GIFIS | Advancing Workplace Safety Through Technology

Principles for building a safer tomorrow

The global industrial safety pledge

The Global Initiative for Industrial Safety (GIFIS) is committed to fostering the safe integration of emerging technologies across industries, with a mission to make the world a safer place by proactively addressing safety challenges brought by rapid technological advancements.

GIFIS will confront key industrial safety issues, reduce risks in hazardous work settings, promote advanced safety technologies through universal standards, and strengthen workplace security. It will serve as a collaborative platform, bringing together global policymakers, manufacturers, and innovators to champion a culture of safety and enhance industrial safety technologies and practices. The initiative aims to form a global coalition that prioritizes safety within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Central to this effort is the Manifesto for Global Industrial Safety, which sets forth a collective set of industry principles guiding the use of technology to manage both new and long-standing safety risks.
The Manifesto underscores the importance of supporting developing countries disproportionately impacted by workplace accidents and provides a roadmap for harnessing technology in safer industrial processes.

The Manifesto also details specific actions for industry, governments, academia, regulators, and international bodies, emphasizing their roles in addressing global safety challenges, particularly those posed by digitalization. It is relevant to organizations of all sizes and spans the entire supply chain, from raw material suppliers to technology providers.

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Uphold the human right to safe working conditions

Everyone deserves a safe workplace. Sadly, almost 3 million people die every year as a result of unsafe working conditions. As technology advances in manufacturing, new physical, emotional and safety-related risks are emerging. Technology can be used to reduce these risks and promote better health and wellbeing. Collaboration between all levels of stakeholders, including the shop floor and high-level management, is crucial to prioritising workplace safety.

Ensure that safety considerations are central to all technology-related decisions

It is important to address and acknowledge the risks that may arise with the introduction of new technologies, including their impact on the mental health of the workforce. When developing policies, stakeholders should consider risks such as cyber threats, physical hazards and psychosocial factors to ensure ethical and responsible practices. This creates a safer technological environment and a proactive approach to dealing with any future safety concerns.

Exploit new technology-enabled safety solutions

New technology can be both risky and helpful, and several solutions have been developed to make workplaces safer, such as high-altitude inspection drones and real-time safety-monitoring apps. To ensure that everyone benefits from these solutions, they need to be implemented everywhere. This involves demonstrating to industrialists and safety professionals how these solutions work and collaborating with innovators to find new ways to improve workplace safety. It is crucial that technology is used safely and that people are educated on its proper usage.

Share, monitor and promote safety lessons

It is essential to share information and knowledge about safety in order to prevent accidents and other risks. When we share real-life data and experiences, we can create smart safety technologies and prioritise safety. And it's not just about creating new tech – we should also keep an eye on how we're doing by measuring our safety performance and comparing it with others in the industry.

Support safety improvements in developing countries

Everyone deserves a safe and healthy work environment. Unfortunately, many developing countries lack the resources needed to ensure Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). The result is an alarming number of deaths from workplace accidents – approximately 1,000 daily worldwide. We must strengthen national OSH systems through collaboration, education, intervention, financial support and institutional reform.

Why do we need a Manifesto?

It is essential to improve worker safety

It is imperative that we prioritise the safety of workers. Inadequate safety measures and hazardous work environments result in 2.8 million deaths globally every year. Furthermore, safety incidents in organisations have a significant economic impact, including early retirements, skill loss and absenteeism.

International recognition of safety and health is a fundamental principle and right at work

Industrial safety, which is often overlooked, is fundamental to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In June 2022, the International Labour Organization added the principle of a safe and healthy working environment to its Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

Technology can make the workplace safer

Emerging technologies offer new opportunities to tackle global industrial safety challenges, especially as they become cheaper, easier to use and more widely available.

Industrial safety can be complex

As industries evolve and incorporate new technologies, they must understand and mitigate a range of potential hazards, from traditional workplace accidents to the risks associated with cutting-edge technologies.

New technologies are changing global safety needs

While technology creates new challenges, it also enables new solutions. Increasingly affordable drones, for example, are helping companies to conduct hazardous inspections at high altitudes without putting workers at risk. At the same time, relatively simple sensors and analytics allow companies to pinpoint when machinery needs to be maintained to avoid accidents.

Developing countries suffer more workplace accidents

Developing countries are disproportionately affected, with just 10% of the population covered by safety laws. Addressing this discrepancy is crucial, not only for the wellbeing of the workforce but also for fostering sustainable and equitable economic development.

Integrate industrial safety at every level

Industrial safety should be integrated at every level of an organisation. It is an important concern not just for the shop floor but also at the highest levels of the organisation.

Save Lives Today

We invite you to support the Manifesto for Global Industrial Safety. By doing so, you will join a global movement to promote the safe integration of technology into new industrial processes and the use of technology-driven safety solutions..

Pledge your commitment and start learning how to apply the principles.

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