Öksüz attended the International Seminar on Occupational Health and Safety

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27.01.26, Tuesday

The Memur-Sen Confederation and the International Labour Confederation (ILC) continue to actively contribute to international efforts in the field of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).

In this context, Hamza Öksüz, Vice President of Memur-Sen and Secretary General of the ILC, participated in the international seminar titled “Occupational Health and Safety,” held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on 25–26 January 2026.
The seminar emphasized preventive and proactive approaches, digital transformation, and the contribution of artificial intelligence to occupational health and safety practices.
During the seminar, Hamza Öksüz delivered a presentation addressing the global scale of occupational accidents and occupational diseases, high-risk sectors, disparities in OHS practices across countries, global inequalities, good OHS practices worldwide, and the potential contributions of artificial intelligence to this field.
The presentation underlined the need to move beyond an approach that limits occupational health and safety to post-accident intervention, stressing instead the importance of a preventive and proactive OHS framework. In this regard, the respective roles and responsibilities of trade unions, employers, and workers were shared with the participants.
The presentation also highlighted the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and digital technologies in the field of occupational health and safety. However, particular emphasis was placed on the fact that these technologies should not be transformed into surveillance tools that undermine workers’ rights and privacy.
Commenting on this issue, Öksüz stated:
“We support technology only insofar as it serves people and workers.”
Speaking during the question-and-answer session, Hamza Öksüz emphasized that the active participation of trade unions in decision-making processes related to predictive safety systems and digital OHS applications is of vital importance. He underlined that decisions concerning digital systems to be used in occupational health and safety cannot be taken without the involvement of trade unions.
Öksüz noted:
“Trade unions should not merely be informed actors in this process; they must be equal stakeholders. Moreover, trade unions should make serious investments in R&D in the field of occupational health and safety.”
Transparency and Privacy Warning
Öksüz also drew attention to the issue of transparency in digital systems, warning against unaccountable algorithmic decision-making mechanisms. He stressed that workers’ health and safety data should never be used in performance evaluations, disciplinary procedures, or dismissal processes. He noted that this approach constitutes one of the core principles of the ILO’s Decent Work agenda.
OHS: A Fundamental Labour and Human Right
In his concluding remarks, Hamza Öksüz emphasized that occupational health and safety should not be regarded as a matter of cost, productivity, or administrative burden, stating:
“Occupational health and safety is, above all, a fundamental labour and human right, and an integral part of preventive health measures that require continuity.”