A group of workers pick jasmine in Egypt’s Nile Delta. People working outdoors are exposed to certain diseases spread by plants, animals or insects. Gharbiya Province, Egypt, July 2020.
Workers can be exposed to viruses and diseases at the workplace, often without adequate protection. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the growing call for international regulation to safeguard workers’ health and safety could prompt the International Labour Organization (ILO) to draft a new global convention.
- What are the ‘hazards’ in question?
A ‘biological hazard’ is a threat to human health posed by a pathogen, a biological substance, or uncontrolled sanitary conditions. In practical terms, this can include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions (infectious proteins), allergens, toxins, genetic material, or bodily fluids. These agents can lead to disease, injuries, infection, allergic reactions, or poisoning, which can also cause after-effects. The source of the threat may be plant-based, animal, or human.
At present, technical experts are working to define clear categories and harmonise existing classifications across the globe. They must also account for the emergence of new hazards, including some zoonotic diseases. The Covid-19 pandemic, which is estimated to have caused nearly seven million deaths worldwide, was triggered by a zoonotic virus: Sars-CoV-2.
- Who needs to be protected from these hazards?
All workers, and their families, can potentially be exposed to biological hazards. However, some occupations carry greater risk than others, particularly those involving contact with animals (especially in livestock farming) or organic materials. In agriculture, workers can also be affected by diseases linked to plants (particularly dust and pollen) and insects. Waste management and cleaning services, healthcare workers, and laboratory technicians are also among the most exposed.
- Why is this now a top concern?
Ensuring a “safe and healthy working environment” has been a core objective of the ILO since its founding in 1919. The organisation has pursued this goal through a series of international conventions that are binding on member states. One such example is Convention No. 170, adopted in 1990, which addresses the hazards associated with chemical substances. Trade unions have been calling for a convention since 1993, but it was only in March 2021 – after the Covid-19 pandemic – that the ILO’s governing body agreed that a new standard on occupational health and safety protection against biological hazards would be negotiated at the ILO’s International Labour Conferences in 2024 and 2025.
In June 2024, in Geneva, delegates from member countries took part in initial discussions within the Standards Committee, which has begun work on drafting a future regulatory text. The lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic – and its sometimes devastating impact on how work is organised – form a key foundation for the ongoing talks.
- What are the key issues at stake?
Discussions are still ongoing about how to protect those affected from loss of income or employment. The future convention must ensure that governments and employers take into account all possible scenarios and all groups potentially affected – including those working in the informal economy. Particular attention is being paid to the heightened vulnerability of certain groups, such as women, older or medically fragile individuals, and marginalised communities. The prevention aspect will also be further developed. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers the workplace a strategic setting for public health campaigns – including those targeting influenza, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis.
- What comes next?
In June 2025, the International Labour Conference will reconvene to refine the draft text for the new standards, with the aim of potentially adopting a new convention.
For more information:
– A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right at work (ilo.org)
- Protection against biological hazards in the working environment: Proposed Convention and Recommendation (ilo.org)
– For India’s stigmatised and exploited sanitation workers, the pandemic has only made conditions worse (equaltimes.org)
