Health, Safety and Environment - International Labour Organization

IntroductionWhen national regulations exist, they are infrequently applied. Effective enforcement is poordue to insufficient labour inspection. There is a lack of understanding and training onprevention of hazards and there are low levels of organisation amongst agricultural workers.Until June 2001 (see ILO Convention No. 184 below), agricultural workers were not subject toany international standard dealing comprehensively with their health and safety.In order to guarantee sustainable agricultural development in the new millennium, ruralworkers and their families should have access to decent working and living conditions, healthand welfare. A balance between agricultural growth and the protection of the environment isalso crucial for the future of the world’s food production and for its sustainability. Occupationalhealth in agriculture must be integrated into a rural development policy. The policy should havea well-defined strategy placing an emphasis on prevention and on environmental protection. Worker HS&E representativesThese Manuals provide educational material and techniques for the training of worker HS&Erepresentatives. The term ‘worker HS&E representative’ needs clarifying as it can refer todifferent types of representative: worker representatives who undertake HS&E work as part of general union duties at theworkplace. They have no rights under national health and safety laws, though they mayperform their HS&E work as part of a collective bargaining agreement. Such representativeswill be union members and elected by other union members in that workplace worker health and safety representatives (safety representatives for short) who have legalpowers under national health and safety laws to carry out specified HS&E duties at theworkplace. Such legally empowered representatives will normally be elected by their fellowworkers as laid down in the health and safety laws. These worker representatives will notautomatically be union members though in fact they generally are, as unions are the onlycredible and organised body representing workers in the workplace worker representatives on joint worker-management workplace health and safetycommittees (safety committees for short). Such committees may be legally constitutedunder national health and safety laws, or performing their work under a collective bargainingagreement. Such worker representatives will normally be elected by their fellow workers aslaid down in the health and safety laws or collective bargaining agreement. These workerrepresentatives will not automatically be union members though in fact they generally are,as unions are the only credible and organised body representing workers in the workplaceIn summary, the term ‘worker HS&E representative’ will be used in these Manuals to cover allthe categories listed above. The IUF believes that any worker representative should be a tradeunion representative selected or elected by fellow union members in their workplace.5 Health, Safety and EnvironmentA Series of Trade Union EducationManuals for Agricultural Workers