The European Commission's Directorate for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE)supports the efforts of EU countries to protect and improve the health of their citizens and to ensure the accessibility, effectiveness and resilience of their health systems. European food safety and healthcare may be affected by Brexit. The coronavirus crisis has darkened the long shadow cast by austerity over the health and care systems across the European Union. The European statistical office (Eurostat) publishes data in as standardised a form as possible. This means you must evaluate all the risks your employees may be exposed to and put in place preventive, and protective measures, such as ensuring that each worker has received the necessary health and safety information and training. Under the ‘ordinary legislative procedure’, it is the European Council and the European Parliament that adopt EU directives. The Director manages EU-OSHA and is accountable to a tripartite Governing Board (EU governments, employers, workers) and the European Commission. 1. The current post of Commissioner is held by Stella Kyriakidou (Greek: Στέλλα Κυριακίδου) from Cyprus, a psychologist and politician of the conservative Democratic Rally party. Safety and health legislation A wide variety of Community measures in the field of safety and health at work have been adopted on the basis of Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It is also one of the most hazardous industriesin the EU as well as in many other countries around the world. On that legal basis, a series of technical directives under the so-called ‘New Approach’ were adopted whereby the European standardisation organisations — European Committee for Standardization (CEN), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) — set and update European standards on a regular basis. The starting point for legislative initiatives at European level is a legislative proposal drafted by the European Commission. Licensing and selling intellectual property, Infringement of intellectual property rights, Taxes on parent companies and subsidiaries, Request a review of a public procurement procedure, E-commerce, distance and off-premises selling, Package travel and linked travel arrangements, Technical documentation and EU declaration of conformity, Classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals, UK government information and guidance on Brexit, How European workplaces manage safety and health risks (survey), Online interactive Risk Assessment tools and solutions, Other tools and publications related to health and safety at work, EU directive on health and safety at work - general rules, Publications Office of the European Union, Assess the risks arising from the hazards; for example, estimate the probability and severity of the consequences and decide whether the risk can be tolerated, name and function of the person(s) carrying out the examination, groups of workers facing particular risks, necessary protective measures – when you would plan to introduce them, who would be responsible for them and how you would monitor progress. There are no EU rules that describe exactly how you should conduct risk assessments, however, in some countries, national rules may include more detailed requirements concerning the content and form of risk assessments. It takes the view that work must be adapted to people’s abilities and n… Where individual directives contain more stringent and specific provisions, these special provisions prevail. Following a case brought by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), in a judicial review handed on 13 November, Mr Justice Chamberlain found that the UK has failed to grant workers in the ‘gig economy’ the rights they are entitled to under EU Health and Safety law. 3. EuroCommerce has been an active participant over the years in campaigns on, for example, healthy aging and dangerous substances organised by the European Occupational Safety and Health Agency OSHA. The European Social Partners play a vital role in the European decision-making process in the field of safety and health at work, as they have to be consulted at various stages. Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation. EU health policy focuses on protecting and improving health, giving equal access to modern and efficient healthcare for all Europeans, and coordinating any serious health threats involving more than one EU country. Proposing legislation 2. Providing financial support 3. This year’s European Week for safety and health at work is raising awareness about the upcoming Healthy Workplaces campaign 2020-2022, with the topic ‘Healthy workplaces lighten the load’, by tackling work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Advisory groups provide strategic guidance. Once you have conducted the risk assessment you will need to document the results. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union with the task of collecting, analysing and disseminating relevant information that can serve the needs of people involved in safety and health at work. European Week for safety and health at work 2020. on an EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-2020. HSE Jobs Europe. Moreover, the new Social Chapter authorised the European Commission to promote social dialogue between employers and labour representatives at European level. Europe's medical agency eyes safety of 2 COVID-19 vaccines The European Medicines Agency said it would convene a meeting on December 29 to decide if there is enough data about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech for it to be approved. Under the ‘ordinary legislative procedure’, it is the European Council and the European Parliament that adopt EU directives. The UK has left the EU, and the transition period after Brexit comes to an end this year. Health promotion activities. Sexual harassment at work. In addition, some