World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2019

Theme: Safety and Health and the future of work

Every day, 6,300 people die as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases – more than 2.3 million deaths per year. 317 million accidents occur on the job annually; many of these resulting in extended absences from work. The human cost of this daily adversity is vast and the economic burden of poor occupational safety and health practices is estimated at 4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product each year.

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an annual international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work. It is held on 28 April and has been observed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003.

Inspired by the ILO centenary anniversary and discussions on the future of work, the world day this year attempts to take stock of a 100 years of work in improving occupational safety and health and looks to the future for continuing these efforts through major changes such as technology, demographics, sustainable development including climate change and changes in work organization.

The official World Safety Day is on 28 April 2019 and will only be the beginning of worldwide events and activities to continue throughout 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.

The ILO will launch a global report to that effect, sharing the story of a 100 years in saving lives and promoting safe and healthy working environments. The report attempts to capture the evolution of safety and health from before the inception of the ILO in 1919 to date, going through the major turning points that have influenced this field and have influenced the way ILO has contributed to improving safety and health at work.

More importantly, the global report will touch upon the changes in work arrangements, technology (digitalization and ICT, platform work, automation and robotics), demographics, globalization, climate change, and other drivers that are affecting the dynamics of safety and health and the nature of professions in this area, notwithstanding the persistent traditional and re-emerging risks and variations across developing and developed countries.

To add further depth to the discussion, the ILO will feature 33 original think pieces from the real faces of the occupational safety and health community from around the world who will share strong messages and testimonials on OSH and the future of work from a variety of expert and practical aspects

A national occupational safety and health culture is one in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels, where governments, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties, and where the highest priority is accorded to the principle of prevention.

As an Ambassador of Safety and Wellness, my mission has been to sensitize people on the need to embrace a safety culture by being resilient, vigilant, proactive, careful, responsible and objective. Using the social media, my initiatives Makinika Afrika International and Nairobi Safety Shop, I provide the relevant and appropriate equipment and information that helps prevent, prepare for and where need be respond to incidents in a manner that is Safe, Prompt and Secure.

In Kenya, the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services (DOSHS) under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection is the body mandated to regulate Occupational Health and Safety matters.

Since 2012, I have been at the forefront in sensitizing and mobilizing individuals and companies towards recognizing and preparing for the World Safety Days. Some of the activities that I help companies organize in line with the safety day is Safety Competitions, Re-examination and Evaluation of Safety teams, awarding of Safety Champions, motivation sessions for safety teams, First aid, Fire Safety and General Safety awareness.

DOSHS is inviting workplaces/occupiers to participate in the National Annual Occupational Safety and Health Awards Competition, which will culminate in prize giving ceremony to be held on 28th April 2019.

In line with the Government’s “Big 4”Agenda, the 2019 awards will focus on:-

1.Agriculture Sector,

2.Construction Sector,

3.Manufacturing Sector

4.Health Sector.

To get more information as well as participate in the Awards Ceremony, contact [email protected]

In line with this event, I will be conducting a free First Aid Training in Nairobi on Saturday 27th April at a venue to be communicated soon.

Let us join hands in the building of a culture of safety and wellness at all places and at all times. If you are not safety conscious you can become unconscious, lose life or property. Safety is both an individual and collective responsibility and begins with Me/You/Us. #SafetyFirst #SafetyAlways #SafetyAllTheTime