Work-related deaths kill nearly two million people a year: UN

Representation pic

Work-related illnesses and injuries kill nearly two million people annually, largely due to long working hours, the UN said on Friday, warning that the pandemic was likely to worsen the situation.

Long working hours "are the single deadliest occupational risk factor" WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference in a video statement.

Exposure to long working hours, defined as working 55 hours a week or more, was deemed responsible for some 7,50,000 deaths in 2016, the report said. "It's shocking to see so many people literally being killed by their jobs," Tedros said, describing the report as "a wake-up call to countries and businesses to protect the health and safety of workers."

1.9 mn
No. of people who died due to work-related reasons in 2016

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