Activities
Three priority activities are highlighted:
1. Healthy Workplaces
WHO definition : health, safety and well-being of workers and the sustainability of the workplace by considering the following, based on identified needs:
- health and safety concerns in the physical work environment;
- health, safety and well-being concerns in the psychosocial work environment including organization of work and workplace culture;
- personal health resources in the workplace; and
- ways of participating in the community to improve the health of workers, their families and other members of the community.
2. Needlestick injuries
Since 2003, there has been a special project "Health Care Workers/Prevention of Needlesticks: a special pilot project to reduce the exposure to HIV and other sharps-related infections (hepatitis B and C) in health care workers associated with injections".
The project aims to raise awareness and reduce injuries in a variety of health care settings in selected countries. The project is implemented by WHO (HQ, Regional and National Offices), WHO Collaborating Centres and the International Council of Nurses, and is based on the WHO Toolkit entitled "Behaviour Change Strategy to Achieve a Safe and Appropriate Use of Injections". The Toolkit provides technical and policy guidance to health-care workers, administrators and politicians in order to promote injection safety.
3. Practical solutions
The focus of WHO has been to support countries to implement solutions to tackle the most serious and prevalent occupational hazards. Work is underway on the development of practical solutions in a number of areas.