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G20 Labour and Employment Ministers
Road to the 2024 G20 Rio Summit

G20 Approaches to Safety and Health at Work

G20 OSH Network’s Annex
to the 2024 G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration
July 22, 2024
[PDF]

Safe and healthy working conditions are essential for decent work. Climate change often threatens workers’ safety and health, making the prevention of stress and injuries resulting from workplace heat a priority for intergovernmental organizations and governments worldwide, as required.

We reaffirm the recognition of a safe and healthy working environment in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work. It is crucial to develop effective policies, regulations, and compliance systems, according to national circumstances, that ensure workplaces are free from excessive heat stress-related hazards, which pose significant risks to workers across diverse industries and occupations. Workers in enclosed environments such as underground mines, steel mills, kitchens, and warehouses, as well as outdoor worksites like construction, agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, and seafaring occupations, are particularly vulnerable to heat stress. Preventing exposure to excessive heat not only contributes to workers’ physical, mental, and overall well-being but also offers additional benefits, such as reducing healthcare and social protection costs and enhancing family and community welfare, as well as productivity and operational continuity.

We emphasize the importance of prioritizing workers’ safety, health, and well-being and managing risks as required through protective and preventive measures to mitigate heat stress. We call for the urgent reaffirmation of a culture of prevention and development of new risk management methods, in accordance with national circumstances, including administrative and organizational controls alongside conventional solutions like engineering and behavioral controls and the enhanced use of personal protective equipment.

Moving forward, we agree that workers and their representatives must have a strong voice in finding solutions cooperatively with employers to reduce heat stress and injuries. Furthermore, we stress the indispensable role of effective social dialogue and consultation mechanisms in shaping occupational safety and health policies and measures. This ensures the active involvement of both workers and employers in decision-making processes and fosters a robust health and safety culture in workplaces.

Additionally, we believe regulatory authorities and labor inspectorates should enhance their efforts as required and adopt necessary innovative approaches, including integrating new technologies, to address these unprecedented challenges.

Recognizing that the challenges posed by heat stress in workplaces can only be effectively addressed through national and international collaboration, we commit to supporting discussions and enhancing cooperation among key stakeholders at both the national and international levels. This includes exchanging knowledge, sharing best practices, and developing effective responses to these challenges. We also recognize the importance of bilateral and multilateral global initiatives focused on heat stress, including the US-Brazil Partnership for Worker Rights Heat Campaign and the Vision Zero Fund. They contribute significantly to improving workplace safety and health.

We thank the members of the G20 and participating guest members for their collaboration and efforts in recognizing the importance of preventing heat stress and finding solutions to prevent heat-related injuries. We also thank Brazil, the 2024 presidency of the G20, for spotlighting this critical issue and for providing a forum for the G20 OSH Network Annual Meeting and the special session on heat stress.

Source: Official website of Brazil's G20 presidency