In a significant stride toward strengthening global workplace safety, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has adopted its first-ever international labour standards specifically aimed at safeguarding workers from biological hazards, including future pandemics. This development follows the conclusion of the 113th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) held in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 13, 2025.
The new framework, which includes a binding convention and a detailed recommendation, establishes global legal and practical tools for mitigating occupational exposure to dangerous biological agents such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. These measures come in response to lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and seek to fortify workplaces against emerging and everyday health threats.
According to the ILO, the new convention mandates that member states develop and enforce national policies for the prevention and control of biological hazards in workplaces. Employers will be required to:
Conduct regular biological risk assessments
Implement protective and preventive measures
Provide adequate training and information to workers
Ensure the availability of protective equipment and emergency procedures
The accompanying recommendation goes further, offering detailed technical guidance on early warning systems, emergency response, and infection control methods. It outlines exposure routes such as airborne transmission, skin contact, ingestion, and vector-borne infections, giving policymakers and employers a scientific basis for effective implementation.
ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo, in his closing remarks at the conference, hailed the agreement as a turning point in global labour standards:
“This is a landmark achievement in advancing global occupational safety. With this convention, we are better prepared to protect workers against future pandemics and everyday biological threats alike.”
This development is expected to significantly influence labour legislation and occupational health systems globally, including in Nigeria, where biological safety standards in both public and private sectors remain underdeveloped. Sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, food production, and transportation, where biological exposure is high, will be expected to adopt stricter protocols in line with the new ILO framework.
Labour rights advocates in Nigeria have welcomed the development, calling on the Federal Government to domesticate the convention and support employers, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in adopting protective standards.
Beyond biological risks, the ILC also opened its first standard-setting discussion on decent work in the platform economy, a rapidly growing sector globally and across Africa. Delegates agreed on a draft framework for a future convention and recommendation, to be adopted in 2026, that will cover:
Fair remuneration
Social protection for gig workers
Occupational health rights
Data protection and dispute resolution
This is especially relevant in countries like Nigeria, where the informal and digital labour markets constitute over 60% of total employment, yet often lack structured worker protections.
The ILC also adopted a resolution to reduce informal employment through policy reforms, broader social protection coverage, and targeted support for vulnerable groups transitioning to formal work.
Other key outcomes from the conference include:
Seven amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (2006) to bolster seafarers’ rights, access to healthcare, and protection from workplace violence
18 new ratifications of international labour instruments from eight member countries
The launch of a global roadmap to combat informal employment and advance decent work for all
These developments reinforce the ILO’s mission of promoting inclusive, resilient, and rights-based workplaces, especially as the world navigates new socio-economic challenges post-pandemic.
Member countries, including Nigeria, are expected to:
Begin ratification processes for the new biological hazards convention
Update national occupational safety legislation
Design industry-specific implementation plans, especially in health and agriculture
Partner with trade unions, employers, and NGOs to ensure effective awareness and compliance
For businesses, especially in high-risk sectors, this calls for investment in workplace hygiene, employee training, and the integration of early warning systems for biological risks. The ILO has pledged technical assistance to help countries roll out the measures effectively.