New chairperson announces Agency plans to target safety in Europe’s construction sector
News release - 17.12.2003
Meeting in Bilbao on 25 and 26 November 2003, the Administrative Board of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has elected Ms Christa Schweng as its new chairperson and approved the Agency’s work programme for 2004.
Meeting in Bilbao on 25 and 26 November 2003, the Administrative Board of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has elected Ms Christa Schweng as its new chairperson and approved the Agency’s work programme for 2004.
Ms Christa Schweng is the Austrian employers’ representative on the Bureau of the Agency’s Board. She takes over from Dr Bertil Remaeus, the Swedish government representative. It is Ms Schweng’s second term of office having previously held the position in 2001.
Commenting on her appointment, Ms Schweng said: “The next year will be a particularly challenging one for the Agency as we need to complete the integration of the 10 new Member States into the Agency’s information network. Our aim is that they will participate fully in all of the Agency’s activities, such as the 2004 campaign to raise awareness of health and safety in the construction sector. I am looking forward to supporting the Director and the staff of the Agency at this very important time in its development”.
Construction, agriculture, noise, and economic incentives – amongst the priorities for 2004
The Agency’s work programme for 2004 will focus on further developing the Agency’s information services in line with the priorities set out in the Community Strategy for Health and Safety at Work. Major initiatives will include:
- A Europe-wide information campaign targeting Europe’s construction sector.
- The collection and dissemination of good safety and health practice in the agriculture sector.
- A study of the effectiveness of economic incentives, such as tax breaks, as tools to encourage improvements in safety and health.
- Preparation for an information campaign in 2005 on the dangers of excessive noise at work.
Commenting on the outcome of the Board meeting, the Director of the European Agency, Mr Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, said: “I am very happy to welcome back Christa Schweng as Chairperson of the Agency and look forward to working closely with her in promoting the Agency’s health and safety activities in 2004. Enlargement is clearly a dominant theme for us, as 10 more countries will join our EU network. For many of the new Member States construction and agriculture are key employment sectors and at the same time sectors with high levels of safety and health risks. I am therefore pleased that the Agency’s Board has agreed to give these two areas special priority in our work programme for 2004.”
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Press contacts
: Eke Heetveld, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Tel: +34 944794386 email: heetveld@osha.europa.eu
Other enquiries
: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Gran Via 33, E-48009 Bilbao, Spain, email: information@osha.europa.eu , fax: +34 94 479 4383
Notes for editors
1.The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work was set up by the European Union to help meet the information needs in the field of occupational safety and health. Based in Bilbao, Spain, the Agency aims to improve the lives of people at work by stimulating the flow of technical, scientific and economic information between all those involved in occupational safety and health issues.
2.Christa Schweng is senior advisor for the Social Policy Department of the Austrian Economic Chamber. As well as being a member of the Agency’s administrative Board since 1995, she is also a member of the Economic and Social Committee.
Ms Schweng has been with the Austrian Economic Chamber since 1991, taking up her current responsibilities in 1994. Previously she worked as attaché at the Austrian free trade delegation to the European Union. She studied law at the University of Vienna.
