Employment Injury Schemes and the Prevention of Occupational Accidents and Diseases

Employment injury schemes are part of the social security branch in charge of the workers’ insurance for occupational accidents and diseases. Traditionally, they provide for compensation and coverage of medical and rehabilitation costs of the injured and sick workers. They also cover the compensation to be given to dependent members of the families of workers who die at work. Increasingly, the prevention of the occupational risks is becoming part of the mandate of these schemes and many world-wide experiences and best practices show that these schemes can play very important role in this regard.

In some countries the competencies, roles, responsibilities and spheres of action of these institutions in prevention activities have been already incorporated in the legal framework

These institutions are the main generators of information on occupational accidents and diseases. Many times, based on this information, research and analysis studies are undertaken with the view to providing the basis for the decision- and policymaking processes at national and sectoral level. These institutions are key actors in the national governance of the OSH and in the planning and implementation of National Programmes of OSH.

Another strategy frequently used by these institutions is the promotion of the economic benefits of investment in occupational safety and health. As set by ISSA, “linking prevention to accident insurance compensation can enable effective mechanisms to reduce both accidents at work and occupational diseases, to increase productivity and to provide an incentive for employers to boost preventive activities in an enterprise, as it directly impacts on the contribution rate paid exclusively by the employer”.

It could also have direct and immediate impact in the efficiency of the schemes. Other activities in which these institutions are involved are the organization of the information and awareness-raising campaigns directed to employers, workers and general public, as well as the provision of technical advice and promotion of the compliance with the OSH, regulations, training and skills development on OSH and health promotion, the development of the recognition based incentives, etc.

To explore these strategies and to study them appropriately, the International Training Centre is organizing this course in cooperation with the International Labour Office. Through this course, the ILO intends to disseminate its international experience and facilitate knowledge sharing and discussion of selected innovative and successful strategies to promote OSH preventive and proactive approaches of the employment injury schemes.