Awareness of occupational health and safety is a basic requirement for all workers especially those who work with machines. It helps the workers follow protective and preventive measures for workplace safety. The safe working environment is a basic need for both formal and informal economy workers. Unfortunately, in Nepal, a large number of workers are unaware of the use of safety measures which sometimes lead to major workplace accidents. Employers do not seem to be much concerned about workers’ social security. The existing labor laws have an obligatory provision to make necessary arrangement for safe workplace environment and compensation in case of any mishaps. But the employers who retrench the workforce are reluctant to address the issues of social security as provided by law.  Consequently, many workers suffer serious injuries, physical disability and even death due to the lack of required awareness on occupational health.

Thus with the purpose of bringing about public awareness among workers on their occupational health and safety, ITUC-NAC organizes nationwide awareness campaigns from time to time in coordination with central and plant level federations. To date, altogether 44 OSH committees have been jointly formed across the nation under the initiative of GEFONT and NTUC, in particular. It has so far conducted several OSH awareness training/orientations to empower the existing OSH committees throughout the nation. It has also been pressing both employers and the government to implement OHS policy to ensure a safe working environment in all workplace settings. The initiative taken by ITUC-NAC has drastically brought about many positive changes in the workplace environment in different sectors. The implementation of OHS schemes in many industries/factories have saved the life of thousands of workers.