IOSH has collaborated with the International Social Security Association (ISSA) to deliver a Vision Zero training package, a transformational approach to prevention in OSH.
Yesterday, in a special session of the XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, IOSH chair of the board of trustees, Dr Bill Gunnyeon (pictured above), joined with Berndt Treichel and Helmut Ehnes from the ISSA in Geneva and other speakers from Côte d’Ivoire, Guatamala, the Netherlands and Thailand to launch the new programme.
Launched in September 2017 at the World Congress for Safety and Health in Singapore, Vision Zero is ISSA's response to the challenges facing its members. It was heralded as the first global accident and ill-health reduction initiative and ISSA and its members have worked to give it a worldwide reach – and to distinguish it from the campaign with the same name to cut traffic accidents in the world's largest cities.
Vision Zero will offer training providers worldwide a chance to be part of the international drive to prevent people being killed, injured or becoming unwell as a result of their work, said IOSH. The new training package will empower each training provider to become a ‘Vision Zero Hero’, providing them with the tools they need to deliver training to those committed to embedding a vision of zero harm in their organisations.
'I believe people are ready for the world to change, that they want healthier, safer and better lives'
Developed by the ISSA and delivered by IOSH, the new Vision Zero training course will teach the principles and benefits of Vision Zero as a preventative strategy and empower learners with the tools they need to implement it. The six-hour course, accessible both face-to-face and through video conferencing, is aimed at those with a passion for reducing the number of accidents and harm in the workplace.
'This incredibly important joint initiative will benefit from our respective organisations’ common values, objectives and commitment to prevention. It will enable us to train wider audiences and achieve greater impact than ever before,' said Dr Gunnyeon.
'These are challenging times, and 2020 has already proved a pivotal year in world history. I believe people are ready for the world to change, that they want healthier, safer and better lives and there’s an expectation that workplaces should exemplify this,' he explained.
'This is a time for each safety and health professional to harness the momentum of Vision Zero. All have vital roles to play in driving up universal standards of workplace safety and health, while Vision Zero gives employers and organisations a perfect opportunity to build new resilience and confidence – in their people, their corporate reputation and their brand.'
Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano, secretary general of the ISSA, added: 'By joining forces, the ISSA and IOSH will ensure the development of high-quality training capacity, building on the Vision Zero 7 Golden Rules. This is a crucial pillar to make advances towards the vision of a world without work-inflicted disease, injuries or fatalities.'
More information about the Vision Zero training package is available here.