By Shelly Asquith, TUC Health & Safety Officer
In June 2025, the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva made history by adopting the first-ever international labour standards to prevent and protect workers from biological hazards in the workplace.
This landmark Convention, championed by unions worldwide, recognises the huge risks workers face from exposure to bacteria, fungi, viruses, and allergens, as well as the lessons from Covid-19. It enshrines the precautionary principle for emerging threats and is the first occupational safety and health standard to consider the impact of climate change on exposure.
Key protections include:
•The right to refuse dangerous work and to report concerns without fear of retaliation.
•Obligations for governments and employers to prevent, eliminate, or control biological hazards, with special measures for high-risk sectors like health, construction, agriculture, food production, transport and forestry.
•Recognition of vulnerable groups, including migrant and disadvantaged workers, and a commitment to gender-sensitive approaches.
•Universal access to occupational health services and income protection during disease outbreaks.
•Free PPE and training during paid work time.
•Special provisions for pandemics, including support for workers in isolation or quarantine and protection from dismissal during such periods.
Rob Miguel, National Officer for Health and Safety at Unite, represented Britain as our worker representative at the conference, playing a key role in an intense two weeks of negotiations. Rob said, “This milestone convention represents a major step forward in securing safe and healthy working environments for all, especially those most exposed to biological agents, substances or products… The new instruments establish clear obligations for governments and employers to prevent, eliminate, or where elimination is not possible, control biological hazards”
The Convention also demands strong enforcement, whistleblower protections, and cross-border cooperation. Recommendations urge free vaccinations and testing for workers at risk.
Next step: Unions and activists must now push governments to ratify and implement this groundbreaking agreement – ensuring every worker, in every sector, has the protection they need against biological hazards.
You can read the full ILO announcement here, and a write-up on UniteLive here.