Why is OH important?
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that work-related accidents and illnesses annually take 2 million lives and cost the global economy an estimated US$1.25 thousand billion ($1.25 trillion).
The ILO also estimates that work-related illness and accidents cost up to 10 % of Gross Domestic Product in Latin America and between 2.6 % and 3.8 % in the European Union.
It is estimated that between 2% and 6% of cancers are work related and approximately 20,000 cancer deaths and 40,000 new cases of cancer each year in the USA are attributable to occupation.
Benefits of occupational hygiene
Good occupational hygiene benefits workers and industry alike. It results in:
- Improved worker health and increased life expectancy
- Reduction in the number of people who have to leave employment early through injury or illness
- Lower social and healthcare costs as well as maximizing worker potential
- More efficient working processes with technological improvements and increased productivity.