early LLC at (843) 968-0886 to learn how we can put our experience and resources to work for you.