Jukka Takala joins Agency as new director
News release - 18.09.2006
Today, Jukka Takala starts work as the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work’s new director. Dr Takala has worked in the safety and health field for three decades.
He joins the Bilbao-based Agency from the International Labour Organization where he was director of the International Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork). Dr Takala succeeds Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, the Agency’s only director since its launch in September 1996.
As the Agency moves into its second decade, much work remains to be done in the field of occupational safety and health. Annually, more than 150,000 fatalities in the European Union are caused by work-related accidents and diseases. At least 31,000 of those deaths can be attributed to hazardous substances at work including asbestos.
Dr Takala arrives in Bilbao as the Agency’s Safe Start campaign for young people culminates in the European Week for Safety and Health at Work at the end of October. Across Europe, too many young people are getting hurt at work — 18 to 24-year-olds are at least 50% more likely to have a non-fatal accident in the workplace than those in other groups. Employers need to do more to protect young employees, and young people need to be more aware of health and safety issues when they enter the world of work.
Commenting on the tasks facing him in his new job, Dr Takala said: ‘The Agency has an important role to play in promoting higher levels of workplace safety and health across the European Union. I look forward to working with colleagues in Bilbao, as well as in the European institutions, social partner organisations and member states to support the future Community strategy for reaching this goal.’
He continued: ‘We want to see managers and employees working together to make workplaces free of recognisable hazards. A safe, healthy and motivated workforce will lead to enhanced European productivity and competitiveness.’
Press enquiries:
Andrew Smith, Head of Communication and Promotion Unit, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, email: smith@osha.europa.eu, tel: +34 94 479 43 60 or
Marta Urrutia, Communication and Promotion Unit, email: urrutia@osha.europa.eu tel: +34 94 479 4376
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 to editors:
1. Jukka Takala was formerly the director of the International Labour Organization’s InFocus Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork), the largest programme in the ILO’s social protection sector. He has more than 30 years’ professional experience working in the field of occupational safety and health; first in his native Finland and subsequently at the ILO. A mechanical engineer by training, he holds a doctorate in technology from the Tampere University of Technology.
2. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work was set up by the European Union to provide information on 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 knowledge and information between those concerned starting from workers at the grassroot level to heads of States in occupational safety and health issues.
3. Safe Start is the Agency’s 2006 campaign dedicated to the occupational safety and health of young people. The campaign has two main areas of focus. It aims to increase awareness of risk in the workplace among employers and young people, and offer advice on ways to reduce it. In the education community, it hopes to instil a culture of risk prevention. The campaign, which is backed by all the EU Member States, trade unions, employers’ organisations, youth organisations and the education sector, culminates in the European Week for Safety and Health at Work, from 23-27 October 2006.
For more information about the Agency and its activities: http://osha.europa.eu
As the Agency moves into its second decade, much work remains to be done in the field of occupational safety and health. Annually, more than 150,000 fatalities in the European Union are caused by work-related accidents and diseases. At least 31,000 of those deaths can be attributed to hazardous substances at work including asbestos.
Dr Takala arrives in Bilbao as the Agency’s Safe Start campaign for young people culminates in the European Week for Safety and Health at Work at the end of October. Across Europe, too many young people are getting hurt at work — 18 to 24-year-olds are at least 50% more likely to have a non-fatal accident in the workplace than those in other groups. Employers need to do more to protect young employees, and young people need to be more aware of health and safety issues when they enter the world of work.
Commenting on the tasks facing him in his new job, Dr Takala said: ‘The Agency has an important role to play in promoting higher levels of workplace safety and health across the European Union. I look forward to working with colleagues in Bilbao, as well as in the European institutions, social partner organisations and member states to support the future Community strategy for reaching this goal.’
He continued: ‘We want to see managers and employees working together to make workplaces free of recognisable hazards. A safe, healthy and motivated workforce will lead to enhanced European productivity and competitiveness.’
Ends
Press enquiries:
Andrew Smith, Head of Communication and Promotion Unit, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, email: smith@osha.europa.eu, tel: +34 94 479 43 60 or
Marta Urrutia, Communication and Promotion Unit, email: urrutia@osha.europa.eu tel: +34 94 479 4376
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 to editors:
1. Jukka Takala was formerly the director of the International Labour Organization’s InFocus Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork), the largest programme in the ILO’s social protection sector. He has more than 30 years’ professional experience working in the field of occupational safety and health; first in his native Finland and subsequently at the ILO. A mechanical engineer by training, he holds a doctorate in technology from the Tampere University of Technology.
2. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work was set up by the European Union to provide information on 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 knowledge and information between those concerned starting from workers at the grassroot level to heads of States in occupational safety and health issues.
3. Safe Start is the Agency’s 2006 campaign dedicated to the occupational safety and health of young people. The campaign has two main areas of focus. It aims to increase awareness of risk in the workplace among employers and young people, and offer advice on ways to reduce it. In the education community, it hopes to instil a culture of risk prevention. The campaign, which is backed by all the EU Member States, trade unions, employers’ organisations, youth organisations and the education sector, culminates in the European Week for Safety and Health at Work, from 23-27 October 2006.
For more information about the Agency and its activities: http://osha.europa.eu
