Occupational health: health workers

Responsibilities and rights

While employers have the overall responsibility to ensure that all necessary preventive and protective measures are taken to minimize occupational risks, health workers have the responsibility to cooperate with management and participate in measures to protect their health, safety and well-being.

Health workers have the right to leave work environments where they have reasonable grounds to believe that there is an imminent and serious risk to their life or health. When health workers exercise this right, they should be protected from any undue consequences;

Who's response

In 2022, the World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA74.14 on protecting, securing and investing in the health and care workforce, calling on Member States to "take the necessary steps to safeguard and protect health and care workers at all levels". The Global Action Plan for Patient Safety 2021-2030, adopted by the 74th World Health Assembly, prioritizes action for health worker safety as a priority for patient safety.

Who's work to protect the health, safety and well-being of health workers includes:

Developing norms and standards for occupational risk prevention in the health sector;

Advocacy and networking to enhance the protection of the health, safety and well-being of health workers;

Support countries in developing and implementing occupational health programmes for health workers at national, sub-national and health facility levels.