Occupational diseases are expected to be the defining occupational safety and health (OSH) challenge of the next decade, while mental health risks, artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change are reshaping the world of work and creating new prevention priorities, the International Labour Organization (ILO) told a public hearing of the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.
Speaking at the hearing, Joaquim Pintado Nunes, Chief of the ILO Occupational Safety and Health and Working Environment Branch, highlighted the need for a future EU strategic framework on health and safety at work post-2027 that responds to emerging risks while strengthening the foundations of prevention.
The ILO noted that Europe has made considerable progress in reducing fatal workplace accidents. However, occupational diseases now account for more than 98 per cent of work-related deaths in the European Union, according to ILO estimates. Almost half are linked to occupational cancers, while circulatory and respiratory diseases remain major causes of work-related mortality.
"The prevention of occupational diseases should remain a central priority of the post-2027 framework, including continued action on carcinogens, hazardous substances and disease recognition," said Pintado Nunes. "Strong national OSH systems, effective labour inspection and reliable data remain essential to realizing the fundamental right to a safe and healthy working environment."
The hearing also examined how psychosocial risks, digitalization and climate change are transforming occupational safety and health. According to the ILO, psychosocial risks contribute to more than 840,000 deaths annually worldwide, while AI is creating both opportunities for prevention and challenges linked to algorithmic management, surveillance, and work intensification.
Changing weather patterns also increase risks for workers. Europe has experienced the fastest rise in occupational heat exposure globally over the past two decades, with significant implications for workplace injuries and chronic diseases. The ILO called for psychosocial risks, AI, biological hazards, climate adaptation and preparedness for extreme weather events to feature prominently in prevention strategies as part of the Strategic Framework.
The hearing highlighted the importance of continued cooperation between the EU and the ILO following the recognition in 2022 of a safe and healthy working environment as a Fundamental Principle and Right at Work. The ILO Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health 2024-2030 provides a roadmap for implementing this right worldwide and is closely aligned with the current EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work.
In concluding, the ILO underlined Europe's potential role in shaping the global OSH agenda through development cooperation and trade, support for candidate and neighbouring countries and responsible business conduct.
