Brussels 8-9/04/2008

Malgorzata MilczarekEmmanuelle Brun Eusebio Rial González

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work European Risk Observatory

Emerging psychosocial risks related to occupational safety and health – an expert forecast

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work was established in 1996 in Bilbao to help improve working conditions in the European Union

European Risk Observatory: identifying emerging risks

providing an overview of safety and health at work in Europe describing trends and underlying factors anticipating changes in work and their likely consequences for safety and health

stimulating debate

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EEA/EFTAFocal Points

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

An "emerging OSH risk" is understood to be any risk that is both

(1) new - the risk was previously non-existent and is caused by new processes, new technologies, new types of workplace, or social or organisational change; or a long-standing issue is now considered to be a risk due to new scientific knowledge or a change in public perception, and

(2) increasing - the number of hazards contributing to the risk and the likelihood of exposure to the hazards are rising, and the effects of the hazards on workers’ health are getting worse.

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The expert forecast on emerging psychosocial risks was carried out in 2003 and 2004 by means of the Delphi method (with the five-point Likert scale).

Three questionnaire-based surveys were completed. 62 experts in the first survey round, and 79 experts in the second and third rounds, were invited to participate. The response rate: 45% (1st r.), 27% (2nd r.), and 21% (3rd r.).

The experts represented 13 EU Member States, the USA and the ILO, and had at least five years’ experience in the field of occupational psychology.

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The experts proposed 42 psychosocial risks, and rated eight of these risks as strongly emerging, and 19 as emerging.

The survey results were supplemented by a review of the scientific literature on key topics identified by the experts, focused on:

the prevalence of the emerging risks, health and safety outcomes, and need for future research;

examples of possible preventive measures at national and company level.

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The 10 most important emerging psychosocial risks identified in the survey (NB: MV > 4: risk strongly agreed as emerging; 3.25 < MV ≤ 4: risk agreed as emerging)

4.564.38 4.25 4.25 4.19 4.13 4.07 4.06 4.00 4.00

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

Precariouscontracts in the

context ofunstable labour

market

Increasedworkers'

vulnerability in thecontext of

globalisation

New forms ofemployment

contracts

Feeling of jobinsecurity

Ageing workforce Long workinghours

Workintensification

Lean productionand outsourcing

High emotionaldemands at work 

Poor work-lifebalanceM

ean

valu

es o

n th

e 1-

to-5

poi

nt L

iker

t sc

ale

and

stan

dard

dev

iatio

ns

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The main emerging psychosocial risks identified were related to the following five areas:

(1) New forms of employment contracts and job insecurity

Workers on precarious contracts tend to carry out the most

hazardous jobs, work in poorer conditions and receive less OSH

training.

Moreover, working in unstable labour markets can give rise to

feelings of job insecurity and increase work-related stress.

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Temporary employment in Europe (EU15)*

* EUROSTAT, 2006

05

10152025303540

Belgium

Denmar

k

Germ

any

Greec

eSpa

in

Franc

e

Irelan

dIta

ly

Luxe

mbo

urg

Nether

lands

Austri

a

Portu

gal

Finlan

d *

Sweden

*

United K

ingdom

1992 2000 2005

(* Note: 1995 instead of 1992 for Finland and Sweden)

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Temporary employment in selected European countries (2005) *

* EUROSTAT, 2006

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Belgiu

m

Denm

ark

Eston

ia

Gre

eceSpa

in

Franc

eIta

ly

Cypru

s

Latv

ia

Lith

uani

a

Hunga

ry

Nethe

rland

s

Polan

d

Finlan

d

Sweden

EU25

% o

f em

ploy

ees

men women

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Job insecurity in EU countries (2005, [13]).

0

10

20

30

40%

*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Fourth European Working Conditions Survey (2006).

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The main emerging psychosocial risks identified were related to the following five areas:

(2) The OSH risks for the ageing workforce

Older workers are more vulnerable to the hazards resulting from

poor working conditions than younger employees.

The failure to provide ageing workers with life-long learning

opportunities additionally increases the mental and emotional

demands made upon them.

Good working conditions have to be provided and tailored to the

needs of each employee, including ageing workers.