EU directives based on Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union relate to safety and health aspects. Directive summaries are available only in English, but links at the end of each summary lead to the full text of the directive in all EU languages. The Framework Directive, with its wide scope of application, and further directives focusing on specific aspects of safety and health at work are the fundamentals of European safety and health legislation. The information network is made up of focal points in over 30 European countries. There are no EU rules that describe exactly how you should conduct risk assessments, however, in some countries, national rules may include more detailed requirements concerning the content and form of risk assessments. There are certain actions to take while conducting a risk assessment: 1. Identify the possible hazards 3. The Personal Protection Equipment at Work Regulations 1992: Ensuring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided where necessary, including adequate training and instruction in its use. Takeaway: Whilst EHS laws and directives are binding for the whole of the EU, national legislation and how it is enforced actually varies quite a bit between European countries. The European Union has a solid framework covering health and safety regulations at work, adopted on the basis of Article 153 of the Lisbon Treaty. The European Union sets legislation in the form of directives, based on the legal foundation established in Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Public-health and healthcare organisations and trade unions warned that the budget cuts after the 2008 economic crisis would lead to inequalities in health outcomes and increase risks to staff safety in the long term. Coordinating and facilitating the exchange of best practices between EU countries and health experts 4. By inserting this provision into the Treaty, the importance of safe working conditions was made evident. Health and safety regulation In respect of health and safety, the biggest change was the Health and Safety Framework Directive (89/391/EEC) and five “daughter” directives1which established broad-based obligations on member states to ensure that employers evaluate, avoid and reduce workplace risks in consultation with their workforce. Parliament has also had a significant influence on directives which improve working conditions. It has adopted many resolutions calling for all aspects directly or indirectly affecting the physical or mental wellbeing of workers to be covered by EU legislation. Under the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the UK ceded authority to the EU regarding the working environment to protect workers’ health and safety. It … Collect the relevant information 2. There are certain actions to take while conducting a risk assessment: When making a risk assessment you will also need to pay attention to workers who might be especially vulnerable, and to others who might come to your premises such as contractors or visitors. The construction industry forms an important part of the economies of all countries, employing a substantial workforce. As an employer, you must ensure the health and safety of your employees in every aspect related to work. Individual directives tailor the principles of the Framework Directive to: The individual directives define how to assess these risks and, in some instances, set limit values for certain substances or agents. manual handling of loads), Specific hazards at work (e.g. This initiative builds on the previous EU Strategic Framework 2014-2020. It is binding in its entirety and obliges Member States to transpose it into national law within a set deadline. organisation of working time). It aims to maintain and improve the high health & safety standards for EU workers - also in light of new circumstances, and will help to prepare for new crises and threats. The three current major OSH challenges are: 1. to improve the implementation of existing health and safety rules, i… It will identify key objectives and set out a strategic framework to encourage EU countries and stakeholders to work together on common priorities. Parliament has frequently emphasised the need for optimal protection of workers’ health and safety. So far, European social dialogue has resulted in the adoption of several autonomous agreements. A smaller steering group of the Board, the Bureau, oversees the operational performance. ensuring enforcement of animal welfare laws, reviewing the current strategy and promoting European standards globally making sure Europe is equipped to prevent and fight transmittable animal diseases. You should find out what you can do now to prepare. Third party violence in the workplace. Health and Food Safety Directorate-General SANTE This Commission department is responsible for EU policy on food safety and health and for monitoring the implementation of related laws. This included a call on the European Commission to ensure Member States implemented specific preventative measures necessary to protect healthcare workers from injuries caused by needlesticks in view of the risk of infection from serious blood-borne infections, such as Hepatitis B and C and HIV. The Single European Act 1987 was a major step forward in that it introduced a new legal provision on social policy to the Treaty aiming for ‘improvements, especially in the working environment, as regards the health and safety of workers’. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is the central provider for health and safety guidance and information in Europe. You should also appoint at least one trained staff member to ensure these measures are complied with. