World Day for Safety and Health at Work is held annually on 28 April. It was established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2003 to promote safe and healthy working conditions for all employees. The objective is to prevent occupational accidents and illnesses globally. This article looks at the theme of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work and sets out a case study of one of Stewarts’ clients who sustained a life-changing injury at work.

In 2023-2024, the ILO published the following figures:

• 93 million workers die each year as a result of work-related factors.
• 395 million workers worldwide sustain a non-fatal work injury each year.
• 41 billion workers are exposed to excessive heat, partly due to global warming, each year resulting in 18,970 deaths.
• $361bn billion could be saved globally by implementing improved safety and health measures to prevent injuries from excessive heat in the workplace.

This year’s World Day will focus on how new technologies are transforming occupational safety and health (OSH). This includes the automation of tasks, the use of smart OSH tools and monitoring systems, extended reality and virtual reality, and algorithmic management of work. Without proper OSH measures, digital technologies can cause accidents, ergonomic risks, increased work intensity, reduced job control and blurred boundaries. So, they may not be the panacea they might be thought to be, and their introduction needs to be properly risk assessed.

Case study

Stewarts frequently represents clients who have sustained life-changing injuries as a result of accidents in the workplace.

In 2022, Stewarts settled a case on behalf of a client, a full-time engineer, who caught his sleeve in a metal-turning lathe, resulting in his arm being pulled into the machinery. He had to have a traumatic amputation of his left arm above the elbow and also sustained serious injuries to his left shoulder and chest and fractures to his C6 and T4 vertebrae.

When the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited the employer’s premises, they found many machines were unguarded and, therefore, not safe. The defendant was charged with breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of their employees.

As a result of our client’s injuries, he was unable to return to work. Stewarts helped the client recover significant provision for his future prosthetic and rehabilitation needs.

We have a film showing another example of how we have helped clients after they’ve sustained life-changing injuries at work.

World Day for Health and Safety aims to prevent accidents like this by identifying and mitigating risks early.

For more information from the ILO, please visit its website here.