Global Plan of Action for
Workers' Health
OBJECTIVE 5:
to incorporate workers’
health into non-health
policies and projects
GPA Objective 5
Incorporate workers' health issues in
non-health policies and strategies, such
as …
Economic & environmental – poverty reduction,
sustainable development
Trade, Employment
Immigration
General education
Avoid international transfer of occupational
risks within our increasingly globalised world
GPA 5 – Three priorities
1) Collate and conduct cost-benefit studies to
clarify the economic benefits of workers’
health
2) Develop recommendations to manage risks
from effects of globalization on workers’
health
3) Develop and implement sectoral toolkits to
manage OSH hazards:
(a) in most hazardous industry sectors
(b) affecting most vulnerable workers
GPA 5 – PRIORITY 1
Collate and conduct cost-benefit studies to
clarify the economic benefits of
workers’ health
Rationale: Capacity to promote OSH is limited
by perception that OSH is more a cost than a
benefit
Strategic goal: promote more widespread
implementation of effective OSH programs
CC Leader: Jos Verbeek, FIOH, Finland
GPA 5 – Priority 1: Cost Benefits of OSH
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
 ECOSH – an EU consortium of researchers,
employers, unions, policymakers and other
stakeholders
• In 2009: 3 workshops
o The Impact of OSH on Company Performance –
11 presentations downloadable (see Compendium)
o Other 2009 workshops:
• Economic evaluation of OSH interventions
• Economic incentives for the uptake of OSH
measures
• By 2012: Journal articles, more workshops
GPA 5 – Priority 1: Cost Benefits of OSH
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
Dept. of Occupational Medicine, ISPESL:
Analysis of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY)
Quantification of number of DALYs due to occupational
diseases, and of costs per DALY avoided
Identifies most effective risk prevention strategies at
workplace level. Dissemination: journal articles, training
Ministry of Manpower, Singapore:
Workplace Intervention Net-Cost (WIN) Calculator
Will help companies to estimate net-cost of investments in
engineering control measures to reduce risk
GPA 5 – Priority 1: Cost Benefits of OSH
Critical Gaps – examples from ECOSH workshops
In expertise of OSH practitioners
need more expertise in marketing and communication
strategies; and in cost-benefit analysis techniques.
In knowledge of key decision makers
Should mainstream OSH into education system, especially
in courses of lawyers, engineers, economists.
Inadequate research evidence – e.g.
on relationships between physical/mental health and job
performance or productivity
GPA 5 – Priority 1:
Cost Benefits of OSH
Workshop ...
TUESDAY 3.30pm – 5pm
Group 5.1: Room C202
No expertise in economic analysis
will be required!
GPA 5 – PRIORITY 2
Formulate recommendations to manage risks from
effects of globalization on workers’ health
Rationale: Workers and working conditions are
increasingly affected by globalisation … many
factors beyond individual workplaces
Strategic goal: Develop and promote
implementation of strategies to manage these
factors to protect or promote workers’ health
and wellbeing
Leader: David Rees, NIOH, South Africa
GPA 5 – Priority 2: Globalisation
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
Fudan University, & Shanghai Municipal Center
of Disease Prevention and Control
Effects of global economic integration on OHS in China ...
Comparison of BOHS in state-owned enterprises, joint
ventures and sole proprietorship corporations
National Institute of Occupational Health and
Poison Control, Chinese Centre for Disease
Control and Prevention, Beijing
Documenting and analysing: impacts of globalisation on
basic occupational health services (BOHS) and work-related
diseases – especially migrant worker issues
Implementing: improved BOHS practices, training.
GPA 5 – Priority 2: Globalisation
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
Asociacion Chilena de Seguridad (ACHS)
Report on changing employment patterns and their impact
on occupational health in some South America countries
NIOH, South Africa & La Trobe University,
Australia
Global situation analysis and strategy development
Evidence-based summary of impacts of globalisation on
OSH, and key determinants
Based on the above, summary of potential strategies to
reduce negative impacts of globalization
Action-oriented documents for specific target groups
GPA 5 – Priority 2: Globalisation
Critical Gaps - examples
Need wider regional coverage, and coverage
of wider range of hazards ...
Varying impacts of globalisation on exposures to
different hazards likely to vary
• between regions
• between types of hazard
e.g. effects of globalisation on exposures to
hazardous substances are probably different
from effects on hazards of physically heavy
work, or shiftwork hazards
GPA 5 – Priority 2: Globalisation
Critical Gaps – examples
Need greater focus on specific target groups
and intervention strategies ... e.g.