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Age distribution in Europe from 1960 to 2060 *

24.9 23.717.1 14.4 13.3

15.8 15.5

13

10.5 9.7

3532.7

36.9

31.128.2

15.215.4

17.2

21.3

18.6

7.910.7

12.3

16.2

18.6

1.2 2 3.46.5

11.5

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1960 1975 2000 2025 2060

year

80+

65-79

50-64

25-49

15-24

0-14

* EUROSTAT, 2005

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The main emerging psychosocial risks identified were related to the following five areas:

(3) Work intensification - high workload and work pressure

Many workers are handling growing amounts of information, having to cope

with higher workloads and greater pressure at work.

Some workers, particularly those employed in new forms of employment or

highly competitive fields may fear having their efficiency and output assessed

more closely, and hence tend to work longer hours to finish tasks, without

proper compensation and social support.

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Working at a very high speed [18].

*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Fifteen years of working conditions in the EU: Charting the trends. (2006).

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The main emerging psychosocial risks identified were related to the following five areas:

(4) High emotional demands at work, including violence and bullying

Although this issue is not new, it is of great concern, especially in

the growing and increasingly competitive healthcare and service

sectors.

Violence and bullying were also identified as a contributing factor

to the increased emotional demands being made on workers.

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Violence and bullying at work, EU-27 (% yes)*

*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Fourth European Working Conditions Survey (2006).

6

1.8

4.3

5.1

1.8

0

2

4

6

8

threats ofphysicalviolence

physicalviolence

fromcolleagues

physicalviolence

from otherpeople

bullying unwantedsexual

attention

Physical violence by sectors*

1.8

1.3

3.8

5.4

9.3

9.8

1.7

2.2

11.6

14.6

1.4

4.5

1.9

4.5

7.4

7.2

3.1

1.4

8.8

8.4

1.2

1.1

1.9

0.7

1.3

1.7

0

0.5

3.5

5

0 10 20

Manufacture and mining

Electricity, gas and water supply

Construction

Whole sale and retail trade

Hotels and restaurants

Transport and communication

Financial intermediation

Real estate

Public admnistration and defence

Education and health

%

Threat of physical violence Physical violence from other people

Physical violence from colleagues

*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Fourth European Working Conditions Survey (2005).

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Bullying/harassment and unwanted sexual attention by sectors*

4.1

5.9

2.9

6.1

8.6

6.9

2.4

3.1

5.3

7.8

1.4

0.5

0.8

1.8

3.9

2.6

1.9

1.3

1.3

2.7

0 10

Manufacture and mining

Electricity, gas and water supply

Construction

Whole sale and retail trade

Hotels and restaurants

Transport and communication

Financial intermediation

Real estate

Public admnistration and defence

Education and health

%

Bullying / harassment Unwanted sexual attention

*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Fourth European Working Conditions Survey (2005).

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Bullying/harassment in EU Member States (2005)

0

10

20%

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Fourth European Working Conditions Survey (2006).

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

The main emerging psychosocial risks identified were related to the following five areas:

(5) Poor work-life balance

Uncertain casual work, high workloads and variable or

unpredictable working hours can lead to a serious conflict

between the demands of work and private life.

Work affects health (% yes)*

*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Fourth European Working Conditions Survey (2006).

20.2

30.4 30.9

10.311.5 11

7.6

11.9

15.9

7.9 7.28.9

0

10

20

30

40

stress irritability sleepingproblems

anxiety

EU-15

NMS-10

AC-2

European Risk Observatory “OSH in figures”

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

Factsheet 74 - Expert forecast on emerging psychosocial risks related to occupational safety and health (OSH)

Available in: [Български] [Čeština] [Dansk] [Deutsch] [Ελληνικά] [English] [Español] [Eesti] [Suomi] [Français] [Magyar] [Italiano] [Lietuviškai] [Latviešu] [Malti] [Nederlands] [Polski] [Português] [Română] [Slovenčina] [Slovenščina] [Svenska]

2007

“Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast”

OSH in figures - Stress

2008

Psychosocial risks workshop

Violence and bullying - literature survey, case study, policy and practice overview

Enterprise survey

Combined exposure to psychosocial and MSD risk factors

European Risk Observatory - psychosocial risks

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

Workshop on emerging psychosocial risks (Brussels, 8-9 April 2008)

to discuss and consolidate the results of the expert forecast

to explore concrete, practical ways to tackle the psychosocial emerging risks identified in this forecast

to stimulate EU research networking activities related to the priorities identified

Emerging psychosocial risks related to OSH – an expert forecast

Thank you for your attention!

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: http://osha.europa.eu/

European Risk Observatory http://riskobservatory.osha.europa.eu

milczarek@osha.europa.eu