Magazine
The Agency Magazine provides in-depth information and analysis from leading experts and practitioners in occupational safety and health. The articles describe the experiences of those who have been working to deal with major current issues in health and safety, and particularly those issues which are the focus of Agency campaigns. The contributions come from across Europe and beyond. They describe the efforts of a wide range of individuals and groups, including Occupational Safety and Health professionals, government ministries and agencies, employers’ organisations and trade unionists, as well as employers and employees themselves.
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- To help companies in general and SMEs in paticular to assess their risks, initiatives have been taken to develop simple tools to facilitate risk assessment or increase awareness about the importance of managing risks. This Magazine shows such initiatives taken mainly at Member State level. The contributions come from across Europe and describe the efforts of a broad spectrum of individuals and groups, including government ministries, employers´ organisation and trade unionists, to improve the management of risks in the workplace.
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- Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common of all reported work-related health problems in the European Union. Manual load handling, working in prolonged and/or awkward postures and repetitive movements are all risk factors for MSDs, as are non-biomechanical factors such as stress. This Magazine includes articles from the Member States, stakeholders and MSDs experts on various MSDs related issues - such as case studies, workplace interventions, campaigns, statistics, surveys and opinion articles.
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- Too many young people are being hurt at work. Across Europe, 18 to 24-year-olds are at least 50% more likely to have a non-fatal accident in the workplace, or develop occupational health problems, 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.
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- The need to ‘stop that noise’ is evident. Millions of Europe’s workers suffer from work-related hearing difficulties. Noise-induced hearing loss is amongst the most commonly reported occupational diseases in the European Union, and there are concerns other than hearing loss from noise exposure. Noise can also cause harm in other ways: it can interact with dangerous substances to cause harm to the ear; it can increase the risk of accidents by affecting communication. The range of jobs and workplaces where noise can be a problem is much broader than is commonly thought.
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- Construction is one of Europe’s largest industries, with an annual turnover in excess of EUR 900 billion and nearly 13 million employees in the EU-15 Member States alone. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most dangerous. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most dangerous. More construction workers are killed, injured or suffer ill-health than in any other industry.
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- Dangerous substances are present in most workplaces. Asbestos in buildings, solvents in metalworking, diesel exhaust fumes in garages, and viral hepatitis in hospitals all preent a wide variety of threats to human health. The European Union is committed to reducing the risk to workers from dangerous substances. Action is under way at all levels, from the REACH programme to assess the risks of substances before they are marketed, through the agreement of common exposure limits, to the provision of ‘good practice’ information for workers and employers.
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- The statistics on work-related stress highlighted in this magazine speak for themselves. Clearly this topic is one of the major challenges currently facing us all – as employers, employees, prevention professionals, policy-makers, researchers and so on, in all sectors and in organisations both large and small. The implications are clear – work-related stress can cause people misery, both at work and at home, and significantly affect an organisation’s bottom line. Therefore there are many reasons to take action.
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- Accident rates at work have remained persistently high over the last decade. Most recent statistics show that almost 5 500 people in the European Union lose their lives at work each year and a far greater number are injured. As well as the human suffering involved, there is the economic impact. Every year, the direct insurance costs alone of workplace accidents are estimated to be €20 billion and 149 million working days are lost. Individuals, businesses and society all pay the price. So it is vital to stay on our guard against accident risks.
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- The European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2000, which has taken place in Member States during the month of October, has provided a unique opportunity to focus widespread attention on the problem of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). These are one of most prevalent of occupational ailments, affecting millions of European workers in all types of jobs and employment sectors every year. However, much of the problem could be prevented or reduced by following existing health and safety regulations and guidance on good practice. Getting this message across has been the key aim of the Week’s campaign.
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- Today’s changes in the world of work are being shaped by the globalisation of economies and the unprecedented level of mobility of capital. International competition has led to considerable rivalry between the European Community regions in terms of preferential conditions offered for establishment of businesses. It is not so much the long-established internationalisation of economic relations that has such farreaching consequences for the shape of the world of work and industrial relations. It is more the new forms of corporate structure and organisation arising from the dynamics of internationalisation, often combined with technical advances and the introduction of new technology, which are having a direct impact on individual workplaces and workers.
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- Welcome to the first edition of the Agency's new Magazine - the latest in our growing series of printed and web-based publications serving the information needs of the occupational safety and health community across Europe. The free flow of information between all those involved in safetyand health issues isfundamental to achieving our overall goal of improving people's working lives. To stimulate that flow, the Agency draws on a Europe-wide network of Focal Points to help collect and disseminate technical, scientific and economic information.
