International Minimum Requirements for Health Protection in the Workplace

Details

• Personal Author:
  Collison J ; Papkalla U
• Description:
  A core function of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to set health-based norms and standards and to promote their implementation. WHO has adopted internationally recognized methods for guideline development to ensure a clear, transparent and unbiased process for comprehensive and objective assessment of the available evidence and international consensus on recommendations to meet global public health needs. The 60th World Health Assembly in 2007 requested that WHO should develop a set of minimum requirements for health protection, applicable to all workplaces in big and small enterprises whether in formal or informal work settings. Such standards are voluntary and are there to guide governments in developing their own national regulations and norms. WHO regularly receives requests from its Member States to provide information and to advise on setting up national health standards for workplaces. Compliance with a basic set of internationally agreed standards for health protection can support workers' health, particularly in small enterprises and informal settings that are outside the scope of official occupational safety and health inspection and administration. WHO has already developed several public health standards and guidelines applicable to work settings, such as indoor air quality guidelines, radiation protection standards, international chemical safety cards, and a guide for water safety in public buildings. Other guidance documents are currently being developed including on occupational exposure to nanoparticles, electromagnetic fields, UV and optical radiation and occupational risks in housing. This report provides an analysis of the current spectrum of global, regional and national norms including conventions, standards, directives, regulations, guides, and codes directly relating to protecting health in the workplace. It identifies gaps in what is currently available and makes recommendations for improvements. Consideration has been given to exposure to hazardous substances, noise and vibration, radiation, musculoskeletal and psychosocial risks, as well as general workplace and welfare issues such as lighting, thermal comfort, drinking water and sanitation, first aid and health surveillance. The work was carried out under the supervision and guidance of the WHO Global Occupational Health Programme. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Health Promotion Occupational Health Public Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Health Promotion Occupational Safety And Health Public Health Worker Health
• ISBN:
  9789241512602
• Publisher:
  World Health Organization
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Guidance
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-37
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055666
• Citation:
  Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2017 Dec; :1-37
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20140515
• Source Full Name:
  International minimum requirements for health protection in the workplace
• End Date:
  20170514
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:69c95b60071f9e491b5e1f5d3970d0bc2c56db65639878dc4a1ad013585b7a2c7ca49a5df15a3e18bbea017f60b257f9b97470417364ba7b3dd862139be83669
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/213459/cdc_213459_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.94 MB ]