In the past month, BWI and its Pakistani affiliate, the Pakistan Federation of Building and Wood Workers (PFBWW), have held two Workers’ Assemblies at Trabela Dam in Pakistan, bringing workers together to strengthen occupational safety and health and support the implementation of the country’s new construction safety framework. The activities follow Pakistan’s historic decision to become the first country in the world to adopt the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Construction as legally binding national law.

BWI and its Pakistani affiliates actively supported the process leading to the adoption of the Occupational Safety and Health Code of Practice for the Construction Sector of Pakistan (OSH-CPCSP-2025). Attention is now turning to ensuring that the new protections are understood, applied and enforced at construction sites, with workers and trade unions playing a central role.

“Pakistan has set a historic precedent for construction workers worldwide. But strong laws only save lives when they are implemented at the workplace. Workers must know their rights, have a voice in identifying risks and be able to demand action when conditions are unsafe. Through our affiliates, BWI will continue pushing to ensure that this landmark achievement delivers real protection on every construction site,” said Ambet Yuson, BWI General Secretary.

The Workers’ Assemblies form part of BWI’s wider work to turn the new standards into practice through workplace risk assessments, OSH Committees, worker training and practical safety tools on large infrastructure projects. By organising and empowering workers to participate directly in prevention, BWI and its affiliates aim to ensure that Pakistan’s groundbreaking OSH framework becomes a living reality at workplaces across the country.