Brasília, April 29, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The Brazilian government announced three measures yesterday (28) to manifest its commitment to reduce on-the-job accidents: A partnership was signed between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Employment to develop joint efforts within the National Program for the Erradication of Silicosis; a progressive reduction in consumer products containing benzine was determined; and the Second National Conference on Workers' Health, with the theme "Work, yes. Get sick, no," was convoked for the period July 3-6, 2005.

The measures were announced at a ceremony attended by the Ministers of Health, Humberto Costa, Social Security, Almir Lando, and Labor and Employment, Ricardo Berzoini. They signed a term of technical cooperation and four administrative orders related to programs in the area of workers' health. Yesterday (28) was the date of the National Day of Mourning in Memory of the Victims of Workplace Accidents and Diseases.

The statistics on workplace deaths and accidents around the world are alarming. The International Labor Organization (ILO) says that nearly two million people die each year on the job. This is equivalent to nearly five thousand deaths daily or three lives lost every minute. In Brazil, in 2002 alone, around 3 thousand workers were killed, and 15 thousand were permanently disabled.

Translator: David Silberstein