Occupational Safety and Health Week is being marked from today with the objective of raising public awareness on occupational safety and health issues.
The aim of marking the Week is also to reduce the hazards and risk to the life of the workers in course of work under varied occupational situations.
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is marked on April 28 every year for a week throughout the world since 2057 BS aiming to sensitize all stakeholders on the need of establishing an environment of safety and health at work.
Coinciding with the Week, the Department of Labor and Occupation is organizing week-long programs for raising awareness on workers' health and safety issues.
These programs include a free eye checkup camp for transport workers on April 29 in collaboration with the Auto Entrepreneurs Association, a free health examination camp for the labors working at brick kilns in the Kathmandu valley on April 30, a publicity program on occupational safety and health at the industrial areas in Kathmandu valley on May 2 and an extensive interaction program with the participation of stakeholder bodies on May 4.
A report of the ILO states that every day, 6,300 people die as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases – more than 2.3 million deaths per year.
Three hundred and seventeen 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.
