At the closing session of the 113th International Labour Conference on 13 June held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, delegates adopted Convention No. 192 and Recommendation No. 209 on biological hazards. These are the first ever international labour standards to address the full scope of biological risks in the working environment. This milestone represents a major step forward in securing safe and healthy working environments for all, especially those most exposed to biological agents, substances or products, be it exposure to bacteria and viruses in workers’ accommodation, snake bites on a construction site or a worker’s allergic reactions to plants in the forest.

The new instruments establish clear obligations for governments and employers to prevent, eliminate, or where elimination is not possible, control biological hazards. They also ensure workers and their representatives have the right to participate meaningfully in occupational safety and health processes, and guarantee the right to refuse dangerous work and report violations without fear of retaliation.

The standards call for universal access to occupational health services, income protection during disease outbreaks, and are the first OSH instruments to consider climate and environmental factors that exacerbate exposure. Importantly, they emphasise both the physical and mental well-being of workers.

High-risk sectors are explicitly recognised, including BWI’s construction and forestry sectors, among others such as health care, food and agriculture, and transport. The Recommendation also highlights the need for specific protections for workers who face additional vulnerabilities, such as pregnant and breastfeeding women, young workers, migrant workers, and others at risk due to their social conditions or intersecting disadvantages.

This achievement is the result of the tireless efforts of the Workers’ Group and the solidarity shown throughout two intense weeks of negotiations in Geneva. BWI played a key role in shaping the outcome through its Director for Construction, Health and Safety, Linnea Wikström, who served in the secretariat alongside Rory O’Neill and James Ritchie, representing workers’ interests throughout the standard-setting process.

The adoption of Convention No. 192 and Recommendation No. 209 is a historic milestone — but our work is far from over. Now it’s time to turn victory into reality.

BWI calls on all affiliates to take action:

• Contact your governments.
• Demand ratification.
• Push for national implementation.

These new international standards mean nothing without enforcement on the ground. Let’s make sure they protect the workers they were written for.

Who will be the first to ratify? Who will set the example?

The race is on. Let’s lead it.