A world without fatal or serious occupational injuries is possible, a major international conference has heard.

Nearly 4,000 occupational safety experts, politicians and scientists from 139 countries gathered at the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2014, held in Frankfurt, Germany, from 24-27 August. The event is co-organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA).

According to the ILO, 2.3 million people worldwide die each year as a result of occupational illnesses and injuries. The global labour standards body puts the annual direct or indirect cost of occupational illness and injuries at US$2.8 trillion worldwide.

“These figures are unacceptable and yet these daily tragedies often fail to show up on the global radar. Clearly, there is still much to be done. Serious occupational accidents are, firstly, human tragedies but economies and society also pay a high price,” said ILO director-general Guy Ryder.

“The right to a safe and healthy workplace is a basic human right – a right to be respected at every level of development and in different economic conditions. Respecting this human right is an obligation – as well as a condition for sustainable economic development. Prevention is possible, it is necessary and it pays.”