Recent news
- Introduction
- Key Agency documents
- Risk assessment in education
- Case studies from the education sector
- Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
The education sector has special hazards, risks, and issues to be considered as its function frequently involves the actitivies of children and young adults.
The information provided here is intended to assist those in the workplace who are seeking Good Practice information for the Education Sector. Along with material from the Agency are links to information providers and online documentation from Member States and outside the EU.
According to recent studies, 15% of the 11 million employees in Europe’s education sector, from teachers and cooks to administrative staff, have suffered physical or verbal abuse at work, sometimes at the hands of students, on other occasions disgruntled parents and other adults are the culprits...
It is most important that before "good practice information" is implemented in the workplace, a suitable and sufficient assessment of the hazards and risks in the workplace is carried out. This assessment should consider all the risks and hazards in the workplace to ensure that there is a real reduction in the exposure of workers and other to harm rather than merely replacing one risk with another.
A risk assessment is nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill. A risk assessment involves identifying the hazards present in any undertaking (whether arising from work activities or from other factors, e.g. the layout of the premises) and then evaluating the extent of the risks involved, taking into account existing precautions. The results of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment should help users choose which good practice measures are most appropriate.
The list below gives links to some sites in some Member States. For more complete information on material available in Member States, please refer to the good practice web pages of each Member State.
We are seeking feedback and comments from visitors to this site to help us to develop it further to meet your needs. Is the information useful? Is the presentation useful? What is missing? What could be presented in a better way? Which links do not function e.g. because the address is wrong? Are there any errors? Would you recommend the site to others? Send your comments by email to information@osha.europa.eu.
New Website on Workers' Health Education ()The Workers' Health Education website aims to provide a database of learning materials for safe and healthy work all over the world. |
UK, IOSH, video clip of employers talking about OSH benefits ()On this video clip you hear business leaders at E.ON, Leeds Metropolitan University and British Gas explain how they save money by investing in health and safety. It features:
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DE-Multitasking "don´t disturb" - guidance on how to avoid stress and overload (in German) ()The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) has just published a brochure on how to tackle stress and overload linked to frequent interruptions and the demand for multitasking. The brochure is one of the outcomes of a project that attempted to identify good working practices to support an ageing working population. |
EU, ETUCE, Teachers’ work-related stress – survey results and brochure ()The European trade union committee for education - ETUCE - has made available a study report containing the full overview of the results of its stress survey as well as the ETUCE project brochure on Teachers' work-related stress: European-wide Survey - Assessment, Comparison and Evaluation of the Impact of Psychosocial Hazards on Teachers at their Workplace in the EU. |
NL- Standing, kneeling and squatting at work – health-based limit values ()In the present report, at the request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, the Health Council of the Netherlands has investigated whether at the present time there are any new scientific insights concerning health-based or safety-based limit values for work performed while standing, kneeling or squatting. |
Younger workers: Health and safety aspects of working life ()Younger workers are vulnerable, as they often are inexperienced, and ignorant of risks to themselves and others. It is important to integrate safety and health into education so that young people are aware of the risks they might face and are capable of dealing with them. It is also important for employers to pay extra attention to the safety of young workers, including students taking summer jobs. EU-OSHA highlighted some of these aspects in a blog produced for International Youth Day on the 12th August |
European Photo Competition: The deadline for submission of entries is 31st August 2011. Don’t miss your chance to win a top prize of €3,000 ()The competition calls for entries on the theme of ‘safety and health in the workplace’, with a special focus on risk prevention. All photographers – professional or amateur – are invited to submit their entries before 31 August 2011. The three best photographs are selected according to their creativity and originality, as well as universal European appeal. This year for the first time there will be a special youth prize for participants under 21 years of age! Latest news and updates through the competition’s Facebook and Flickr pages |
