This principle sets out an overarching expectation that the global industrial community should embrace a renewed commitment to deliver a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental human right, in line with recent international agreements and technological developments.

This commitment should ultimately be reflected in future-oriented safety action plans, with practical steps and realistic timelines, including up-to-date safety policies, procedures and processes, to achieve excellent safety in the workplace.

Safety action plans should be developed in consultation with workers at all levels of the organisation and cover all aspects of its operations. They should be seen as “live documents” to be regularly reviewed and updated.

Particular attention should be paid to the potential to leverage technology across all phases of the safety continuum: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

A new global industrial approach is needed whereby safety is recognised as a critical management issue at the highest levels of the organisation, and where it is part of discussions, not just on every factory floor but in every board meeting too.