On June 29, 2008, the XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work signed the Seoul Declaration on Safety and Health at Work. The declaration included statements concerning national governments' responsibility for perpetuating a "national preventive safety and health culture", for improving their national safe-workplace performance systematically, and for providing a health standard with appropriate enforcement to protect workers.
[Seoul Declaration on Safety and Health at Work]
. International Labour Organization. Accessed October 31, 2008. The declaration also listed responsibilities of employers, stated the rights of workers, and emphasized the importance of promoting a
culture of safety.
The XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work
Every three years, the
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...
(ILO) and
International Social Security Association
The International Social Security Association (ISSA) is an international organization bringing together national social security administrations and agencies. Founded in 1927, the ISSA has more than 330 member organizations in 158 countries. It h ...
(ISSA) organize a World Congress on Safety and Health at Work,
[XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work]
International Social Security Association. Accessed October 31, 2008. bringing together government ministers, corporate leaders, health experts, and employer and worker representatives.
". International Labour Organization. ILO/08/33. Press release, June 29, 2008. Accessed on October 31, 2008. The XVIII World Congress was sponsored by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) and convened from June 29, 2008 through July 2, 2008, in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. The Congress drew over 4,000 participants from 100 countries
and resulted in the signing of the Seoul Declaration on Safety and Health at Work.
[Walter, Laura.]
International Safety: New Declaration Promotes Safety and Health at Work
. EHS Today. Accessed on October 31, 2008.
Groundwork for the Seoul Declaration
The genesis of the Seoul Declaration came with the first Safety and Health Summit. The approximately 50 representatives at the Summit signed a Declaration of Safety and Health at Work.
This document outlined standards through which workers, employers, and governments could collaborate to reduce workplace accidents and disease. The work was subsequently expanded upon, resulting ultimately in the Seoul Declaration later that year.
Provisions of the Seoul Declaration
The Seoul Declaration recognizes worker safety as a basic human right and emphasizes workplace safety's positive impact on working conditions, productivity, and economic and social development.
The declaration addresses government, employer, and worker responsibilities, and describes the commitment made by the document's signatories.
Government
The declaration urges governments to implement effective labor inspection systems that focus on improving national performance systematically.
It encourages governments to ratify of the ILO Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187).
[
]
Employers
The declaration pronounces the relationship between high safety and health standards at work and good business performance. Employers are encouraged to implement management systems to improve workplace safety and health
Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at wor ...
and to guarantee that workers are consulted, trained, informed and involved in the process.[
]
Worker responsibilities
The declaration calls upon workers to follow safety and health instructions and procedures, to properly use personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elec ...
, to participate in safety and health training, and to cooperate with their employer in adhering to measures related to their safety and health at work.[
]
Signatories
In accepting the Seoul Declaration, signatories committed to promote a preventive safety and health culture and push workplace safety in their various national agendas. Additional they agreed to revisit the declaration and review its progress at the next meeting of the Congress.
References
External links
Official Website of the Seoul Declaration on Safety and Health at Work
{{Occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health
2008 works