The most comprehensive overview to date of health and safety in the EU was recently published by the Bilbao-based European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.
Published on the Web, The State of Occupational Safety and Health in the European Union highlights increased concern at the safety and health risks faced by workers in all sectors of the European economy.
On health and safety in Irish workplaces, the report identifies some 15 areas that need preventive management, including: vibration, noise, chemicals handling, carcinogens, infectious and non-infectious biological hazards, reproductive hazards, neurotoxic substances, physical violence, bullying, stress, accidents leading to more than three days' absence, occupational diseases, fatal accidents and occupational sickness absence.
Based on national reports from the 15 member states, the publication reveals there are significant safety and health risks in sectors not traditionally associated with high workplace risk, like health and social work. The risks inherent in such sectors have been recognised, given the recent appreciation of so-called "soft" risks such as stress, workplace violence and ergonomics. Meanwhile, traditionally recognised dangerous sectors such as construction, mining, manufacturing, transport and agriculture remain high-risk occupations and continue to top the list of "occupations most at risk". The report also reveals widespread concern about the risks faced by workers in sales, customer service and the healthcare sectors.
The self-employed, temporary workers and those on short-term contracts were identified by the report as being more at risk because of their restricted resources and their limited access to safety and health training and information.
Men tend to me more exposed to hazards caused by noise, vibration and high and low temperature than women, says the report. "Furthermore, men were considered most at risk to accidents at work which result in more than three days' absence, to fatal accidents and to occupational diseases. "In general, women were considered at risk from repetitive movements and sexual harassment."
Meanwhile, smaller enterprises tend to involve greater risk because of restricted resources of time, finance and expertise. Young workers are particularly vulnerable to hazards at work. Emerging risks include changed work organisations, identified as a significant concern. New chemicals such as pesticides or cold disinfectants for medical uses were also singled out.
Older workers were likewise identified as a sector with research needs. The report identifies weaknesses in the availability of key data across the EU. Differences in monitoring systems result in data that cannot easily be compared with other member-states.
Mr Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, director of the agency, said that the publication of the study "marks an important first step on the road towards a comprehensive occupational safety and health monitoring system for Europe".
http://agency.osha.eu.int/ publications/reports/stateofosh
jmarms@irish-times.ie
