Ethical concerns in international occupational health and safety

The number of preventable occupational health and safety (OHS) tragedies that occur yearly requires a deeper examination of the ethics that inform health and safety policies and practices. This article selects a few industrial sectors for closer examination to illustrate challenges and opportunities. Topics addressed include: equitable distribution of resources, ethically acceptable global standards for OHS for all workers, and international use of pesticides and the export of banned chemicals. The authors focus on the relationship between less developed and developed countries and attempt to identify areas of collaboration and potentially positive channels for addressing shortcomings. The agricultural sector is examined in particular because of the major role this sector plays in developing countries. Finally, the authors examine the impact of globalization on the international ethical practice of OHS, especially in relation to vulnerable and marginalized groups such as women, children, and informal sector workers, and conclude with recommendations for working towards more equitable global ethical standards in international OHS.