GENEVA (ILO News) - Two million workers die each year through work-related accidents and diseases and that is just the tip of the iceberg, the International Labour Organization (ILO) reported, in a new study, Decent Work - Safe Work.
Latest ILO estimates for the year 2000 show that annually there are two million work-related deaths - more than 5,000 every day - and for every fatal accident there are another 500-2,000 injuries, depending on the type of job. In addition, the ILO said for every fatal work-related disease there are about 100 other illnesses causing absence from work.
In a report * prepared for the XVIth World Congress on Occupational Safety and Health at Work, being held in Vienna, Austria, on May 26-31, the ILO said the number of estimated annual deaths among workers has clearly increased since 1990, mainly because work-related communicable diseases were not counted previously and the number of cases of work-related cancer and circulatory diseases have increased.
During this same period, figures for fatal accidents went up slightly in developing countries but decreased in most industrialized countries.
Latest ILO estimates for the year 2000 show that annually there are two million work-related deaths - more than 5,000 every day - and for every fatal accident there are another 500-2,000 injuries, depending on the type of job. In addition, the ILO said for every fatal work-related disease there are about 100 other illnesses causing absence from work.
In a report * prepared for the XVIth World Congress on Occupational Safety and Health at Work, being held in Vienna, Austria, on May 26-31, the ILO said the number of estimated annual deaths among workers has clearly increased since 1990, mainly because work-related communicable diseases were not counted previously and the number of cases of work-related cancer and circulatory diseases have increased.
During this same period, figures for fatal accidents went up slightly in developing countries but decreased in most industrialized countries.