Labor Minister: No Occupational Safety in a Society Lacking Security, and Protecting People Is Protecting Society

Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar noted that "on April 28, which the International Labour Organization marks as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, we stand before our shared responsibility in safeguarding human dignity and protecting workers' health and safety."

Haidar said in a statement on the occasion of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work: "The theme of this year — 'Let us ensure a healthy psychosocial work environment' — affirms that workers' psychological well-being, justice, and respect must be established standards, not merely aspirations."

He noted that "this orientation reflects a fundamental shift in the concept of occupational safety, whereby risks are no longer limited to physical aspects but have come to include psychological and social pressures that weigh on workers and affect their families and communities. However, this concept, in light of what Lebanon is witnessing today, is subjected to a harsh test. For psychological-social challenges are no longer only the result of the work environment, but have become linked to a wider reality of violence, threats, and insecurity."

He asked: "Where do we stand regarding this theme in a reality that transcends psychological well-being, justice, and respect, not to mention the physical, reaching not just the workplace and the worker, but society as a whole?"

He said: "The acts of aggression, violence, and war have undermined the foundations of safety, not only in workplaces, but in all aspects of daily life. Safety is no longer a matter concerning the worker alone, but has become a matter for an entire society. These circumstances have resulted in the displacement of more than 1.2 million people from their homes, the fall of more than 2,600 martyrs, including 193 children and 291 women, in addition to more than 7,600 wounded, plus the destruction of homes and workplaces alike. These figures not only reflect the scale of human losses, but reveal the depth of the psychological and social impact on individuals and communities, undermining any possibility of a safe and healthy work environment."

He added: "In light of these facts, psychosocial risks are turning into a daily oppressive reality, where the worker lives under the weight of fear, loss of stability, and uncertainty. Here the concept of occupational safety intersects with the concept of comprehensive human security, as a healthy work environment cannot be achieved in a society lacking security," explaining that "the worker is an inseparable part of their community — a father or mother, a son or daughter, and a pillar in the fabric of society. When society is subjected to violence and instability, the effects directly reflect on the workforce, worsening psychological pressures, declining productivity, and threatening livelihoods. The most vulnerable groups, especially women and children, remain the most exposed to these consequences, which imposes a highest priority for their protection."

He added: "On this day, when we commemorate the memory of victims of work accidents and occupational diseases, we also commemorate all those who lost their lives or were harmed as a result of the conditions of aggression, whether in workplaces or in a broader context of threats to human security. Their remembrance constitutes a sincere call for urgent action. Safety is indivisible. It begins from the workplace, but it is only complete with the security of the whole society. There is no sustainable occupational safety without community security, and no healthy workforce without a safe human environment."

He concluded: "Proceeding from our responsibility in the Ministry of Labor, we call on all concerned parties — from official institutions, employers, workers' representatives, and the international community — to renew the commitment, not only to improve working conditions, but to protect the fundamental right of every human being to live and work with dignity and security. Protecting people today means, above all, protecting society."