The International Labor Office (ILO) declared April 28 World Day for Safety and Health at Work. Each year this date is observed in commemoration of the workers who suffered injuries, diseases or were fallen; and to celebrate those that were effectively prevented. At the same time, it aims to promoting prevention of occupational injuries and diseases. Since 2003 this celebration has taken place involving all stakeholders at global, regional and national levels through a multipartite approach and social dialogue. In some countries such as Argentina and Peru, it has been extended to be a whole week celebration.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) joins once again in 2012 to improve and promote workers' health and wellbeing in the Americas.

Friday April 27, to celebrate the World Day on Safety and Health at Work

Website: http://bit.ly/I8mkSF

Background

Day by day more is spoken about the importance of creating new jobs to cover the needs of unemployed and informal working people around the world. Green Economy is envisioned as a powerful pathway to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication (ILO/UNEO, 2011). Its increasing growth has the world and societies shifting to a greener and more sustainable economy. As it develops, it is essential that safety and health at work are integrated into green jobs policies. This implies integrating risk assessment and management measures in the life cycle analysis of all green jobs. A true green job must integrate safety and health into design, procurement, operations, maintenance, sourcing and recycling policies, certification systems and occupational safety and health (OSH) quality standards. This is especially relevant for sectors such as construction, waste recycling, solar energy production and biomass processing. However, "green" jobs and technologies used may protect the environment, but not necessarily be safe and healthy at all.

To raising awareness and promoting a preventive culture on OSH in the Green Economy, the ILO launched a campaign on the 2012 World Day for Safety and Health at Work, 28 April 2012. The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting this initiative and jointly working to improve workers' health in this sector.

In support to this initiative and taking into account the context of the Regional Workforce of the Americas, in which a vast majority of workers struggle daily to survive in the informal economy, PAHO unites to this campaign focusing to search safe, healthy and safe work green solutions for those workers in the informal economy.

Event: A Regional Webinar on Green Economy and Informal Work will be held on Friday, 27 April 2012 to celebrate the World Day on Safety and Health at Work.

Elluminate connections:

English http://bit.ly/JDoDKP

Spanish: http://bit.ly/J7ihPL

Participants:

1.       Dr. Leslie Nichels, NIOSH/CDC
2.       Soc. Walter Varillas, Health and Safety Net for Latin America (RSST/LAC)
3.       Dr. Pedro Mas Bermejo, PAHO/Jamaica
4.       Ms. Lelys Archila Escorcia, PAHO/Colombia
5.       Ms. Ana Quan, PAHO/Dominican Republic
6.       Dr. Luz Maritza Tennassee, former Senior Advisor on Workers' Health, SDE/PAHO

Agenda:

10:00 -Welcome and Introduction

Dr. Luiz Augusto Galvão, Manager, Sustainable Development and Environmental Health Area, SDE/PAHO

Dr. Carlos Santos-Burgoa, Coordinator, Environmental and Occupational Risks (ER), SDE/PAHO

10:15 - Workers' Health in the Green Economy, Informal Work and Sustainable Development

Dr. Julietta Rodríguez Guzmán, Regional Advisor on Workers' Health, SDE/PAHO

10:30 - Understanding the Needs of Workers in the Informal Economy of North America

Dr. Leslie Nichels, Senior Health Communications Fellow, NIOSH/CDC

10:50 - Understanding the Needs of Workers in the Informal Economy of South America

Dr. Walter Varillas, Moderator, Health and Safety Net for Latin America (RSST/LAC)

11:10 - Understanding the Needs of Workers in the Informal Economy of the English Caribbean

Dr. Pedro Más Bermejo, PAHO/Jamaica

11:30 - Searching for Solutions to Informal Work in the Green Economy

Eng. Lelys Archila Escorcia, PAHO Consultant /Colombia

11:50 - Faces, Voices and Places: Approaching People's Needs in the Dominican Republic

Ms. Ana Quan, PAHO/Dominican Republic

12:10 - Comments

Dr. Luz Maritza Tennassee, former Senior Advisor on Workers' Health, SDE/PAHO

12:25 - Questions and Answers

13:00 - Closure

Moderators:

Dr. Julietta Rodríguez-Guzmán, Regional Advisor on Workers' Health, SDE/PAHO

Dr. Carlos Santos-Burgoa, Coordinator, Environmental and Occupational Risks (ER), SDE/PAHO

Contact:

Julietta Rodríguez-Guzmán, MD SOH MSc OH
Regional Advisor on Workers' and Consumer's Health
Area of Sustainable Development and Environmental Health SDE
Pan-American Health Organization PAHO/WHO
Washington. D.C. 20037-2895 Telephone: +202-974-3307 E-mail: rodriguezj@paho.org