Public Health Institute of GeorgiaCaucasus · Central Asia · Eastern Europe · Türkiye ქართული

Environment, Work & Health

Occupational safety, environmental and climate exposures, chemicals, waste and consumer product safety — protecting people where they live and work.

Health facility in an emerging economy
Health facility in an emerging economy

Why it matters in the region

Work and the environment shape health long before people reach a clinic. The International Labour Organization estimates that nearly three million people die each year from work-related accidents and diseases — most of them from diseases that appear years after exposure to dust, chemicals, long hours or heat.

In the region, mining, construction, agriculture and fast-growing cities expose workers and residents to serious risks, while labour inspection, exposure monitoring and consumer product control are still developing. Climate change is adding heat and air-quality risks on top.

2.93Mwork-related deaths every year worldwideSource: ILO, 2023
2.6Mof these deaths come from work-related diseases; 330,000 from accidentsSource: ILO, 2023
18,970deaths and 22.85 million injuries a year are caused by excessive heat at workSource: ILO–EU
Work-related deaths per year, worldwide (millions)
Work-related diseases2.6
Work accidents0.33
Source: ILO, A Call for Safer and Healthier Working Environments (2023)

Our approach

We work where exposure meets policy: publishing clear information on regulations, building independent evaluation of consumer products, and supporting safer standards for workplaces and facilities.

Occupational safety and healthSafer workplaces in mining, industry, agriculture and health care.
Environmental and climate exposuresAir pollution, heat and other environmental risks to health.
Chemicals and wasteSafe management of medical waste, chemicals and hazardous materials.
Consumer product safetyIndependent evaluation of food supplements and public information for consumers.

Projects and results

Selected work to date. Each entry shows years, role and result.

June 2025

Safe Supplement Georgia

PHIG · supplement.ge

Independent evaluation of food supplements and a public database of more than 28,000 products.

2024

National fitness standards with Georgia Active

PHIG, ASF and Georgia Active

Certification and accreditation of fitness facilities, programmes and instructors to European standards.

2026

Environmental health regulations in English and Georgian

PHIG · open access

Summaries of medical waste, disinfection, waste strategy and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat regulations.

Evidence, tools and resources

Regulations

Programmes

GMJ thematic platforms

Research, policy analysis and curated resources on this topic are published in the Georgian Medical Journal’s thematic platform and knowledge hub.

PHIG–GMJ knowledge hubOccupational Safety and HealthEvidence and resources on workplace safety and workers' health.Open knowledge hub →on gmj.ge ↗
PHIG–GMJ knowledge hubEvidence Hub: Weight, Supplements & Physical ActivityWeight management, dietary supplements, physical activity and lifestyle health communication.Open knowledge hub →on gmj.ge ↗

Experts

Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhDChair, Public Health Institute of Georgia

Former WHO staff member (Noncommunicable Diseases, Geneva); principal public health adviser to the Prime Minister of Georgia during COVID-19 (2020–22); member of the UN Secretary-General’s Independent Accountability Panel (2016–21); humanitarian and development work in more than 25 countries.

Partners

Georgia Active
EuropeActive
EREPS

Work with us

We are looking for partners for studies and programmes on occupational and environmental health in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

  • Scoping studies on occupational and environmental exposures
  • Independent evaluation of consumer health products
  • Training on occupational safety and health for managers and inspectors
  • Public information on heat, air quality and chemical safety
Working on environmental or occupational health in the region?We join consortia, co-author research and deliver training.
Propose a partnership