Multinational companies in sectors with high OHS risks,
and international NGOs promoting Corporate Social
Responsibility, or Human Rights
National policy makers: e.g. trade, employment,
immigration, and development banks
Need more multidisciplinary project team(s)?
Maybe need to consider forming multidisciplinary, global
task teams to address specific target groups, regions,
hazards? Timescale? Resourcing?
GPA 5 – Priority
2: Globalisation
Workshop ...
WEDNESDAY 9am – 11.30pm
Group 5.2: Room X10
We need more people and projects, so if
you’re interested – please come
GPA 5 – PRIORITY 3
 Formulate and implement toolkits for the
assessment and management of OSH hazards
(a) in high risk industry sectors and
(b) for vulnerable worker groups
Rationale and strategic goals
 Prioritise those at greatest risk ... customised
interventions most effective
 Develop tools and interventions specifically for:
– agriculture, construction, mining, transport
– children, both young and ageing workers, ethnically
disadvantaged, migrant, women
GPA 5 – Priority 3(a): High risk industries
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
 Agriculture
forestry workers in Brazil
petrochemical industry, banana production, floriculture in
Ecuador
exposure to pesticides
lung disease
“ergonomics checkpoints” (for developing countries)
Pesticide risk assessment guidelines
Leader: Claudio Colosio,
University of Milan, Italy
GPA 5 – Priority 3(a): High risk industries
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
 Transport
international working group for utilization of
telemedicine to reduce health risks of seafarers
new chemical health risks from hazards in globalised
transportation and warehousing of marine cargo
Road safety toolkits for organizations whose employees
travel abroad within the PAHO region
Promoting Initiatives for Occupational road Safety
Leaders: Jane Wilcox, NIOSH, USA and
Lygia Budnik, CIOM, Hamburg
GPA 5 – Priority 3(a): High risk industries
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
 Construction
Program to reduce musculoskeletal pain
Estimation of work-related physical load and occupational
risk evaluation
Assessment of exposure to carcinogenic compounds,
focusing on plycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
 Mining
Improving Mining Safety and Health in Colombian Mines
Leader: Catherine Beaucham,
NIOSH, USA
GPA 5 – Priority 3(a): High risk industries
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
 Multi-sector
Sharing workplace OSH practices through sector-based
global collaborations (NORA)
Enhancement of Occupational Health and Safety in Mexican
Industry
Enhancement of Occupational Health and Safety in Brazilian
Industry
Occupational Health Services of Small Scale Industries
GPA 5 – Priority 3: High risk industry sectors
Critical Gaps – many ...
More projects for individual sectors – especially
mining and construction
More comprehensive coverage of hazards within
each sector
Better coverage of regions – e.g. Africa
GPA 5 – Priority 3(b): vulnerable workers
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
Young Workers Curriculum (English & Spanish) on
NIOSH web site and WHO educational gateway
Child Labour: development of information on child
labour in Europe – especially migrant children; Scientific
publications, ILO global report; information on ISPESL
portal
Elderly workers: training programs
Disadvantaged Ethnic Groups – for one group in
Belgrade, assessment of health and BOHS ... OSH
training
GPA 5 – Priority 3(b): vulnerable workers
Examples of Activities / Outcomes
Precariously employed women workers – training
workshops, information
General information and resources
•Electronic repository of OSH resources and risk control
strategies targeting vulnerable workers
CC Leaders: Owen Evans & Jodi Oakman,
La Trobe Univ, Australia;
Marilyn Fingerhut, NIOSH, USA; Leslie Nickels, Univ Chicago USA;
Partner Organisations: Susan Gunn, IPEC ILO, Annie Rice Safework,
ILO
GPA 5 – Priority 3: vulnerable workers
Critical Gaps – many ...
More projects for all groups
More comprehensive coverage of hazards within
each sector
Better coverage of regions – e.g. Africa
GPA 5 – Priority 3:
(a) High risk industry sectors, &
(b) Vulnerable workers
Workshop ...
TUESDAY 10.30am – 1.45pm
Group 5.3: Room X10
There are MANY gaps in our program ...
can you help??
GPA 5 – Priority
2: Globalisation
Workshop ...
WEDNESDAY 9am – 11.30pm
Group 5.2: Room X10
GPA 5 – Priority 1:
Cost Benefits of OSH
Workshop ...
TUESDAY 3.30pm – 5pm
Group 5.1: Room C202