Delivering the message — Programmes, initiatives and opportunities to reach drivers and SMEs in the road transport sector

Summary - New risks and trends in the safety and health of women at work

In 2009 and 2010, the Agency commissioned an update to its previous research on gender issues at work , which found that inequality both inside and outside the workplace can have an effect on the health and safety of women at work. This summary provides a policy perspective and is meant to contribute to the task outlined by the European strategy on health and safety at work for EU-OSHA’s European Risk Observatory, “examining the specific challenges in terms of health and safety posed by the more extensive integration of women in the labour market”. It provides a statistical overview of the trends in employment and working conditions, hazard exposure and work-related accidents and health problems for women at work. It explores selected issues (combined exposures, occupational cancer, access to rehabilitation, women and informal work, and “emerging” female professions such as home care and domestic work). The research highlights the type of work carried out by women, issues faced by younger and older women, the growth of the service sector, violence and harassment, and increasingly diversified working time patterns as major risk factors.

E-fact 56: Maintenance and work-related road safety

Poor vehicle maintenance is an important contributor to road traffic accidents. In road transport operations, vehicle maintenance, and other work-related road safety issues should be integrated into arrangements for managing health and safety at work, which in turn should be part of everyday business management.

Factsheet 98 - Managing risks to drivers in road transport: Good practice cases

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.