World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Discover how you can take steps to prevent accidents, improve workplace wellbeing and promote a safety-first culture for your workforce.

The importance of health and safety at work

World Day for Safety and Health at Work highlights the importance of safe and healthy working environments.

Creating a safe and healthy workplace contributes to business success. As an employer, you can:

• Reduce workplace injuries and long-term health risks for you employees
• Ensure you are compliant with health and safety regulations (opens in new window)
• Improve employee morale and productivity through a safe work environment
• Lower costs related to absences, compensation claims, and staff turnover

Engaging employees on World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Here are some ways you can get involved in workplace safety awareness:

Share resources

Use communication channels to share information and resources about workplace safety to employees.

Run safety training sessions

Train employees how to spot dangers, prevent accidents and handle emergencies. Hands-on training or simple demonstrations can make learning more engaging.

Recognise and celebrate success

Use the week as an opportunity to celebrate employees who have demonstrated commitment to safety in your workplace.

Maintaining workplace safety

Workplace safety should be a year-round priority. Taking a proactive approach to workplace safety can help you build a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.

Employers can take these steps to build a lasting culture of safety:

Check for safety risks

Regularly look for hazards, fix any issues and make sure your workplace follows safety rules. Use this as a chance to improve and keep everyone in and around your workplace safe.

Encourage staff to report hazards

Create a workplace where employees feel comfortable and confident speaking up about safety concerns. Offer an easy way for them to share their concerns, even anonymously if needed.

Regularly review safety policies

Keep safety procedures updated and relevant. Ensure that these are visible and easily accessible for employees.

Provide ongoing training

Offer refresher courses on health and safety.

Invest in wellbeing initiatives

Support employees with ergonomic workspaces. Ensure that mental health resources are readily available.

Support employees with stress management, good posture at work, and ways to stay healthy both physically and mentally.

Get Involved

Find out more about World Day for Safety and Health at Work on the United Nations website (opens in new window).

Visit our health and safety in the workplace webpage to find more information and resources.

To get updates about other health and wellbeing campaigns throughout the year, sign up to our e-bulletin.

• Campaign