The annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
Environment, Climate Change and Health
We pursue a healthier environment by strengthening health sector leadership, building mechanisms for political and social support and monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals regarding environmental threats to health.
Health and safety of health workers
Globally, there are 136 million workers in the health and social work sector, approximately 70% of whom are women. All these workers have the right to decent work, including protection of health and safety risk at work.
Providing occupational health and safety measures for protecting health workers and is also fundamental for well-functioning and resilient health systems, quality of care and maintaining a productive health workforce.
Health workers face a range of occupational risks associated with biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards affecting the safety of both health workers and patients.
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Data
The indicator will be updated twice a year based on information from countries and regional offices.
Publications
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10 September 2020
Caring for those who care: national programmes for occupational health for health...
This policy brief is intended to provide a short overview on the issues and recommendations for policy decision-makers in ministries of health and ministries...
2 February 2021
COVID-19: Occupational health and safety for health workers: interim guidance, 2 February 2021
Health workers are at the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak response and as such are exposed to different hazards that put them at risk. Occupational...
Health workforce policy and management in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic response
Prevention, identification and management of health worker infection in the context of COVID-19
Ensuring a safe environment for patients and staff in COVID-19 health-care facilities: a module from the suite of health service capacity assessments in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Exploration of COVID-19 health-care worker cases : implications for action
Protection of health and safety of health workers: checklist for healthcare facilities
Health workers exposure risk assessment and management in the context of COVID-19 virus
Occupational safety and health in public health emergencies: a manual for protecting health workers and responders
Aide-memoire for a strategy to protect health workers from infection with bloodborne viruses
Training resources
External resources