World No Tobacco Day – It’s Time to Stamp out Smoking at Work ()31st May is World No Tobacco Day. It is well known that smoke is bad for your health. However, thousands of workers are still exposed to tobacco smoke at their workplaces. The European Commission is launching during the 4th quarter of 2011 the second stage consultation of the social partners about its initiative on “Occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke”. EU-OSHA is supporting smoke-free workplaces by making available information to help employers, smoking and non-smoking workers to prevent and stop exposure to tobacco smoke at the workplace. Watch NAPO in… Lungs at Work and find out more on the no-tobacco dedicated section Green Paper towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke: policy options The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control |
EU-OSHA launches third edition of Healthy Workplaces Film Award ()Entries to the award are now open, with a prize fund of 8,000 Euro at stake for the best documentary on work-related topics. The winner will be announced at the International DOK Leipzig Festival in October. Through this award EU-OSHA is looking to promote the importance of safe and healthy workplaces across Europe in a thought-provoking way. |
World Health Day – 7 April ()EU-OSHA engages in Workplace Health Promotion to encourage the improvement of health and well-being at work, and thereby cutting the cost of illness in the EU workforce. Workplace Health Promotion leads to reduced absenteeism, enhanced motivation, and improved productivity. Workplace Health Promotion at a glance |
HSE - Teenage student at risk of injury ()Agricultural college prosecuted for potentially endangering a teenage student |
HSE - Classroom risk assessment ()Public consultation - produce a tailored assessment online. |
EU - ETUCE - Action Plan: Preventing Violence in Schools ()Updated ETUCE Action Plan on Preventing and Tackling Violence in Schools |
UK - HSE - Survey of asbestos management in schools ()Asbestos management in schools An HSE survey and follow-up inspection initiative has revealed that 72 per cent of councils in England are managing asbestos in their ‘system-build’ schools in accordance with the appropriate procedures. |
Mainstreaming OSH into business management ()
Organisations deal with OSH in different ways: some organisations have little expertise in OSH and react to problems such as occupational accidents, work-related diseases and absenteeism in an ad hoc way, while others strive to manage OSH more systematically, and even proactively, by implementing OSH into the organisation’s overall management. This report aims to provide evidence and information on how OSH can be incorporated into general management and business, thereby achieving safer and healthier working environments, and better general organisational performance.
This report comprises three main parts, each with a different specific focus: (1) a literature review, (2) an overview of related policies, and (3) a report of case studies and good practice. Readers should refer to the appropriate sections of the report for more detailed discussions and further information about each area.
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ETUCE-Results of cyber-harassment of teachers survey ()ETUCE Second Survey on Cyber Harassment of Teachers |
Dangerous Substances ()Dangerous substances – meaning any liquid, gas or solid that poses a risk to workers’ health or safety – can be found in nearly all workplaces. Across Europe, millions of workers come into contact with chemical and biological agents that can harm them. |
EU-Developing skills for the jobs of tomorrow ()‘New Skills for New Jobs’ |
UK-HSE-College involves students and staff in slips and trips campaign ()Slips and trips campaign - Darlington College supports UK Health and Safety Executive Shattered Lives campaign which aims to reduce slips, trips and falls in the workplace. |
Construction at a glance ()Construction is one of the most demanding and dangerous sectors in Europe, showing alarming occupational safety and health records. EU-OSHA gives advice to employers and employees on the most common risks and how to prevent them. |
- Search
- Publications
- Summary - New risks and trends in the safety and health of women at work
- Mainstreaming OSH into business management
- OSH in figures: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the EU - Facts and figures
- Mainstreaming occupational safety and health into university education
- Factsheet 91 - Challenges and opportunities for mainstreaming OSH into university education — Summary of a Report
- News
- New Website on Workers' Health Education 04.04.2012
- UK, IOSH, video clip of employers talking about OSH benefits 19.03.2012
- DE-Multitasking "don´t disturb" - guidance on how to avoid stress and overload (in German) 15.02.2012
- EU, ETUCE, Teachers’ work-related stress – survey results and brochure 19.01.2012
- NL- Standing, kneeling and squatting at work – health-based limit values 13.01.2012