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992: These provide for health and safety provisions regarding the use of display screen equipment. It is Council Directive … As Britain is part of the European Union, much of the health and safety law originates in Europe. Depending on what kind of business you are operating, you can also carry out a risk assessment with the help of a free online tool. On the occupational safety side, the argument for a Brexit is further weakened. 4. Impact assessment of occupational safety and health policy, Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Safer and Healthier Work for All - Modernisation of the EU Occupational Safety and Health Legislation and Policy, ex-post evaluation of the European Union occupational safety and health directives (REFIT evaluation), EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014–2020, #EU4FairWork Week of Action now up and running, Belgium – Reintegrating workers with a long-term illness, Specific tasks (e.g. If you don't have the necessary competences to conduct the risk assessment or to organise the preventive and protective health and safety measures within your company, you will need to ask a health and safety specialist to carry it out for you. Do you have questions on operating a business cross-border, for example exporting or expanding to another EU country? EU-OSHA Structure. EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work (2021-2027) – feedback invited on Commission roadmap The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the crucial importance of health, including health and safety at work. EU-OSHA Priority areas and activities. Although in many countries big efforts have been done to improve safety performance, t… Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union gives the EU the authority to adopt directives in the field of safety and health at work. Before this, occupational safety and health was seen as an annex to market harmonisation and the economic policies of the European Economic Community. When it comes to food safety, the UK “strenuously opposes including food legislation in its post-Brexit agreement”, Professor of European Public Health at the the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Martin McKee said. Ensuring a safe and healthy work environment for over 217 million workers in the EU is a strategic goal for the European Commission, working closely with Member States, social partners, and the other EU institutions and bodies. The European Directives on OSH set minimum standards for protecting workers. Member States may exceed those standards when transposing the Directives, but they may not lower existing ones. The most important legal act is the European Framework Directive (1989/391/EEC), which establishes general principles for managing safety and health, such as responsibility of the employer, rights/duties of workers, using risk assessments to continuously improve company processes, and workplace health and safety representation. Sometimes, you might have to take additional measures, for example, to prevent dangerous situations occurring and provide training on first aid, fire-fighting and evacuation of workers. It also presents a review of key impact assessments carried out in relation to occupational safety and health policies at the EU level and highlights the costs and benefits of the process. EU legislature has established a system of basic principles of safety and health management, which must be transposed into national law by the Member States. European directives are legally binding and have to … information about the involvement of workers and their representatives in the risk assessment process. Their data shows that GB performance is favourable, compared with other EU countries, with relatively low rates of fatalities, accidents and ill health. In February 2005, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on promoting health and safety in the workplace. Introduction — Setting the scene. If so, the Enterprise Europe Network can give you free advice. With the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997, the legislative competence in the field of European social policies was further strengthened by the incorporation of the social agreement into the Treaty. Carsten Brück, Kooperationsstelle Hamburg IFE GmbH, Germany. It supports the Commission in its efforts to improve the provision of information to SMEs. Proposals from the European Commission may be agreed by member states. Member States are free to adopt stricter rules for the protection of workers when transposing EU directives into national law. The latest is the EU Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Strategic Framework 2014–2020, which identifies key challenges and strategic objectives for health and safety at work, presents key actions and identifies instruments to address these. Demand for skilled HSE and Safety professionals within the energy industry remains high. In some cases, they delegate the legislative power to adapt directives to technical progress to the European Commission. Impact assessments allow policy makers to make informed choices on whether or not to implement a policy intervention and select an appropriate policy instrument. This article describes the process, key methodologies and tools used in impact assessment. 