Date: Tuesday, 28 April 2026, 23rd Annual Day.
Coordinator: International Labor Organization (ILO)
Objectives:
World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated annually on April 28th with the following objectives:
- Raise Awareness: Highlight the importance of international labor standards and emphasize the need for prioritizing occupational safety and health on national and organizational agendas.
- Increase Understanding: Enhance awareness of the scale and impact of work-related accidents and diseases.
- Promoting a safety Culture: Foster a culture of safety and health, encouraging proactive measures to prevent occupational accidents and diseases globally.
Inception:
World Day for Safety and Health at Work was first celebrated by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on April 28, 2004.
History:
In 1998, the ILO adopted the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, affirming the commitment of governments, employers, and workers’ organizations to uphold essential human values vital to social and economic life.
In June 2003, the ILO designated April 28 as World Day for Safety and Health at Work to emphasize the importance of preventing work-related accidents and diseases. This observance is a key component of the ILO’s Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health, as presented in the 2003 International Labor Conference.
April 28 is also recognized as the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers, an event organized by the trade union movement since 1996 to honor workers who have lost their lives or sustained injuries on the job.
In June 2022, the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work was amended at the International Labor Conference to include “a safe and healthy working environment” as a fundamental right within the ILO’s framework.
Official website:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/work-safety-day
