With the development of AI and robot technology, it is predicted that there will be more opportunities for collaboration between people and machines.
In particular, the future use of AI needs to be discussed not only technically but also ethically.
This session will discuss how machines, including AI, should be used to realize the Well-being of people, and what should be done as a technical challenge to achieve this.
This session will explore the critical role of national prevention strategies and programmes in enhancing safety, health, and wellbeing in the workplace and developing a socially responsible business culture.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) executives from diverse regions around the globe will present successful initiatives and innovative approaches tailored to their national contexts.
Participants will gain insights into the effectiveness of various national policies, innovative approaches to strengthen risk prevention and integrate health promotion in occupational settings, and the critical collaboration between government, industry, and labour organizations.
By sharing best practices and lessons learned, this session aims to foster a global dialogue on advancing occupational health and safety standards, ultimately contributing to safer and healthier work environments for all. Join us to learn from real- world experiences and discuss the future of workplace wellbeing strategies across different cultures and economies.
The value of people and their health and safety at work is an essential dimension of sustainability. Learn how the safety and health of workers is a fundamental building block of sustainability and sustainable growth, aligned
with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3; “Good health and well-being” and Goal 8; “Decent work and economic growth”. This creates value for an organization and influences decision-making.
These experts provide real-world, valuable insights into how organizations
leverage sustainability to elevate workplace safety and health.
The session will include a facilitated workshop where attendees will participate in an exchange of ideas, best practices and learning on the true value of Health and Safety at Work.
At construction sites, strategies have been introduced to ensure quality while simultaneously improving safety and productivity. Moreover, in recent years, worker well-being has been recognized as a crucial element of corporate management from the perspective of the SDGs. In this session, members of the IGSAP Construction Committee, representing Japan’s leading construction companies, will discuss practical examples of achieving simultaneous improvements in productivity and safety. The session aims to contribute to promoting SDGs and realizing well-being at construction sites.
As we confront a rapidly evolving world of work and the emerging risks that this presents to the worker, the need for strong global standards and practices in safety, health, and wellbeing has never been more critical.
This session will highlight key occupational hygiene priorities on the global stage and focus on embedding the newly established fundamental principle and right of safety and health at work into the values and strategies of workplaces worldwide.
A central theme will be the shortage of qualified practitioners and the need to build more partnerships to drive global change. We will discuss the urgency of building a competent and certified workforce, highlighting a successful model from Japan, and the broader global implications of such efforts. Additionally, we will address the challenges of reaching informal workers and strategies to extend occupational hygiene prevention efforts and worker protection to those often excluded from traditional frameworks.
Finally, the session will consider the role of advocacy and the call for a collective response to ensure that these vital issues are embedded in future work environments.
What connects countries as different as Luxembourg, the Republic of Senegal and Colombia? All three provide good examples of how the Vision Zero strategy is being implemented in countries and companies around the globe.
Developed by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in 2017, Vision Zero has been launched in over 50 countries so far. What began as a campaign has subsequently developed into a strategy that has become a global success thanks to its simplicity, its flexible implementation at country, sector and company level and, not least, its emotional appeal.
Vision Zero is based on the belief that all occupational accidents and diseases are preventable. At the heart of the strategy are the “7 Golden Rules” and the Vision Zero Guides, which focus on a good management culture, people-oriented work, participation and sustainability in the corporate culture. The message is: safety, health and well-being at work must not just be a concern for experts, but must be discussed and practiced on a daily basis in companies and educational institutions.
This Track highlights on the basis of select country examples how the Vision Zero strategy has been successfully transformed into national programs and activities, what lessons were learned and what are the next steps.
The digitalization of procedures in many branches of the world is also creating new framework conditions for occupational safety and health. Networking, accessibility and control through computers and information technologies, closely linked to increasing work intensification, are topics that are challenging prevention work worldwide, and will even accelerate in the coming years. Digitalization has a wide range of effects on the safety, health and well-being of employees. This change is not only affecting production, but all areas of the economy, from development to planning and management. Digitalization makes people mobile and flexible and allows them to work almost indefinitely: at work, at home and on the way to work or to their next appointment.
