Hand hygiene at the workplace: an essential occupational safety and health prevention and control measure against COVID-19

Briefing note | 08 September 2020
Workplaces, particularly those that employ migrant workers and those in the informal economy, have taken centre stage in the containment of the COVID-19 virus. Since the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work, adopted by the 108th Session of the International Labour Conference (Geneva, 2019), emphasizes that safe and healthy working conditions are fundamental to decent work, we dedicate this policy brief to hand hygiene in workplaces. The main message is that all workers must have the facilities to wash their hands safely and adequately at work in order to prevent or reduce the spread of COVID-19.