Affiliations: Adjunct Professor, Work Environment Department,
University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA. Visiting Senior Fellow Faculty of
Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, UK. Senior Scholar, Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC, USA. Senior Advisor,
Global Health Programme, Graduate Institute of International and Development
Studies, Geneva, Switzerland
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Ellen Rosskam, Ph.D., MPH, 34D Route
du Prieur, Landecy, 1257 La Croix-de-Rozon, Switzerland. Tel.: +41 22 347 6846;
E-mail: eerosskam@yahoo.com
Abstract: Objective: This article presents a rights-based approach to the way
occupational health and safety is understood, departing from medical,
engineering, and technocratic approaches that dominated the field throughout
the 20th century. Moving toward a 21st century concept of the good
society – based on citizenship rights and principles of universalism – a
social protection-based system of assessing governments' performance in
protecting workers' health and well-being is proffered. Methods: A Work
Security Index (WSI) is used as a benchmarking system for evaluating national
or local level governments' performance in this domain. Data from 95 countries
in all regions of the world were used. A pioneering tool the WSI grouped and
ranked countries based on governments' protection of workers' health and
safety. Participants: Data represent findings from 95 national
governments, as well as workers and employers. Results: Among 95 countries, most have much work to do to provide the minimum measures to protect
their working populations. Results reveal that women workers face particular
social and economic insecurities and inequalities. Conclusions: We attempt to inform a broad audience about the WSI, how it can be used at
multiple levels in any country for the protection of workers' health, safety,
and well-being, and the need to do so.
Keywords: Rights-based approach, occupational health and safety, work security index, worker protection, women workers
