The meeting aims at enhancing collaboration among different organisations in this important area of work. In this edition, the ILO was joined by experts representing 12 other Agencies and Organisations actively involved in the prevention of major industrial accidents. A number of areas for coordination were discussed including, policy formulation, training and capacity building, development of technical guidelines and promotion of international standards and frameworks on major industrial accidents, and in addition, addressing emerging risks such as those posed by nanomaterials and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s meeting was particularly timely, as participants discussed the devastating August 4th major industrial accident in Beirut, and emphasized the need to shift towards a culture of prevention rather than responding to accidents once tragedy has already occurred and lives have been lost. The ILO presented its work in the area, including its ongoing global ratification campaign of the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention, 1993 (No. 174), as well as its broader portfolio on chemical safety, including promotion of the Chemicals Convention, 1990 (No. 170). The ILO remains committed to global efforts to prevent major industrial accidents and to enhance inter-agency cooperation in the area of chemicals management, especially during such a critical moment as the world copes with major shifts in the structure of work and the COVID-19 pandemic.