OSH: Prevention and Reinforcement

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OSH Prevention and Reinforcement EU perspective
Riga, 20-21 November 2008
Zinta Podniece Working Environment Information
Unit
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Content

• Extent of OSH problems
• Community OSH Strategy 2007-2012
• European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
  (EU-OSHA)
• Lighten the Load Campaign EU-OSHA and SLIC
  co-operation

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Work
-
related Fatalities

EU 27
225 million economically active, employment 205
million
-
167,000
fatalities attributed to work
-
related accidents
and diseases in EU, and within that
-
159,000
fatalities attributed to work
-
related diseases
-
7,460
fatalities caused by accidents at work in the EU,
-
74,000
fatalities attributed to hazardous
substances at work in the EU, (asbestos included)
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Community Strategy 2007-12

• Objective of Community Strategy 2007-12
• Ongoing, sustainable and uniform reduction in
  accidents at work and occupational illnesses
• 25 reduction in the total incidence rate of
  accidents at work per 100.000 workers in the EU-27

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• Instruments/ secondary objectives

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• Instruments/ secondary objectives

A modern and effective legislative framework
Strengthening implementation of Community
legislation Supporting SMEs in the implementation
of EU legislation
Reinforcing cooperation to monitor the
application of legislation (SLIC)
Improving and simplifying legislative framework
adapt to change
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EU-OSHA

• Aim - help improve working conditions in the
  European Union by providing technical, scientific
  and economic information to people involved in
  safety and health at work
• Key areas of activity
• Network development
• building the links
• Information projects
• developing knowledge
• Information services
• communicating knowledge

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Lighten the LoadEU-OSHA MSDs campaign

• Awareness raising and information campaign
• Purpose
• Take forward European action on MSDs initiated by
  the EW 2000
• Extend the scope of campaign activities, e.g.
  themes covered
• Involve all 27 MS and EFTA countries
• Aim
• Support employers, workers, safety reps,
  practitioners, preventive services, other
  stakeholders in improving MSDs prevention (all
  levels) at workplace level

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Lighten the LoadEU-OSHA MSDs campaign
Main theme of the MSDs campaign

• Promoting an integrated management approach to
  tackle MSDs
• Prevention of MSDs by addressing the whole load
  on the body
• Managing the retention, rehabilitation and return
  to work of those who suffer, or have suffered,
  MSDs
• Synergy with the SLIC campaign on manual handling
  in the care and transport sector

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Lighten the LoadSLIC campaign

• European inspection campaign on manual handling
  of loads in transport and care sectors
• Campaign goals
• Better compliance in the EU with EU Directive
  90/269/EEC Manual Handling of Loads in order to
  reduce musculoskeletal disorders in labour
• Improving the inspection and communication
  methods of the national labour inspectorates
• Greater harmony in the enforcement of the manual
  handling of loads throughout the EU

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Lighten the LoadEU-OSHA and SLIC co-operation

• Mutually supporting and reinforcing campaigns to
  ensure synergy and European added value
• Co-operation
• Co-ordination between the campaigns
• Using the same logo and slogan
• Mutual promotion
• Linking campaign websites
• Collaboration between the EU-OSHA Focal Points
  and SLIC members
• Hosting SLIC interactive risk assessment and
  training tool

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(No Transcript)
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Lighten the LoadSLIC campaign

• Inspections in Transport
• In 22 countries, 790 inspectors inspected
• 27 of all harbours in these countries
• 44 of the airports
• In total 2340 companies were inspected
• Inspections in Care
• In 24 countries, 980 inspectors inspected
• 24 of all hospitals in these countries
• 37 of the elderly homes
• 16 of the homes for mentally / physically
  handicapped persons
• In total 3037 companies were inspected

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Lighten the LoadSLIC campaign

• Still to be done
• Companies risk awareness and - knowledge is not
  always high enough
• Risk assessment is not common yet
• In the care a lot of building/ construction
  matters make use of aids difficult
• The manual handling risks at facility services in
  care are not always recognized focus at patient
  handling
• 2008 SLIC campaign manual handling in the
  construction and retail sector

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• Thank you for your attention!
• podniece_at_osha.europa.eu
• More information at
• http//osha.europa.eu/