April 28 is the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. Celebrated in more than 100 countries, the day was established in 2001 with Greece entering festivities in 2005.
Health and safety figures show that 2.02 million people around the world die each year from work-related diseases – 321,000 from occupational accidents.
On a European level, 5,000 people die each year as a result of work accidents while 160,000 people die from diseases related to work. In Greece, the cost for lack of safety is 6 billion euros annually.
“A national occupational safety and health culture is one in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels, where governments, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties, and where the highest priority is accorded to the principle of prevention,” according to the International Labour Organisation.
