What are biological hazards and why are they important for public service workers?
Biological hazards include any microorganism, cell, DNA, or other organic material that may be of plant, animal, or human origin that can cause harm to human health. This includes bacteria, viruses, parasites, bodily fluids, and their associated allergens and toxins.
The exposure to biological hazards can result into infectious and non-infectious diseases and injuries, such as tuberculosis, leptospirosis, avian flu and Covid-19, malaria, HIV, but also into cancers, allergies, psychological disorders and trauma.
Therefore, this is a truly important discussion for public service workers who are particularly exposed to biological hazards due to the essential, often life-saving nature of their jobs, and as they are on the frontlines and in the trenches of the multi-crises the world currently faces.
What has the ILO done on biological hazards so far and what are the next steps?
In 2021 the ILO held a meeting of Experts, which examined and adopted the Technical guidelines on biological hazards in the working environment.
In 2022 the ILO released a Report on Biological Hazards in the Working Environment. The report contained a survey which called on governments, employers and trade unions to respond.
As a result, ILO published the Report IV(2): “Protection against biological hazards in the working environment” in February 2024, which composites the responses to the questionnaire.
PSI unions have already contributed to the discussion by sending 24 replies from different countries to the ILO Survey on Biological Hazards disseminated in August 2023 demanding that there be a strong Convention and a Recommendation filling the regulatory gap on this critical OSH risks.
Reflecting the replies received, the 2024 ILO report concludes that the ILC should “adopt standards concerning biological hazards in the working environment” and that “these standards should take the form of a Convention supplemented by a Recommendation”.
The baseline text we are called to comment on is on page 99-107 of the report and is available here for your comments and review:
Additional Resources
The ITUC will be leading the workers’ group discussion and has prepared some briefings that can be of interest:
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about this consultation and/or your participation or if you wish to share relevant resources with other PSI affiliates. Join us if you will be at the ILC in Geneva and get in touch if you wish to contribute even remotely. .PSI We looks forward to your participation and inputs.
PSI Contact: Daria Cibrario, Local and Regional Government Sector Officer, PSI, daria.cibrario@world-psi.org