What are OSH principles?

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) principles are guiding values that define what good practice looks like in workplace safety, health and wellbeing. They underpin standards, policies and systems used worldwide.

Why did IOSH create the OSH principles?

IOSH developed the 10 OSH principles to provide a universal benchmark for what ‘good’ OSH should look like. They support decent work by ensuring workers’ safety, wellbeing and rights are prioritised globally.

Who are the OSH principles for?

They are designed for governments and regulators, organisations and duty holders, and workers themselves—creating a shared vision of safer and healthier workplaces.

How can businesses use the OSH principles?

Companies can adopt the principles to guide their health and safety strategies, align with international best practice, and strengthen workplace culture.

What do the 10 OSH principles cover?

The principles focus on prevention, worker rights, accountability, leadership, collaboration, evidence-led risk management, knowledge sharing, learning and improvement, rehabilitation, and ethical values.

Where can I learn more about applying OSH principles?

You can read IOSH’s published resources, as well as Lighthouse Safety’s blog, which explains how the principles apply in practice and why they matter to modern workplaces.

Home | News | 10 principles of good occupational safety and health

10 principles of good occupational safety and health

10 OSH Principles for Decent Work

In March 2025, IOSH released its 10 principles of good occupational safety and health (OSH) – a set of guiding values designed to show what ‘good’ looks like in workplace health, safety and wellbeing. At Lighthouse Safety, we believe these principles provide a strong foundation for organisations of every size, in every sector, and we’re pleased to share their importance with our own community of safety professionals.

While the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has long defined safety standards through conventions and regulations, IOSH’s work goes a step further: providing a concise, universal set of principles that are adaptable, practical, and designed to support today’s rapidly changing world of work.

Why Are These Principles Needed?

The world of work is changing fast – new technologies, flexible working, and evolving risks all impact how safety is managed. Yet until now, there hasn’t been a single, accessible reference point for OSH fundamentals that could be applied globally across governments, organisations and workers.

These principles fill that gap by:

Defining what good OSH looks like in a clear, universal way
Offering a benchmark for performance and a tool for policy, education and advocacy
Aligning with the ILO’s recognition of a safe and healthy workplace as a fundamental right
Embedding OSH into the sustainability agenda, linking safe work with broader social and economic wellbeing

How the Principles Were Developed

IOSH consulted widely with regulators, employers, workers, academics and international partners to ensure these principles reflected real-world needs. Originally, they considered separate principles for governments, organisations, and workers – but through consultation, these perspectives were united into one set of 10 overarching principles, adaptable across all contexts.

A particularly important outcome was the worker lens. The principles aren’t just about responsibilities for employers – they also reinforce what workers are entitled to expect from safe and healthy working conditions. This shift makes the principles a powerful resource for education and empowerment.

The 10 Guiding OSH Principles

IOSH has defined ten foundational principles that underpin good OSH worldwide:

Prevention – Injury and ill health at work are preventable.
Worker Rights – Safety and health are basic rights and vital to sustainable development.
Accountability – Enforcement and accountability deter poor practices and build sustainable ones.
Commitment – Leadership, commitment and policy form the backbone of good OSH.
Collaboration – Working together with all stakeholders, including workers, builds resilience.
Evidence-driven Risk Mitigation – Risk-led, evidence-based approaches support proportionate, proactive action.
Knowledge Provision – Open and trustworthy information sharing creates shared understanding.
Learning and Improvement – Data-driven insights inform continuous improvement.
Rehabilitation – Systems that support recovery and reintegration protect workers after injury or illness.
Ethical Values – Recognising diversity and respecting difference ensures equitable protection for all.

What This Means for OSH Professionals

For Lighthouse Safety and the wider safety community, these principles provide:

A shared language to engage organisations, regulators, and workers in conversations about safety
A guide for decision-making, helping leaders to embed safety into strategy and culture
A tool for education and advocacy, strengthening the case for investment in health and safety

IOSH has already begun work to publish guidance and toolkits to help organisations put these principles into practice, along with measures to track their impact.

At Lighthouse Safety, we see these principles not as abstract ideas, but as practical drivers of safer, healthier, and fairer workplaces. We encourage our clients, learners, and partners to reflect on how these principles can shape their own organisations, policies, and day-to-day practices.