Factsheets
Available in 24 languages, Factsheets provide brief introductions to the Agency and to our activities. Many focus on specific concerns in occupational health and safety, or on specific sectors or groups of workers. They set out in a concise, accessible way, on a single sheet, the main health and safety risks, what can be done about them, who is responsible for dealing with them, and where to find out more.
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published 28.09.2011
- Legionnaires’ disease is usually thought of as a public health issue rather than an occupational health matter, even though it often strikes workers in places at high risk of outbreak (which include cooling towers, premises where mist machines are present, biological waste water treatment facilities, carwash plants, healthcare facilities, spas and hotels). This factsheet summarises the occupational aspects of exposure to Legionella. It is based on an overview of European policies related to Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease and case studies on how to control Legionella risks.
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published 01.09.2011
- Agricultural workers suffer 1.7 times the average rate of non-fatal occupational accidents and 3 times the rate of fatal accidents, making the sector particularly hazardous. In addition to the hazards and risks usually present on farms, maintenance tasks bear some specific hazards. Self-employment, and the fact that farming is often a family business, are an additional challenge for occupational safety and health in agriculture. This factsheet provides concise information on how to carry out maintenance tasks safely.
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published 11.05.2011
- Managing risks to drivers in the road transport sector can be challenging because drivers work alone, away from their base, and have to contend with traffic danger in addition to many other risks that are difficult for them to control. But risk management measures can be successful if they take account of how the sector operates in practice, as well as the characteristics of drivers themselves and the way they work.
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published 11.05.2011
- Drivers in the road transport sector really need to be aware of safety and health issues, but for a number of reasons disseminating information within the sector is a challenge. This factsheet summarises a report on OSH campaigns and initiatives aimed at drivers. The campaigns use individual as well as collective approaches; some target drivers only while others involve their employers, other stakeholders and even families. Using information that is relevant to drivers, practical but not patronising, has been shown to be effective, and using a variety of approaches probably works best.
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published 24.11.2010
- Buildings and machinery become unsafe if they are not maintained properly. Yet maintenance can be a high-risk activity. Safe procedures for maintenance operations should be part of companies’ safety management systems. This is more likely to happen if there is management commitment, employee involvement, effective risk assessment, good communication, safety training and effective use of more than one preventive measure. Many companies consider maintenance operations at the design stage of buildings and equipment to help eliminate risks during future maintenance operations.
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published 28.09.2010
- Economic incentives in occupational safety and health (OSH) refer to processes that reward organisations which develop and maintain safe and healthy working environments. These processes may include, for example, linking the OSH performance of an organisation to fiscal incentives such as lower insurance premiums or tax rates.
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published 12.02.2010
- Four out of five European residents say that good health is crucial for their quality of life. Chronic disease has a major impact on quality of life. Many chronic diseases – e.g. heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer – can be largely prevented by a healthy lifestyle. These changes include improving the diet, enhancing physical fitness, and quitting smoking. Workplace Health Promotion means more than simply meeting the legal requirements for health and safety. It includes: improving the way work is organised; improving the working environment; encouraging employees to get involved in healthy activities; encouraging personal development.
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published 09.02.2010
- Workplace health promotion (WHP) is the combined effort of employers, employees and society to improve the health and well-being of people at work. This is achieved through a combination of: improving the work organisation and working environment, promoting the participation of workers in healthy activities, enabling healthy choices, and encouraging personal development. Why invest in WHP? How to implement WHP?
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published 05.02.2010
- Organisations deal with occupational safety and health (OSH) in different ways. Some have little expertise in OSH and simply react to occupational accidents, work-related diseases and absenteeism as they arise. Others strive to manage OSH more systematically and proactively by mainstreaming OSH into the organisation’s overall management. A report aimed at providing information on how OSH can be incorporated into general business management is summarized in Factsheet 92. The report comprises a literature review, an overview of related policies and examples of good practice.
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published 04.02.2010
- Future engineers, architects, medical professionals and business administrators and managers will all need to take account of occupational safety and health (OSH) aspects in their working lives. This report and the cases in it demonstrate that there are more challenges to integrating OSH into university-level education compared with other levels of education. However, the cases also show that steps are being taken to mainstream OSH into university education in a variety of disciplines and in a variety of ways.
