Improving Workers’ Health Across the Globe: Advancing the Global Plan of Action for Workers’ Health

This booklet is jointly published by NIOSH and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), which are both World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers for Occupational Health. The booklet illustrates the shared goal of NIOSH, FIOH, and the Network of WHO Collaborating Centers for Occupational Health: to enhance international workplace safety and health through global collaborations.

In 2014, WHO reviewed accomplishments of the WHO Global Network of Collaborating Centers for Occupational Health during 2006–2012. The review reported the network generated 150 products and trainings during this period. Many of these are in the Geolibrary and are available for use.

The network includes 55 collaborating centers (national institutes and university departments) and 3 non-governmental organizations (International Commission on Occupational Health [ICOH], International Occupational Hygiene Association [IOHA], and International Ergonomics Association [IEA]). The network carried out projects to advance the commitments made by the health ministers of the WHO member countries in the 2007 World Health Assembly Resolution 60.26 Global Plan of Action on Workers Health 2008–2017. The projects helped countries, particularly developing nations, take actions to improve worker safety and health globally.

This booklet highlights examples of successes and serves these purposes:

• To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the network, which was formed in 1990.
• To recognize the achievements of the collaborating centers and non-governmental organizations to improve worker safety and health.
• To give examples of effective approaches to improving workplace health and safety.
• To inform Health Ministers, universities, professional associations, employers, unions, funding sources, and other interested parties about products and trainings that are available to be modified and used in additional settings.

Improving Workers’ Health Across the Globe: Advancing the Global Plan of Action for Workers’ Health [PDF - 9 MB]