Seoul Declaration on Safety and Health at Work
The Safety and Health Summit
Having met in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 29 June 2008 on the occasion of the XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, jointly organized
by the International Labour Office, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA),
with the participation of senior professionals, employers' and workers' representatives, social security representatives, policy-makers and administrators.
Recognizing the serious consequences of work-related accidents and diseases, which the International Labour Office estimates lead to 2.3 million fatalities
per year world-wide and an economic loss of 4 percent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
Recognizing that improving safety and health at work has a positive impact on working conditions, productivity and economic and social development,
Recalling that the right to a safe and healthy working environment should be recognized as a fundamental human right and that globalization must go
hand in hand with preventative measures to ensure the safety and health of all at work,
Recognizing the importance of the instruments on safety and health at work of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the substantial role of the
ISSA and its members' contribution in implementing these instruments,
Recalling that the promotion of occupational safety and health and the prevention of accidents and diseases at work is a core element of the ILO's
founding mission and of the Decent Work Agenda,
Recalling that the prevention of occupational risks and the promotion of workers' health constitute an essential part of the ISSA's mandate and of its
Conceptual Framework of Dynamic Social Security,
Recognizing the importance of education, training, consultation and the exchange of information and good practices on prevention and the promotion of
preventative measures,
Recognizing the important role played by governments and the social partners, professional safety and health organizations and social security institutions
in promoting prevention and in providing treatment, support and rehabilitation services,
Recognizing the importance of cooperation among international organizations and institutions,
Welcoming progress achieved through international and national efforts to improve safety and health at work,
Declares that
1. Promoting high levels of safety and health at work is the responsibility of society as a whole and all members of society must contribute to
achieving this goal by ensuring that priority is given to occupational safety and health in national agendas and by building and maintaining a
national preventative safety and health culture.
2. A national preventative 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 principle of prevention is accorded the highest priority.
3. The continuous improvement of occupational safety and health should be promoted by a systems approach to the management of occupational
safety and health, including the development of a national policy taking into consideration the principles in Part II of the ILO Occupational Safety
and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155).
4. Governments should
Consider the ratification of the ILO Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) as a priority, as well
as other relevant ILO Conventions on safety and health at work and ensure the implementation of their provisions, as a means to improve
national performance on safety and health at work in a systematic way.
Ensure that continued actions are taken to create and enhance a national preventative safety and health culture.
Ensure that the occupational safety and health of workers is protected through an adequate and appropriate system of enforcement of safety and
health standards, including a strong and effective labour inspection system.
5. Employers should ensure that
Prevention is an integral part of their activities, as high safety and health standards at work go hand and hand with good business performance.
Occupational safety and health management systems are established in an effective way to improve workplace safety and health.
Workers and their representatives are consulted, trained, informed and involved in all measures related to their safety and health at work.
6. Affirming the workers' right to a safe and healthy working environment, workers should be consulted on safety and health matters and should:
Follow safety and health instructions and procedures, including on the use of personal protective equipment.
Participate in safety and health training and awareness-raising activities.
Cooperate with their employer in measures related to their safety and health at work.
7. The World Congress on Safety and Health at Work is an ideal forum to share knowledge and experiences in achieving safe, healthy and
productive workplaces.
8. Progress made on achieving safety and health at work should be reviewed on the occasion of the XIX World Congress on Safety and Health at
Work in 2011.
9. The Summit participants commit to taking the lead in promoting a preventative safety and health culture, placing occupational safety and health
high on national agendas.
Samir ABDALLAH ALI
Minister
Ministry of Labour, Palestinian National Authority
Noori AL-HILFI
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Iraq
Juma ALJUMA
Minister
Ministry of Manpower, Oman
Shunichi ARAKI
President
Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health, Japan
Vasant Kumar BUNWAREE
Minister
Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations
and Employment, Mauritius
David CAPLE
President
International Ergonomics Association
Leo CAREY
Vice President
National Safety Council, United States
Ahmadou Yeri DIOP
Chairman
Interafrican Association for the Prevention
of Occupational Risks
Mustafa KONUK
Deputy Undersecretary
Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Turkey
Antoine FREROT
Chief Executive Officer
Veolia Water, France
Mody GUIRO
Vice President
International Trade Union Confederation
André HOGUET
Vice President
National Commission of the Accident Insurance Scheme,
France
Hyun Jong HONG
Vice President
GS Caltex Corporation, Republic of Korea
Seok Chun JANG
President
Federation of Korean Trade Unions, Republic of
Korea
Byung Moon JUNG
Vice President
Hyundai, Republic of Korea
Young Vae KIM
Vice-Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Korea Employers Federation, Republic of Korea
Cathy KOPP
Vice President
ACCOR SA, France
Young Hee LEE
Minister
Ministry of Labour, Republic of Korea
Suk-Haeng LEE
President
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions,
Republic of Korea
Sang Bai LEE
Vice President
Samsung, Republic of Korea
Ahmed LUQMAN
Director General
Arab Labor Organization
Membathisi MDLADLANA
Minister
Department of Labour, South Africa
Antonio MOCCALDI
President
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Prevention, Italy
Innocence Ntap NDIAYE
Minister
Ministry of the Civil Service, Labour, Employment and
Professional Organizations, Senegal
Bernard N'DOUMI
Director General
National Social Insurance Fund,
Côte d'Ivoire
Michele PATTERSON
President
International Association of Labour Inspection
Antonio PEÑALOSA
Secretary General
International Organization of Employers
Gerhard PETERS
Board Chairman
HOCHTIEF Construction AG, Germany
Sudha PILLAI
Government Representative
ILO Governing Body Tripartite Delegation
Jorma RANTANEN
President
International Commission on Occupational Health
Subramaniam SATHASIVAM
Minister
Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia
Terttu SAVOLAINEN
State Secretary
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland
Yohtaro SAWADA
President
Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association, Japan
Chee Seng SOH
Chief Executive Officer
Social Security Organization of Malaysia, Malaysia
Toshio A. SUZUKI
Employers' Representative
ILO Governing Body Tripartite Delegation
Jukka TAKALA
Director
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
Onechanh THAMMAVONG
Minister
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare,
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Cardinal Leroy TROTMAN
Workers' Representative
ILO Governing Body Tripartite Delegation
Suppiah VEERASINGAM
Secretary General
Asia-Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization
Mark VERGNANO
Group Vice President
DuPont, United States
Keith WILLIAMS
President and Chief Executive Officer
Underwriters Laboratories, United States
Glenis WILLMOTT
Member
European Parliament
Hans-Joachim WOLFF
Chairman
German Social Accident Insurance, Germany
Assane DIOP
Executive Director, Social Protection
International Labour Office
Corazon S. DE LA PAZ - BERNARDO
President
International Social Security Association
Min-Ki NOH
President
Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency,
Republic of Korea
International Labour Organization
International Social Security Association
Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency