According to the ILO, global GDP loses almost 4% per year due to the loss of working time due to industrial injuries and occupational diseases, and in some countries, this figure rises to 6% or more. 2.78 million employees in the world die due to industrial accidents and occupational diseases every year, of which 2.4 million die due to diseases [1].
International labour standards regulating relations in labour protection and setting international standards are contained in the ILO conventions and other international acts. The main ILO conventions ratified by the Russian Federation include conventions No.120 "On Occupational Health in Trade and Institutions" (1964), No.155 "On Occupational Safety, Health and Working Environment" (1981), No.187 "On the Basis for Promoting Safety and Occupational Health" (2006), as well as some provisions of the European Social Charter (Clause 4 of Article 2, Article 3), providing for the obligation of states to eliminate the risk associated with the performance of hazardous and harmful work, and concerning the right to safe and healthy environment labour.
The "Global Strategy for Occupational Safety and Health" [2] adopted by the ILO in 2003 provides for systematic OSH management at all levels, emphasizes the importance of national tripartite partners' commitment to OSH development, also highlighting the role of national policies aimed at prevention and introduction of the safety culture. The role of the ILO standards as the basis for promoting the principles of labour protection with an emphasis on preventive measures, flexibility and personification of the impact of standards on a particular employee is also confirmed.
The ILO's "Safe Work" target program on occupational safety and health sets four main objectives: developing prevention policies and programs; expanding effective protection measures for the most vulnerable groups of employees; more active promotion of employers' and employees' associations; ensuring that the social and economic benefits of enhanced protection of employees are recorded and recognized by policymakers and decision‐makers. Gaining these objectives involves the improvement of national laws and will contribute to the creation of a safe working environment.