2. Analysis, evaluation, impact assessment The European Commission analyses important social and labour market trends, and evaluates the impact of EU policies and programmes. Health and safety systems differ across Europe. The EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014–2020 sets out the political framework for European safety and health policy. The European Commission has announced its top three occupational safety and health actions in its Communication Safer and Healthier Work for All - Modernisation of the EU Occupational Safety and Health Legislation and Policy, which is based on the ex-post evaluation of the European Union occupational safety and health directives (REFIT evaluation). The European Directives are transposed into national law by the legislatures in each Member State. Thus the principles are applicable in all Member States of the European Union. All subsequent Directives within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of the Framework Directive follow these common principles. Explore the latest HSE and Safety jobs in Europe with Energy Jobline, the world's largest energy and engineering job site. This is done through various means, including by: 1. The European Agency for safety and health at work (EU-OSHA) collaborates with an extensive network of … Aditya Jain, Nottingham University Business School, and Stavroula Leka, Centre for Organizational Health and Development, University of Nottingham. Impact assessment is a key process for setting out detailed information about the potential effects of policy measures including economic and social costs and benefits. This was due to a lack of an explicit legislative competence in the Treaty in the field of safety and health at work until the mid-1980s. The EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014–2020 sets out the political framework for European safety and health policy. The European Commission works with a wide range of partners such as national governments, representatives of trade unions and employers, NGOs and experts. In July 2006, the European Parliament adopted a resolution requesting that the Commission su… The EU has put into place a series of strategic frameworks on health and safety in order to better protect workers from work-related accidents and diseases. It sets strategies and goals. Managing Europe´s ageing workforce. temporary work sites, extractive industries, fishing vessels), Specific groups of workers (e.g. The starting point for legislative initiatives at European level is a legislative proposal drafted by the European Commission. Held each year in October (calendar week 43), the European Week for Safety and Health at Work is a highlight of every Healthy Workplaces Campaign. Disease prevention and response play a big part in the EU’s public health … Nevertheless, the Framework Directive continues to apply to all areas covered by the individual directives. The European Union enacts Directives in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH) based on the legal foundation of Article 153 of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. upholding EU safety standards on food imports, developing a strategy to counter food fraud. In Britain itself and in much of Europe, health and safety law is based on the principle of risk. For example, Directive 77/576/ EEC on the harmonisation of national laws on safety signs in the workplace and Directive 78/610/ EEC on the harmonisation of occupational exposure limits to vinyl chloride monomers were adopted on this basis. There are no specific EU requirements, but it's recommended that the written document includes at least the: For more details of what you have to do in a particular EU country, check the national health and safety at work rules. The member states are then responsible for making them part of their national law. After identifying the hazards and their possible effects, you will need to evaluate and prioritise the risks. In addition to the Framework Directive, a series of individual directives focusing on specific aspects of safety and health at work were adopted. Therefore, legislative requirements in the field of safety and health at work can vary across EU Member States. Energy Jobline provides a range of HSE Jobs and Safety Jobs within Europe across the engineering, renewables, oil and gas and nuclear sectors. Major safety hazards for construction workers include working at heights, in excavations and tunnels, on highways and in confined spaces; exposure to electricity, construction machinery, etc. Assess the risks arising from the hazards; for example, estimate the probability and severity of the consequences and decide whether the risk can be … Active Ageing in Europe. The EU-OSHA: works with governments, employers and workers; identifies current and future risks; shares information, good practice and advice that can improve working life; Laws for health and safety measures are the same throughout Europe, but rules … 1. The causes & perception of work-related stress. exposure to dangerous substances or physical agents), Specific workplaces and sectors (e.g. Workplaces, equipment, signs, personal protective equipment, Exposure to chemical agents and chemical safety, Provisions on workload, ergonomical and psychosocial risks, Sector specific and worker related provisions. The first European directives on safety and health at work were adopted on the basis of the general market harmonisation provisions. Your responsibility to protect the health and safety of people affected by your work activities remain. The Commissioner for Health and Food Safety is the member of the European Commission. A directive is a legal act provided for in the EU Treaty. You should also verify whether there are any legal obligations; these may be detailed in the risk assessment specifications or connected to more specific training of workers related to a given risk or activity sector. pregnant women, young workers, workers with a fixed duration employment contract), Certain work-related aspects (e.g. The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union also foresees the possibility of concluding autonomous agreements. The Treaty of Lisbon — apart from the renumbering of the Articles on social policy — kept the substance of the provisions of ex Articles 136 ff TEC (now Articles 151 ff of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). Get in touch with specialised assistance services, Get advice on EU rules that apply to your business / solve problems with a public authority. With hundreds of awareness-raising events taking place across the EU and beyond — and extra impetus given to media coverage — it is the ideal opportunity to get involved in the campaign.