Lima, Peru, Fri. Apr. 30, 2021– At a virtual event commemorating World Day for Safety and Health at Work, the International Labour Organization (ILO) called for greater prioritization of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The ILO team believes that occupational safety and health is a pressing issue, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a core element of the international Decent Work Agenda, which is based on the belief that occupational safety and health will improve production, and will thus lead to economic reactivation and recovery for all societies.

The ILO Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Vinicius Pinheiro, said, “”Today more than ever we must transform our commitment into action, our work to results and our ideas into effective and immediate responses.” During the pandemic, the implementation of OSH would ensure proper protocols to minimize biological and physical hazards in the workplace.

“We call for very ambitious actions, impact actions based on effective social dialogue to implement innovative solutions,” said Pinhiero. “After this crisis the workplace will never be the same, as one of the most important struggles will be fought there to prevent the spread of the virus.”

The ILO calls on authorities to institute national laws that improve working conditions and to encourage dialogue on the importance of OSH. Additionally, ILO calls for the development, dissemination and availability of preventative management tools in the workplace. Pinheiro claims that now is a time for action.