IOE spotlights the World Day for Safety and Health at Work

IOE focuses on prevention and safe and effective responses to Covid-19 as it marks the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

“Protecting lives and ensuring business continuity to protect employment are our top priorities. Compliance with public health regulations, and safety and health standards at work go hand in hand with good business performance, as well as the enhancement of productivity. The expertise and practical guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) are key to developing any safe back-to-work strategy as we recover from the pandemic” said Mthunzi Mdwaba, IOE Vice-President to the ILO.

The 2020 ILO World Day for Safety and Health at Work focuses on the outbreak of infectious diseases, particularly the Covid-19 pandemic. IOE, the largest global network of employers’ organisations, welcomes this international campaign on the importance of occupational safety and health in the effort to halt the pandemic.

Protecting lives and ensuring business continuity to protect employment are top priorities for IOE. Since the outbreak, IOE has been actively mobilising its network to mitigate the impact of Covid-19, ensure business continuity and survival, and manage health and safety risks.

In addition, as countries slowly and cautiously reactivate their economies and operation of non-essential services, IOE is working with employers’ organisations and partner companies on effective guidance and action for safe back-to-work strategies at the workplace. Governments and companies in different sectors of the economy, which apply the principle of prevention as a top priority, are better placed to navigate the crisis and implement more rapidly safe back-to-work strategies. The principle of prevention is at the heart of occupational safety and health.

We look forward to joining efforts with the ILO and WHO to provide expert advice, practical guidance and tools tailored to the needs of the different sectors for safe back-to-work strategies. Good anticipatory approaches and coordinated impactful action are key in this endeavor.

On this special occasion, IOE reiterates employers’ strong commitment to play their part in securing a safe and healthy working environment. IOE also encourages governments, workers and international organisations to do their part to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the world of work and to ensure that occupational safety and health at work is a reality for now and for the future.

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