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You are here: Home → European Campaign → 2008-2009: Healthy Workplaces

European Campaign for Safety and Health at Work 

 

European Campaign "A Healthy Workplace" 2008 and 2009

A Healthy Workplace is the new two-year European campaign (formerly the European Week) which generally raises awareness about safety and health at work. Every two years the exchange specific topic. In 2008 and 2009 is on promoting an integrated approach to risk assessment. Risk assessment is the cornerstone of the European approach to safety and health at work. There are good reasons for this. If the risk assessment process - the start of the process of risk management - not, or not properly executed, it's likely that no appropriate preventive measures are taken.

There is now a need for an integrated approach to risk assessments, which take into account the different steps of risk assessment, the different needs of individual employers and changes in the workplace, and that all workers in the process.

The Agency focuses on the spread of the general principles of an integrated risk assessment and the importance of such an assessment for effective prevention, and it will emphasize that risk assessments required, necessary and feasible.

What is a risk assessment?
A risk assessment is the process whereby health and safety risks arising from hazards in the workplace be evaluated.

A hazard is anything that can cause injuries, such as chemicals, electricity, machinery and equipment, an open tray, organizational aspects of work, etc.
The risk is the likelihood or probability - high or low - that someone by this or other hazards injured.
A risk assessment is a careful and systematic examination of all aspects of the work which determines what injuries or damage could cause or hazards can be eliminated and, if that is not possible, what preventive or protective measures are taken or should be taken to the risks.

Why this emphasis on risk assessments?
In a review of EU Framework Directive 89/391/EEC and his five 'daughter directives' is the need to improve risk assessment and practical implementation recognized. The revision was mainly in SMEs a general lack of awareness of the requirements and found a way of carrying out a risk assessment. More specifically showed that:

  • a risk assessment often as a single action is seen, which is not pursued;
  • risks not fully analyzed and assessed, the result is that individual, uncoordinated actions are taken;
  • during the implementation of superficial risk assessments focusing on the establishment of "clear and direct risks';
  • long term effects, for example, be caused by chemical substances are disregarded;
  • there is rarely taken into account psychosocial risks and organizational factors at work;
  • Employers insufficient to monitor the effectiveness of the measures taken. 
      

The aim of risk assessment
Every employer has a moral obligation and legal responsibility to ensure the safety and health of workers in all aspects of work safety. On the basis of a risk assessment can be taken effective measures to ensure the safety and health of workers.

These measures include:

  • the prevention of work-related risks;
  • the dissemination of information and the training of workers;
  • the provision of the structure and resources to implement the necessary measures.

The risk assessment should be structured and applied to employers and other leaders to help:

  • hazards in the workplace to recognize and identify risk;
  • the risk that these dangers is linked to evaluate;
  • determine what measures should be taken to ensure the safety and health of workers and others to protect the opportunities within the current law;
  • Preventive and protective measures; monitor and examine whether the measures taken effect or be implemented.

The campaign "Healthy Workplace" of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work wants employers, employees, agents for the safety of workers, professionals, arbo-/preventiediensten, policy makers and other parties who have an interest in better risk assessment mobilize in the workplace.

The campaign runs during 2008 and 2009, includes two weeks for safety and health in October 2008 (20 to 24 Oct, 2008) and October 2009, and reached its peak during a major summit on risk assessment in November 2009.

The European Week was initiated by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and takes place simultaneously in all Member States. On http://osha.europa.eu/campaigns/hw2008/ is more information available about the European Week in the other Member States. The European Week was organized by the Focal Point Netherlands.

 

Activities in 2008-2009

 

Information material