A new report developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) was launched on the 5th of September at a live streamed event attended by ILO, IAPB and WHO representatives, among others.
The new report draws attention to healthy vision as being integral to safety and productivity at work and that more needs to be done to protect workers' eye health.
According to the report, 13 million people live with vision impairment linked to their work, with an estimated 3.5 million eye injuries occurring in the workplace every year. This amounts to 1 per cent of all non-fatal occupational injuries. Eye health significantly affects labour: workers with vision impairment are 30 per cent less likely to be employed, compared to those without. This underscores the need for coordinated global, national, and workplace initiatives to protect workers' well-being.
The report underlines that Occupational safety and health programmes should be designed with three main goals: prevent exposure to specific hazards in each workplace; protect the existing health of workers' eyes; and provide a system to include workers' naturally occurring sight loss in risk assessments.
Visual impairment can lead to decreased access to decent work, hinder inclusion and pose a threat to workers' long-term health and well-being.
