ILO and Netherlands Launch Project to Protect Ukraine’s Energy Workers

“This project places workers’ safety and health at the centre of energy resilience,” said Aida Lindmeier, Director of the ILO Country Office for Ukraine.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of the Netherlands have signed a new agreement to protect and prepare Ukraine’s energy workforce for sustainable recovery, as energy workers continue operating under extreme and life-threatening conditions amid ongoing attacks on critical infrastructure.

The project, Protecting and Preparing Ukraine’s Energy Workforce for Sustainable Recovery, was developed jointly with Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and employers’ and workers’ organizations. It supports frontline workers who are restoring and maintaining electricity, heating and other essential services while facing heightened security risks and operational strain.

Protecting Workers Keeping Essential Services Running

Ukraine’s energy workers play a critical role in sustaining daily life — powering homes, hospitals and enterprises — often while exposed to shelling, unexploded ordnance, severe fatigue and intense psychosocial stress.

As attacks on energy infrastructure have intensified in recent months, the need to protect those carrying out urgent repairs has become increasingly urgent.

“This project places workers’ safety and health at the centre of energy resilience,” said Aida Lindmeier, Director of the ILO Country Office for Ukraine. “It strengthens protection for those restoring essential services today, while laying the foundations for a future-ready workforce aligned with Ukraine’s recovery and European path.”

Strengthening Safety, Health and Inclusion

The initiative responds directly to the risks faced by energy repair and maintenance crews by:

• Strengthening occupational safety and health (OSH) systems in high-risk conditions

• Expanding psychosocial support for workers operating under sustained stress

• Piloting inclusive workplace measures to support the safe reintegration of veterans, women, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons into the energy workforce

By addressing both physical and mental health risks, the project aims to improve immediate safety outcomes while supporting long-term workforce stability.

Preparing for a Greener, More Decentralized Energy Future

Beyond emergency response, the project supports longer-term workforce preparedness by helping anticipate future skills needs and integrating OSH into training systems linked to Ukraine’s energy transition.

This includes support for skills development aligned with a more modern, decentralized and greener energy system, including renewable energy and large-scale infrastructure recovery.

Netherlands: Protecting Workers Is Key to Energy Resilience

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Aukje de Vries underscored the urgency of supporting energy workers.

“Having visited Ukraine recently, I have seen the dire consequences attacks on energy facilities have on daily life, especially during this extremely harsh winter,” she said. “Not only do energy facilities need support — the workers facing extreme challenges every day need protection too.”

“Through our cooperation with the ILO, we aim to strengthen occupational safety and health so repairs and maintenance can be carried out more safely, even under critical conditions, leading to a more resilient energy system in Ukraine.”

Part of ILO’s Global Safety + Health for All Programme

Implemented in close cooperation with the Government of Ukraine and employers’ and workers’ organizations, the project forms part of the ILO’s Safety + Health for All Flagship Programme — the development cooperation arm of the ILO Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health.

Through this framework, the initiative advances the fundamental right to a safe and healthy working environment by delivering sustainable policy and workplace solutions, particularly in high-risk sectors and supply chains.

As Ukraine continues to defend and rebuild its energy system, the project underscores a clear message: protecting workers is essential not only for recovery, but for long-term resilience and stability.