Every Day is a Good Day to Focus on Worker Health and Safety

by Kelly Scanlon, director, EHS policy and research This week marks the annual observance of World Day for Safety and Health at Work, coordinated by the International Labor Organization (ILO). According to a recent report from the ILO, approximately 2.8 million workers worldwide die each year from occupational accidents and work-related diseases, or about 7,500 per day. In most countries, government regulations now exist to prevent such hazards, although many of those rules are not as cost-effective as they should be. Indeed, recognizing the benefits of leading the way and going beyond mere compliance, many companies have created cost-effective systems for continuous improvement in environmental, health and safety (EHS) performance. We’re proud that IPC members such as Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control have been recognized as being among “America’s Safest Companies” by EHS Today. As a longtime leader in environmental, health and safety (EHS) issues, IPC supports the need for practical policies and regulations that prevent work-related hazards and exposures, and we offer several helpful resources for our members. For example, the IPC Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Committee – under the leadership of Bret Bruhn of TTM Technologies – promotes cleaner, safer manufacturing worldwide through information exchange, assistance with regulatory compliance, and advocacy for practical, internationally consistent legislation and regulations. If you or anyone on your team has questions or suggestions concerning IPC’s work on EHS issues, please contact me at KellyScanlon@ipc.org. You’re also invited to attend one of the IPC/ITI environmental compliance workshops in June, which will cover California Prop 65, the EU Circular Economy Strategy, EU RoHS, EU REACH Directive, EU plastics initiatives, and environmental restrictions in southeast Asia. After all: Are we not all workers who deserve a safe and healthy workplace?