More

    ILO Adopts New Guidelines On Biological Hazards In The World Of Work

    HealthCOVID-19ILO Adopts New Guidelines On Biological Hazards In The...
    - Advertisment -

    ILO Adopts New Guidelines On Biological Hazards In The World Of Work

    Groundbreaking new guidelines on handling biological hazards in the workplace have been agreed by experts representing governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations at a meeting of the International Labour Organization in Geneva.

    Experts from governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations meeting at the International Labour Organization  (ILO) have adopted guidelines for handling biological hazards in the working environment.

    The adopted tripartite guidelines are the first for this type of risk. They provide specific advice, aligned with international labour standards, on preventing and controlling work-related injuries, diseases, and deaths related to exposure to biological hazards in the working environment. This includes questions related to the responsibilities and rights of competent authorities, employers, occupational health services and workers, workplace risk management, workers’ health surveillance, and preparedness and response to emergencies.

    The experts discussed the implications of exposure to biological hazards in workplaces and how best to formulate national and workplace policies and measures to prevent and mitigate related health issues.

    - Advertisement -

    The guidelines define a biological hazard as any micro-organism, cell or other organic material that may be of plant, animal, or human origin, including any which have been genetically modified, and which can cause harm to human health. This may include, but is not limited to, bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions, DNA materials, bodily fluids, and other microorganisms and their associated allergens and toxins.

    COVID-19

    Both infectious and non-infectious biological hazards can be a significant health threat in numerous sectors and workplaces worldwide. For example, communicable diseases alone are estimated to have caused  310,000 work-related deaths worldwide in 2021, 120,000 of which were due to COVID-19.

    The creation of the guidelines follows a decision at the 331st Governing Body session , in 2017, acting on a suggestion of the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group . The decision to hold the experts’ meeting was made at the 343rd Governing Body session , in May 2022.

    The 112th and 113th sessions of the International Labour Conference, in 2024 and 2025, are expected to discuss a new standard covering biological hazards, as part of the review of the ILO’s occupational safety and health normative framework.

    The inadequacies in India’s implementation of the Bio-Medical Waste 2016 standards have been pointed out by a number of government and non-government organisations, including the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Bio-medical waste treatment provisions in India, always considered insufficient, were aggravated with the emergence of COVID-19. Managing medical waste and the safe disposal of a huge volume of hazardous medical waste has now become a priority.

     

    Image: Wikimedia / Stephen Witherden

    - Advertisement -

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Latest news

    Sri Lanka’s Elephant Corridor Plan ‘Unscientific’

    Nearly 5,000 elephants and 1,600 people have been killed in the last 15 years in clashes between elephants and humans in Sri Lanka, home to one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants, according to official figures.

    New Projections Show Extreme Glacier Loss Already at 2°C

    Staying close to 1.5°C on the other hand preserves at least some glacier ice in all regions, even Scandinavia, with 20-30 per cent remaining in the four most sensitive regions; and 40-45 per cent in the Himalayas and Caucuses; stressing the growing urgency of the 1.5°C temperature goal and rapid decarbonization to achieve it.

    Government Extends Interest Relief for Farmers, Reinforces KCC and MISS as Pillars of Agricultural Credit

    Through the KCC framework, farmers benefit from revolving credit facilities for up to five years. This flexible structure allows them to draw and repay funds as per their seasonal requirements without having to reapply for loans each season.

    Legal Battle Brews Over Rampant Illegal Sand Mining in Meghna River

    The massive profits coupled with a weak legal framework have drawn influential individuals with political connections into the sand mining business, making it dangerous for environmental activists and journalists to speak out.
    - Advertisement -

    Yunus Warns of ‘War-Like Situation’ Amid Political Crisis and Rising Tensions

    The high-stakes meeting brought together 20 leaders from various political parties and organisations in two separate sessions, as Yunus sought to shore up support amid reports of internal tensions within his interim government and growing external pressure.

    Vice President Calls for Direct Subsidies and Agri-Entrepreneurship at Madhya Pradesh Conclave

    He urged agro-based industries, NGOs, MPs, and MLAs to adopt villages and help build agri-entrepreneurial ecosystems.

    Must read

    Sri Lanka’s Elephant Corridor Plan ‘Unscientific’

    Nearly 5,000 elephants and 1,600 people have been killed in the last 15 years in clashes between elephants and humans in Sri Lanka, home to one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants, according to official figures.

    New Projections Show Extreme Glacier Loss Already at 2°C

    Staying close to 1.5°C on the other hand preserves at least some glacier ice in all regions, even Scandinavia, with 20-30 per cent remaining in the four most sensitive regions; and 40-45 per cent in the Himalayas and Caucuses; stressing the growing urgency of the 1.5°C temperature goal and rapid decarbonization to achieve it.
    - Advertisement -

    More from the sectionRELATED
    Recommended to you