The International Labour Organization (ILO) constitution sets forth the principle that workers should be protected from sickness, disease, and injury that arise from their employment (1). For millions of workers globally, the reality remains different. The pain and grief caused by traumatic injuries at work that workers and their families suffer are immeasurable. In economic terms, the ILO has estimated that 4% of the world’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is lost as a consequence of work-related diseases and injuries (1). Employers also face the challenge of early retirement, the loss of skilled staff, absenteeism, and high insurance premiums because of work-related injuries. The tragedies that ensue from the loss of workers’ lives and limbs are avoidable by implementing engineering interventions, providing safety and health education, instituting safety committees and safety representatives, providing and using personal protective equipment, and ensuring robust regulatory enforcement.
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