We call on the European Union, governments throughout Europe, and employers to genuinely commit, and take the actions needed, to achieve zero death at work.
This means massively stepping up efforts to
- Prevent workplace accidents and occupational diseases, and be ready for pandemics
- Make physical and mental health of workers the starting point when organizing work and designing workplaces.
It requires effective legislation, and increased education, training, prevention, protection, monitoring, reporting, inspection, enforcement and penalties.
We expect and demand such action to be spearheaded by the next European Commission and Parliament from 2024, in addition to legislative action to be taken in the current term. Zero deaths by 2030!
Why is this important?
People go to work to make a living, but every working day across the European Union an average of 12 people do not come home because they have died at work. Far from earning a living, work has killed them.
Zero Death at work is not utopian. The trend in fatal workplace accidents is down and eradication is achievable.
Meanwhile, occupational diseases are increasing. Some 100,000 workers die every year from cancer due to exposure to hazardous substances at work.
Long working hours and psychological pressure at work cause heart-disease, stroke, depression, and even suicide. Climate change poses new risks for health and safety. COVID proved we must be better prepared at work for future pandemics.
Although progress has been made in the last 5 years, the EU is still far from ending work-related deaths! We demand zero death at work!