ILO's standard goes global

Here is an update provided to ISHN by the International Labor Organization on actions being taken by member "states" after the adoption of ILO Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (ILO-OSH 2001), which were finalized and published in December 2001 (available at www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/managmnt/index.htm).

Action in industrialized countries

Germany: In September 2001, Germany established a national tripartite Committee (Government, Employers and Workers) to develop a National Framework on OSH-MS and national guidelines based on the ILO-OSH 2001. Ministry of Labour is the lead agency and ILO-OSH 2001 was translated into German.

UK: BS 8800 is now under review. ILO provided ILO-OSH 2001 to the review committee in which an HSE (Health and Safety Executive) expert, who was involved in the development of ILO-2001, participates.

Sweden: A national seminar on ILO-OSH 2001 was held in February 2002. ILO expert made a presentation.

Japan: Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA) published Japanese translation in December 2001.

Finland: Translation into Finish is underway.

Korea: Translation into Korean is underway.

International/regional actions

International Symposium on Labour Inspection and ILO-OSH 2001 was held in Dusseldorf, Germany in May 2001 by the ILO and International Association of Labour Inspection with the financial support from Norway.

Asian Regional Seminar on OSH Management System was organized by the ILO in Kuala Lumpur in May 2001 with the financial support from Japan.

Latin American Regional Seminar on OSH Management System was organized by the ILO in Cartagena, Colombia in August 2001.

Other national activities

China: Chinese authority (State Administration of Work Safety) issued in December 2001 an official document reflecting ILO-OSH 2001 (almost 100% translation of ILO-OSH 2001). They switched from OHSAS 18001 to the ILO-OSH 2001. This Chinese version is for certification.

Mexico: The Mexican Government (Ministry of Labour) has adapted its own directive to the ILO-OSH 2001 and discussed its application with a number of big enterprises which supported it (March 2002). A promotional campaign is being launched in collaboration with the employers chambers, for its application in a number of enterprises (big and medium size.) It is planned to undertake a number of workshops with the selected enterprises in the second half of this year.

Costa Rica: The National Insurance Institute (INS) is the leading institution in this area, working closely with The National ISO. Their own directives are based on a combination of the OSHA standard and the Spanish Model (EU). Consultations are ongoing with ILO on how the standards complement ILO-OSH 2001. A seminar is planned for the second half of this year.

Brazil: ILO-OSH 2001 was translated into Portuguese and placed on the Web (www.instcut.org.br/). A national workshop on OSH-MS was held in November 2001.

Indonesia: National Seminar on OSH Management System was held in Jakarta in February 2002 to discuss the ways to reflect ILO-OSH 2001 on their own systems launched in 1996. Indonesia is now reviewing the national standards on OSH-MS with a view to reflecting ILO-OSH 2001.

Vietnam: A National Seminar on OSH-MS was held in March 2002 to discuss the application of ILO-OSH 2001. ILO-OSH 2001 was translated into Vietnamese and published in March 2002.

Malaysia: Malaysia plans to develop a national standard (SIRIM which is ISO counterpart organization) based on ILO-OSH 2001. The Department of Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Human Resources is the lead agency.

India: ILO-OSH 2001 is being translated into Hindi and a national workshop to discuss national application was held in May 2002.

Thailand: ILO-OSH 2001 is being translated into Thai and a national workshop is planned to discuss national application.

Czech Republic: Czech version of ILO-OSH 2001 was published.

Poland: Polish version of ILO-OSH 2001 was published.

Russia: Russian translation is underway.