As digital technology becomes embedded in everyday life, its role in protecting workers and strengthening health and safety systems is also expanding. In its updated Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2027, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to helping countries adopt digital tools responsibly - a move with significant implications for occupational health, safety management and risk prevention worldwide.

While digital health is often associated with personal wellbeing or fitness tracking, the WHO’s strategy signals a broader shift. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and connected devices are increasingly being recognised as tools that can support safer working environments, stronger regulatory oversight and more resilient health systems.

A Global Push for Safer, Smarter Systems

According to the WHO, at least 129 countries now have national digital health strategies in place, and thousands of government officials have received training in digital health and AI. The goal is not simply innovation for its own sake, but the creation of systems that are accessible, secure and effective, particularly in low and middle-income countries where health and safety risks are often highest.

From an occupational health and safety perspective, digital tools have the potential to support:

• Early identification of workplace health risks
• Improved monitoring of hazardous exposures
• Better reporting and analysis of incidents and near misses
• Stronger coordination between employers, regulators and health authorities

These capabilities are increasingly relevant in industries such as construction, manufacturing, energy, logistics and healthcare, where complex risks require timely, data-driven decision-making.

Governance, Accountability and Trust

A central theme of the WHO strategy is governance. As digital tools become more powerful, the organisation stresses the importance of clear standards around safety, data protection, interoperability and ethical use - particularly where AI and large-scale data systems are involved.

For health and safety professionals, this emphasis mirrors long-standing concerns about accountability and control. Digital systems used to assess risk, monitor workers or inform safety decisions must be transparent, reliable and properly regulated. Without this, there is a danger that technology could obscure responsibility rather than strengthen it.

Putting Workers at the Centre

Another pillar of the WHO’s approach is human-centred design. Applied to workplace health and safety, this means digital tools should support workers - not surveil them, exclude them or shift risk onto individuals.

Inclusive design, clear communication and proper training are essential to ensure that digital safety systems improve protection rather than create new inequalities. This is particularly important for older workers, migrant workers and those in informal or precarious employment, who are often most exposed to health and safety risks.

Looking Ahead

As countries prepare to update their strategies beyond 2027, the WHO’s message is clear: Digital health tools are becoming a core part of modern health and safety infrastructure. When implemented responsibly, they can strengthen prevention, improve compliance and support safer work across borders.

For organisations operating globally, this strategy reinforces the need to align digital innovation with established health and safety principles. Technology alone cannot prevent harm - but used well, it can help build safer systems, better oversight and stronger protection for workers everywhere.

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