UN expert urges more efforts to protect workers

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes, Baskut Tuncak, urged the global community on Friday to do more to protect workers from exposure to hazardous substances and chemicals ahead of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work set for April 28.

"Every minute, a person dies from exposure to toxic substances at work. In addition to deaths directly linked to toxic substances, 2.3 million workers around the world suffer from occupational accidents and work-related diseases every year," said the rapporteur.

"We should, and can, stop this preventable disaster," the expert emphasized, adding that workers and their families were often invisible victims, paying too high a price for many of the comforts and conveniences of modern society.

Recent projections by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) indicate that production and use of chemicals around the world are set to increase dramatically in the next five years.

Toxic substances present a huge occupational risk for workers in virtually every industrial sector, including mining, manufacturing, construction and agriculture, while these toxic substances can cause cancer, damage the reproductive and nervous systems, or cause other adverse effects that may not be visible for years after exposure.

"Workers whose rights have been violated have a right to an effective remedy under international human rights law," Tuncak said. "Unfortunately, workers who are harmed by hazardous substances are often unable to access an effective remedy. Prevention and precaution are essential to protecting workers' rights."

According to Tuncak, protecting workers is not only a legal and moral duty, but also an cost-saving measure, since occupation-related diseases cause major economic losses for enterprises and societies.

An estimated 4.0 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to 2.8 trillion U.S. dollars, is lost annually from costs related to missed working time, treatment of occupational injuries and diseases, compensation, rehabilitation and interruptions in production, the expert highlighted.

April 28 is the annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work, whose purpose is to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. The day is also the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers. It's purpose is to honour the memory of victims of occupational accidents and diseases by organizing worldwide awareness campaigns on this date. Endit