Improving occupational safety and health in small and medium-sized enterprises. Trainers’ guide

Companies with the highest occupational safety and health (OSH) standards and a healthy, safe and motivated workforce are also the most successful and competitive; prevention has shown to be cost-effective. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tend to have higher rates of occupational accidents and diseases, owing primarily to human and financial resource deficits, lack of awareness on OSH matters and difficulties in access to external support and training. The ILO’s Labour Administration, Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Branch (LABADMIN/OSH), the Vision Zero Fund (VZF), and the Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Programme developed a training module that introduces SME workers, employers and managers to the main OSH principles, concepts, processes and tools in order to establish a safety and health culture with a view to continuous improvement at their enterprises.