The International Conference on “Humanizing Workplaces: Vision Zero for Safety, Health & Wellbeing” is being held on 25 February 2026 at Courtyard by Marriott, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, India. This conference is jointly organized by the ISSA Section on Prevention in the Construction Industry, the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), and the Indo-German Cooperation for Safety, Health and Wellbeing (IGC-SHW).

Conference overview

The contemporary world of work is increasingly shaped by rapid industrialization, technological transformation, climate change, extreme temperature related health problems, UV-related skin damages, and intensified production demands. These conditions or job demands are compelling to exceed the physical, mental or psychological capacities of workers. It occurs when work systems ignore natural human thresholds related to strength, endurance, attention, thermal tolerance, recovery time, and cognitive load.

Such violations are commonly seen in excessive working hours and night shifts leading to fatigue and reduced alertness; heat, cold, noise, radiation and vibration exposure beyond safe tolerance levels; high work intensity, unrealistic targets, and time pressure; poor ergonomics causing musculoskeletal strain; psychosocial stress, including job insecurity, harassment, and lack of control. Consequences include accidents, occupational diseases, burnout, reduced productivity, and longterm health damage. Therefore, preventing the violation of human limits is essential to ensure safety, health, wellbeing, and dignity at work, especially in high-risk occupations.

In this context, Vision Zero emerges as a transformative approach that affirms a simple yet powerful principle: all work-related injuries, illnesses, and harm (physical, social and mental) are preventable. Vision Zero moves beyond narrow compliance-based safety models to embrace a holistic understanding of work, integrating physical safety, occupational health, mental wellbeing, environmental protection, and dignity at work. It emphasizes leadership accountability, worker engagement, prevention-oriented design, and the creation of supportive organizational cultures.

Conference objectives

This International Conference provides a global platform guided by the Vision Zero philosophy, affirming that all work-related injuries, diseases, and harm, whether physical or psychological, are preventable.

The conference aims to:

• Align OSH strategies with the challenges posed by climate change,
• Address the full spectrum of occupational stresses in workplaces,
• Promote a human-centred understanding of work,
• Inspire commitment to safer, healthier, and more humane workplaces.

Who should attend

• Policymakers and regulators,
• Industry leaders and employers,
• Occupational safety and health professionals,
• Human resource and wellbeing professionals,
• Researchers, academicians, and students, and
• NGOs, consultants, and all stakeholders.

Conference outcome

Participants will gain insights into humanistic prevention strategies, emerging risks such as heat and psychosocial stress, and practical pathways to embed Vision Zero into policy, organizational culture, and everyday work practices, contributing to safer, healthier, and more humane workplaces worldwide.

Further details, including the full programme and registration information, will be available soon.