Search Results for: Health

Climate change: a threat to human wellbeing and health of the planet. Taking action now can secure our future

Stuart Mitchell

Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, despite efforts to reduce the risks. People and ecosystems least able to cope are being hardest hit, said scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released recently. “This report is a dire warning about the consequences of inaction,” said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC. “It shows that climate change is a grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing and a healthy planet. Our…

ILO adopts a revised code of practice on safety and health in construction

Stuart Mitchell

More than 229 million construction workers around the globe may benefit from a revised and updated code of practice on safety and health, adopted by International Labour Organization (ILO) experts from government and employers’ and workers’ organizations. The updated code, discussed during a five-day meeting of experts  (21-25 February), could play an important role in countries where construction is an economic engine for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and where urbanization rates and population growth are highest. It can also improve the attractiveness of the sector to future generations of…

New ILO/WHO guide urges greater safeguards to protect health workers

Stuart Mitchell

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have published a new guide on developing and implementing stronger occupational health and safety programmes for health workers, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exert great pressure on them. “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector was among the most hazardous sectors to work in,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “Only a few healthcare facilities had programmes in place for managing health and safety at work. Health workers suffered from…

ILO and IWCA sign MOU to improve occupational safety and health of women in the coffee sector

Stuart Mitchell

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a collaborative partnership that aims to create a safer, more sustainable coffee supply chain for women in the international coffee community. The IWCA facilitates programmes and partnerships in support of their global chapter network, representing women in 29 countries who depend on coffee for their livelihoods. Engaging with the ILO’s Vision Zero Fund  will provide IWCA chapter members with valuable opportunities to attend technical trainings and improve their occupational…

Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council Conducts Advanced Recycling Pilot Project

Stuart Mitchell

Over the course of 2021, the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) embarked on a second phase of advanced recycling work and partnered with advanced recyclers to conduct a pilot project to better understand the suitability of a mixed stream of healthcare plastics as a feedstock for different advanced recycling technologies. The goal of this work was to uncover new recycling opportunities that will reduce landfill waste, carbon emissions associated with creating virgin plastic, and reliance on fossil fuels — ultimately enabling greater material circularity. This pilot project builds upon HPRC’s…