World Day for Safety and Health at Work
Work-related deaths are tragic events that affect families, communities, and workplaces. Most of these deaths can be prevented with proper planning, awareness, and responsibility from both employers and workers. Creating a safe work environment should always be a top priority.
This message is strongly highlighted every year on the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. This global campaign, led by organizations like the International Labour Organization, focuses on preventing workplace accidents and diseases and promoting a strong safety culture worldwide.
One key lesson from research is that prevention must go beyond individual behavior. A large systematic review of safety interventions found that organizational and group-level measures are more effective than focusing only on individual workers: redesigning work environments, improving safety culture, and using engineering controls (like machine guards or barriers) reduce risks more effectively than training alone.
Training is still important, but it should be part of a broader system. Workers need to understand risks and safe practices, especially in dangerous industries. At the same time, employers must ensure safe equipment, proper supervision, and clear safety rules. Research also shows that better reporting and investigation systems help identify risks early and prevent repeated incidents.
Another major risk factor is physical hazards such as falls. Studies from organizations like the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health show that falls are one of the leading causes of workplace deaths, especially in construction, but they are largely preventable through safety measures like guardrails and harnesses.
Recent scientific work also highlights new risks. A 2025 study in BMC Public Health shows that high-risk industries still face serious challenges despite safety improvements, especially when economic pressures conflict with worker protection.
This day reminds governments, employers, and workers that safety is a shared responsibility. Scientific evidence clearly shows that combining training, strong policies, safe design, and a positive safety culture can significantly reduce workplace deaths. In conclusion, preventing work-related deaths is possible. Research supports that the most effective approach is a combination of education, system-level changes, and continuous monitoring. By applying these evidence-based strategies, workplaces can save lives and create safer environments for everyone.
Editor of Daily 27.
Predoctoral researcher at the Department of Sociology in University of Barcelona.