Joint Statement from the Commonwealth Trade Union Group (CTUG), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day and the International Labour Organization’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2024.

This year’s theme ‘The impacts of climate change on occupational safety and health’ seeks a drastic shift in political priorities, policy coherence and agenda setting to address climate change, occupational safety and health hazards and risks to workers. With occupational climate-related health risks expected to increase because of climate change, achieving a collective approach to deal with this global health crisis is not a quick fix.

We come together to remember those who have sadly lost their lives at work and renew our profound commitment and action to provide a safe and healthy working environment for all, something which is a fundamental principle and right at work.

Poor occupational safety and health (OSH) jeopardises workers’ fundamental rights to life, health and security, while good OSH prevents illness, injury, disablement and death, and reduces unemployment and poverty.

In response to the escalating climate crisis, governments, employers, unions and safety professionals all have a role to play in tackling the impact of global warming on workers’ health, safety and welfare.

The climate crisis affects every country of the Commonwealth in different ways and to varying degrees, with many Commonwealth states already facing extreme temperatures, poor air quality, rises in vector-borne and infectious diseases, sea level rise, storm surges, wildfires, droughts, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Workers and workplaces are also at increased risk of climate-related health impacts. The consequences of climate change on OSH are manyfold and compound serious challenges.

Workers can get injured or become ill from climate change due to excessive heat, ultraviolet radiation, extreme weather events, workplace air pollution, vector-borne diseases, and agrochemicals [1]. This list is not exhaustive so this health emergency must not be underestimated. The spectrum of impacts can restrict workers’ physical functions and capabilities, work capacity and negatively affect workforce productivity, particularly in regions vulnerable to climate change.

For less developed countries, the effects can be stark [2], harming worker health and reducing labour supply and labour productivity, and even eliminating sources of livelihood altogether. To adequately match the scale of the challenge, governments will be required to strengthen resilience to the negative occupational impacts of climate change. This commendable task must be followed by sensible and proportionate climate policies and regulations. It must also be underpinned by investment in human, technical and economic sources for global climate action in conjunction with capacity building and targeted support. In the context of a climate crisis, human rights-based climate plans and strategies, if effectively implemented, can constitute a safeguard to respect the fundamental right of workers to a safe and healthy working environment.

Joint Statement from the Commonwealth Trade Union Group (CTUG), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day and the International Labour Organization’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2024.
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