University of Kirkuk جامعة كركوك
College of Engineering كلية الهندسة
Department of قسم هندسة النفط
Petroleum Engineering
Healthy workplaces: A model for action
Prepared by
Uthman Muhammed Sayhood
Supervised by
Dr. Adnan Abed
June-2020
I. Our target population: 'the global
w o r kf o r c e '
Most of the world's 2.8 billion
workers can benefit from a
"healthy workplace"
approach, and particularly…
▪ the 1.9 billion workers who
are employed in unhealthy &
unsafe working
conditions…and that includes
170 million children
II. Healthy workplaces: a new way
of thinking
A comprehensive approach that embraces:
► Traditional & emerging occupational health –
minimizing workers' exposure to job-related
physical & psychosocial risks
► Health promotion – promoting healthy
behaviours among workers, both job- and
lifestyle-related
► Enterprise involvement in community – to
address broader social & environmental
determinants of workers health
O c c upa t i o n a l he a l t h r i s k s €
► 1 60million new cases of work-related illness
every year
► Occupational risks play a big role in chronic
diseases:
► 26% CVD & chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
► 15% asthma
► 10% cancer
► 8% injuries
► 8 % depression
H e a l t h p r o m o t i o n : i m p r ov e d w o r k e r s '
health €better performance
Workplace-based initiatives can help support, for
instance:
► Smoking cessation
► Obesity control
► Cardiovascular health
► HIV/TB testing & treatment
► Exercise & physical activity
E nt e r p r i s e c o mm u n i t y i n v ol v e me n t €
social & environmental determinants
► Safe/healthy access to work – public
transport, carpools, walking, cycling
► Voluntary pollution/waste control & cleanup
► Primary health care measures unavailable
through health care services
III. A little history…
Healthy workplaces is inspired by the WHO
definition of health as:
“a state of complete physical, mental and
s o c i a l w e ll- b ei n g a n d n o t m e r e ly t h e
a b s e n c e o f di s ea s e o r i n f ir m it y ”
WHO constitution, signed on
22 July 1946 by the
representatives of 61 States
and entered into force on 7
April 1948
Paradigm shift
From: Labour approach To: Public health approach
Occupational health Workers' health
Action to include workers'
Action at workplace
families & communities
Work-related health issues
Include all health determinants
o nl y
Include all workers (self-
W o r k un d e r la b o ur c o ntr ac t
employed, informal workers)
All stakeholders' responsible
Employers' responsibility (i n s u r a n c e , h e al t h & e n v i r o n m .
authorities, a.o.)
Negotiation between workers
Health protection is a non-
and employers
negotiable
Increased business awareness
1. The 'right' thing to do: businesses are part of
society and ethical/social frameworks
2. The 'legal' thing to do: in our globalized world,
businesses that ignore or undermine workers'
health are open to litigation and media scrutiny
3. The 'smart' thing to do: businesses that protect
workers' health are among the most successful
over time
IV. Global policy anchors
► WHO Global Strategy on Occupational health
for All, 1996
► ILO Global Strategy 2003 & Promotional
Framework
► World Health Assembly Worker's health: global
plan of action (2007)
V. The 'Healthy Workplaces' model :
Combining health protection & health promotion
☒ Developed by leading occupational
health experts out of systematic
review of literature
☒ Peer-reviewed by WHO regions,
ILO, other key agencies
☒ October 2009 workshop involving
56 experts from 22 countries,
international worker & employer
representatives
VI. A holistic framework for action
1. Action in four realms: Physical work environment
• Physical work Mobilize
• Psychosocial environment Improve Assemble
Psychosocial Personal
Leadership
• Personal health work
environment
Evaluate
engagement
ETHICS & Assess
health
resources
VALUES
• Community involvement Worker
involvement
Do Prioritize
Plan
2. A model of continuous Enterprise community
involvement
improvement
► Eliminate a toxic chemical or
substitute with less hazardous
► Install machine guards/exhaust
ventilation
► Train workers on safe operating
procedures
► Personal protective equipment
such as respirators or hard hats
☒ Reallocate work to reduce
workload
☒ Zero tolerance for harassment,
bullying, discrimination
☒ Respect work-family balance
☒ Recognize and reward good
performance
☒ Meaningful worker input into
decisions that affect them
► provide fitness facilities, classes or
equipment for workers;
► provide healthy food choices (e.g.,
cafeteria)
► put no-smoking policies in place,
provide smoking cessation assistance;
► provide information about alcohol and
drugs, and employee assistance
counseling
As an employer you can create or remove barriers to lifestyle
changes!
- Free/affordable Primary health care
to workers/family members;
- Literacy education to
workers/families;
- Voluntary controls over pollutants
released into the air or water;
- Financial support to worthwhile
community causes;
- Minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
VII. Crosscutting principles for success
► Leadership engagement
► Involve workers & their
representatives
► Do an effective gap analysis
► Learn from others
► Integrate activities
► Evaluate and improve
VIII. Next steps
In line with further implementation of the Global
Plan of Action for workers' health, collaboration
between WHO, member states, collaborating
centres, and civil society groups to develop
further:
► Practical guidance
► Sector-specific guidance & tools
► Training modules
