A safe, disease-free, and constructive working environment is everyone's right at work. To ensure everyone is safe at the workplace, World Day for Safety and Health at Work is commemorated annually as an annual international campaign every year on the April 28 to promote a safe, healthy workplace and prevent occupational accidents and disease across the globe. Under 2023’s theme ‘Act together to build a positive safety and health culture’, International Labour Organisation (ILO) is working towards developing sustainable solutions for employee comfort, letting them be aware of their duties, and responsibilities besides their right to give suggestions and raise concerns to create a win-win situation for all. 
Work-Related Challenges After Covid Outbreak
The International Labour Organisation started to observe this day back in 2003 to promote a safe and healthy work environment as a fundamental principle through numerous collaborative efforts. As per data, around 7000 people die every day because of work-related diseases and job accidents which amounts to over 2 million deaths in a year. This is where World Day for Safety and Health at Work has an important role to play. With the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and its strains, times have become crucial when it comes to staying healthy. During the last few years, SARS-CoV-2 (a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19) has consistently mutated over the course of the pandemic, resulting in variants different and deadly from the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. Nearly 4 million new cases and 30 000 deaths were reported in the months of February and March 2023 across the globe. Thus, the importance of healthy practices at work can be of vital importance in the prevention and control of outbreaks and otherwise.
Why Safety And Health At Work Is Imperative?
Workplace safety is a critical issue, and implementing effective measures with health and safety being at the forefront of the workplace is not only mandatory but also reassuring for its employees. Here are some benefits of a safe and healthy work environment that should be a part of every office environment:
- A safe work environment makes its employees more productive. Productive employees can reduce operational costs producing more output in lesser time
- Better safety equates to better health. A healthy employee being happier will be efficient at his job. This will reduce absenteeism and employees are more focused and available
- A safe working environment will have fewer accidents, resulting in low downtime for safety investigations besides reducing costs for worker’s compensation and extended leaves
- Avoiding injuries at work reduces damage to equipment and lessens costs for replacement and repair
- If employers are concerned about their employee safety, it creates an overall environment of comfort and trust
How To Create a Safe Working Environment?
It is the duty of employers that their employees are safe when at work. Here are some ways how a safe environment can be created:
- Employers need to identify workplace hazards that include mechanical issues and dangerous chemicals and keep employees safe
- Faulty electrical equipment can electrocute employees
- Everyone should be aware of the types of equipment, and its hazards and be careful while working with such equipment
- Employers should investigate all workplace accidents besides encouraging employees to follow all safety procedures
- Easy access to emergency exits is essential to reduce injuries and casualties
- Employers should clearly state the hazards to reduce errors
- Lack of knowledge of workplace hazards can be dangerous. Employees should be given training to reduce workplace accidents and be aware of basic safety measures
- Employees who work with chemicals and other potential work hazards must have access to gloves, protective eyewear PPE kits, and other safety essential equipment
- Masks and sanitizers are a mandate in these times. Employees should have easy access to all Covid essentials
- Workplace stress can cause mental health problems like anxiety, and depression, thus employers should encourage employees to take regular breaks and avail of their mandatory leaves. It will prevent tiredness, and fatigue in the long run
