Saturday 28 April marks World Day for Safety & Health at Work 2018 (SafeDay 2018), which focuses this year on ending child labour and improving the safety and health of young workers (aged between 15 and 24).
- Young workers (aged 15 – 24) account for 15% of the global workforce
- They sustain up to 40% more non-fatal occupational injuries than adult workers (>24 years)
- An estimated 152 million children (aged 5-17) are in child labour around the world
- 73 million of whom perform work in a hazardous environment
Young people are particularly vulnerable to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) risks due to their physical and psychological stage of development, limited awareness of work-related hazards, less work experience and often having less of a voice in the workplace, leaving them exposed to more dangerous tasks or poor working conditions.
The campaign supports action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 8.7 to end child labour by 2025 and 8.8 to promote safe and secure working environments for all workers. Achieving these targets by 2030 needs a coordinated and concerted effort from all stakeholders – including governments, employers, workers and their representatives – to protect the next generation and create a culture of health and safety for everyone.
The ILO’s brief on ‘Improving the Safety and Health of Young Workers’ includes a framework for national and regional action regarding OH&S for young workers, which focuses on five areas:
- Improving the collection and analysis of data and information on OSH and young workers
- Developing, updating and implementing laws, regulations, policies and guidelines to better protect the safety and health of young workers
- Capacity building aimed at helping governments, employers, workers and their organizations address the OSH needs of young workers
- Integrating OSH into general education and into vocational training programs, so as to build a safer and healthier generation of workers
- Strengthening advocacy, awareness and research on young workers’ vulnerability to OSH hazards and risks.
Speaking in support of SafeDay 2018, Paul Butcher, Managing Director, Management Systems and Inspection Services at Lloyd's Register (LR), commented; “Safety is at the heart of everything that we do at Lloyd's Register. We see the positive impact that standards and schemes such as OHSAS 18001 and SMETA have on Occupational Health & Safety and worker protection all over the world. ISO 45001, the new international standard for OH&S, puts greater emphasis on worker participation and consultation - giving young workers an opportunity to get engaged in building a culture of health and safety.”
You can find out more about SafeDay 2018 on the International Labour Organization (ILO) website.