Abu Dhabi: On Wednesday April 28th, Abu Dhabi Public Health Center was keen to join the world as it celebrates World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021, an annual event held on April 28th each year to address different topics related to occupational safety. This year's Event focuses on promoting occupational safety, evaluating and addressing direct and indirect work-related risks, as well as exploring effective strategies to prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace, based on the applicable laws, regulations, and systems that aim to strengthen the organizations’ occupational safety practices.
For the second consecutive year, the event comes amid unprecedented challenges, as the world is still struggling to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unusual challenges around the whole world, including governments, employers, and workers alike, as it has adversely affected the work environment worldwide. World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021 focuses on strategies to strengthen national occupational safety and health systems that aim to build resilience. These strategies are essential to enable a better response for existing and future crises, drawing on lessons learned and experiences from workplaces around the world.
Since it began, the pandemic has led to unusual social and psychological challenges, while causing dramatic changes to the workplace. These unprecedented challenges forced institutions all over the world to take unusual preventative and proactive measures to contain the spread of the virus in the workplace, including a shift to remote working practices.
This year's event focuses on utilizing the fundamentals of the occupational safety and health systems stated in the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187). The event also stresses the importance of promoting and developing these systems, including occupational health services, at both the national and individual project levels.
H.E. Matar Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, said: At Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, we work in line with our Government's wise and well-informed vision which puts health and safety at the top of its priorities. This event aims to promote the concept of occupational health in different work environments worldwide, draw the world's attention to the number of the work-related injuries, diseases, and deaths, while increasing compliance with the best workplace safety practices to protect the human capital and ensure work continuity across all industries. All of these objectives come in line with the Center's vision, which aims to create a healthier and safer society."
On this occasion, the Center would like to raise the awareness of and promote interactive discussions about the importance of establishing resilient occupational safety and health practices, in part by examining the regional practices for containing the spread of the virus in the workplace. To achieve this goal, the Center is organizing a discussion panel and a workshop on April 29th, 12:00 PM, to explore different approaches adopted by different industries to overcome pandemic-linked challenges and maintain work continuity amid the crisis.
