Occupational Safety and Health

Iceland ratifies the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187)

News | 05 June 2018
On 1 June 2018, the Government of Iceland deposited the instrument of ratification of the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187).

When depositing the instrument of ratification, Ásmundur Einar Dadason, the Minister of Social Affairs and Equality, stated that: “I am confident that this instrument will help us to promote a preventative safety and health culture and progressively achieve a save and healthy working environment”

When receiving the instrument of ratification, Mr Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO), stated that: “In ratifying Convention No. 187, Iceland is affirming its commitment to the vital issue of occupational safety and health. The objective of the Convention is the improvement of occupational safety and health in a continuous and sustainable manner with a view to preventing occupational accidents and diseases. It is therefore with great pleasure that I welcome Iceland among the 44 member States that have ratified this key occupational safety and health instrument.”

According to the ILO’s 2017 estimates, there are 2.78 million deaths a year due to employment injuries and occupational diseases. In addition to its enormous human cost, the lack of occupational safety and health has significant economic consequences, costing an estimated at 3.94 per cent of global GDP each year (or 2,990 billion US dollars), due to lost working time, interrupted production and the cost of treatment, rehabilitation and compensation arising out of occupational injuries and diseases.

Convention No. 187 is one of the three key ILO instruments on occupational safety and health, together with the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), and its Protocol of 2002.

To date, Iceland has ratified 24 international labour Conventions and one Protocol. For further information, see NORMLEX.