Health and safety varies all over the globe, with experts estimating that 6,300 people die daily due to workplace accidents. This equates to around 317 million accidents happening whilst people are at work. It’s therefore very important to be educated in the best health and safety practices.
Differing practices
Health and safety overall tends to be strongly implemented in the European Union, the U.S. and Canada more than anywhere else in the world. Developing countries only began implementing workplace safety regulations in the late 2000s, although these sometimes aren’t acknowledged by local employers unless there is strict government supervision. In contrast, health and safety in Third World countries is non-existent, where there is a high amount of poverty, as people are willing to work in unsafe conditions regardless.
The Middle East is earning a strong reputation as a health and safety advocate: nations such as Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are particularly thorough with health and safety regulations due to activities being overseen by the appropriate governments. The Middle East’s partnership with large international corporations, such as BP and Shell, who enforce high health and safety regulations is also attributed to this, as are the British and American founding influences. Weather can also be a factor in health and safety issues, with extremely cold and extremely hot climates affecting employees’ ability to work in certain conditions.
Culture and politics
Culture and politics can also impact a country’s administration of health and safety codes. Iran, for instance, sees a curious political system where democracy is infused with an Islamic theocracy, meaning statute is passed by the Iran Guardian Council (which is made up of six jurors and six theologians) and the Assembly of Experts (and not the President) in accordance with the Iranian Constitution. This means that health and safety laws that should be passed sometimes aren’t, because they conflict with Islamic convention.
Since 1919, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has continually managed and refined an international labour standards scheme, protecting workers all over the world. It is now an agency that’s part of the United Nations, meaning it cover 193 nations. The International Labour Organization has over 40 health and safety codes, and aims to protect workers from illness, accidents, and disease within their workplace. These include: the Occupational Safety and Health Convention 1981, Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention 1964, Safety and Health in Mines Convention 1995, and Asbestos Convention 1986 to name a few. The ILO launched a worldwide strategy in 2003, encouraging the implementation of ILO instruments to increase public awareness of workplace health and safety.
It is important that whatever country a person may be working, that the health and safety practices are regularly monitored and reviewed. Health and safety training is ultimately the best long term solution, as education brings awareness. To find out more about occupational health and safety, read our guide to NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health).