In addition to possible risks for employees, the digital transformation also offers great potential for making work safer, healthier, more flexible, diversified and more inclusive in the future. The possibilities range from intelligent safety technology, new human-machine interfaces and wearables – especially data glasses – to digital qualification aids. This practice track explores how companies and organizations are using digitalization to optimize occupational safety and health measures and minimize risks. Practical examples will be presented to help understand our current challenges and opportunities of the digital working life.
This session focuses on challenges and prospects for the future of occupational health:
This session addresses the trajectory of occupational health in Japan outlining:
• The development and contributions of occupational health in Japan: A journey since 1929
• The history of hazardous chemicals, industrial poisoning, asbestos, and related issues
• Psychosocial factors and mental health: Japan's unique stress check system
• Measures to address overwork-related deaths (karoshi) and suicides due to overwork
• COVID-19 workplace countermeasures: A 10-minute video featuring interviews with those involved in production and occupational health professionals who worked on-site
Building a robust high-risk management culture is critical for organizational success and the well-being of employees. This presentation explores actionable strategies to foster a positive risk-searching work environment and identifies key pitfalls that can undermine these efforts.
The first part of the presentation focuses on four foundational elements that can effectively build a strong risk management culture: shared vision, visible felt leadership, employee engagement, learning and transparency. Each of these strategies is examined through real-world examples and practical insights, demonstrating how they can be implemented to create a proactive and resilient safety culture.
The second part of the presentation highlights three common yet often overlooked ways that safety cultures can be inadvertently destroyed: misalignment, inconsistency, trust, and failure to adapt. By understanding these destructive elements, organizations can take proactive measures to avoid them and sustain their risk management culture over time.
This session will be a mix of presentations, exchanges, and learning to equip, managers, a safety professionals and organizational leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to build and maintain an effective and efficient high-risk management culture adapted and integrated to business needs and protect employees from life- changing incidents.
Digitalisation has the potential to significantly enhance safety, health, and wellbeing in the workplace by leveraging technology to create a more responsive and proactive environment. By implementing digital tools such as wearable devices, IoT sensors, and mobile health applications, organizations can monitor employee health and safety in real time, enabling early detection of potential hazards and health issues.
Digital platforms also improve communication and training, ensuring that employees are well-informed about safety protocols and available health resources. Furthermore, data analytics and AI can identify trends and areas for improvement, leading to more effective risk management strategies. By fostering a culture of prevention through digital initiatives, employers can enhance employee engagement, reduce absenteeism, and promote a healthier work-life balance.
Overall, integrating digital solutions in the workplace not only supports compliance with safety regulations but also contributes to a more resilient and thriving organizational culture. Following an introduction to the topic, senior SHE managers will present practical business cases from various industries, discussing the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for prevention.
This symposium will highlight the critical role of workplaces in promoting health, safety, and overall wellbeing for all people. The event aims to launch a new WHO/ILO global strategy targeting the enhancement of workplace health, safety and wellbeing. With over 3 million annual deaths and economic losses amounting to US$6 trillion due to unsafe working environments, the need for proactive action is urgent. Healthy, safe, and happy work not only benefits individuals but also contributes to economic growth, with potential added value of up to US$11 trillion globally. However, healthy work for happy lives is more than deaths and money, it is about the quality of live, happiness and societal wellbeing.
The symposium inspired by the Expo25 theme, "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," will emphasize the integration of safe, empowering, and connected work environments into the broader vision of societal development. Key stakeholders— business leaders, policymakers, and workers—are called to prioritize health and wellbeing in business strategies, policies, and personal choices. Through discussions, country case studies, and expert insights, the symposium will explore innovative solutions and foster commitments to transforming workplaces into centers for promoting lifelong health and wellbeing. The symposium will serve as a platform for envisioning a future where healthy work becomes a universal standard, shaping healthier lives and happier societies.