Improving working environment

ILO devises and encourages the application of measures aimed at promoting the adaptation of the working environment to the physical, mental and social needs of workers. This includes provision of information on standards and guidelines regarding minimum requirements at the workplace. The standards concern workroom and passage space, lighting, ventilation, air quality, noise, vibration, radiation, the physical layout of workstations, guarding of machines and vehicles, organization of premises, rest and sanitary and other welfare facilities. Governments, employers, workers organizations and others use information from ILO in the development of legislation, collective bargaining and shop-floor action on conditions of work.

Article 2 of the European Social Charter (Revised) (Strasbourg 1996) provides: With a view to ensuring the effective exercise of the right to just conditions of work, the Parties undertake: 1) to provide for reasonable daily and weekly working hours, the working week to be progressively reduced to the extent that the increase of productivity and other relevant factors permit; 2) to provide for public holidays with pay; 3) to provide for a minimum of four weeks' annual holiday with pay; 4) to eliminate risks in inherently dangerous or unhealthy occupations, and where it has not yet been possible to eliminate or reduce sufficiently these risks, to provide for either a reduction of working hours or additional paid holidays for workers engaged in such occupations; 5) to ensure a weekly rest period which shall, as far as possible, coincide with the day recognised by tradition or custom in the country or region concerned as a day of rest; 6) to ensure that workers are informed in written form, as soon as possible, and in any event not later than two months after the date of commencing their employment, of the essential aspects of the contract or employment relationship; and 7) to ensure that workers performing night work benefit from measures which take account of the special nature of the work.