EUROPEAN WEEK FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK — The AGENCY and European Week for Safety and Health...

EUROPEAN WEEK FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK — http://osha.eu.int/ew2003/

European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003

The AGENCY The AGENCY andand

DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES –

HANDLE WITH CARE

Finn SheyeInternational Network Manager


To help improve working conditions in the European Union by providing technical scientific and economic information to people with an interest in safety and health at work

Aim of the Agency


• Network development - building the links

• Information services - communicating knowledge

• Information projects - developing knowledge

Key Areas of Activity


EU Focal PointsCCs Focal PointsEFTA Focal Points


http://agency.osha.eu.int


Research

• Inventory of socio-economic costs

• New trends in accident prevention

due to the changing world of work

• Online funding guide for researchers


• Construction Sector web

feature

• Health care web feature

• Fisheries Sector

• Disabled web feature

Good Practice


2004 onwards (1)

European Weeks for Safety and Health at Work

•Dangerous Substances - 2003

•Construction – 2004

•(Noise – 2005)

•(Young Workers – 2006)


2004 onwards (2)

Risk Sectors

•Fisheries – 2002/03

•Education – 2003/04

•Agriculture – 2004/05

•(Metal Industry – 2005/06)

•(Transport – 2006/07)


2004 onwards (3)

Priority Groups

•Gender – 2002/03

•Disabled - 2003

•(Migrants/Foreign workers –

2004/05)

•(Ageing workers – 2006/07)


What is European Week?

• The largest workplace safety and health campaign in Europe

• It is an annual event aimed at:- Promoting awareness and activities to

reduce risks

- Promoting good practice solutions


• 16 million chemicals worldwide

• 30,000 commonly marketed in the EU

• 10,000 produced in volumes of more than 10 tonnes

• Use of biological agents is also increasing

Why dangerous substances?


High human costs

• Diseases associated with dangerous substances include cancer, respiratory problems, dermatitis, neuro-psychological difficulties.

• Up to 10% of all asthma cases are work-related

• At least 4% of all cancers are due to hazardous substances at work


Significant financial costs

• Occupational skin diseases cost the EU €600 million each year

• Occupational asthma costs €55,000 per patient

EXAMPLES:


Nearly 25% of workers in EU at risk• 32 million employees exposed to dangerous

substances• 22% of workforce inhale hazardous vapours,

fumes and other materials• 16% have direct contact with dangerous

substances• 1 million workers exposed to biological agents


A PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS

VIRTUALLY ALL SECTORS


Construction

Dermatitis from Chromium VI in cement


Painting and printing

Neurological risks from organic solvents


Farmers

Respiratory problems and Parkinsons Disease from pesticides


Bakers and many more….

Asthma from flour dust


How does the campaign work?

• It is a decentralised European campaign involving EU Member States, EFTA, accession countries and candidate countries

• Each country organises its own programme of activities with main events taking please in October


• The Agency produces and distributes materials (reports, factsheets, etc) in all 11 EU languages

• Creates a dedicated Web site at http://osha.eu.int/ew2003

• Launches the Week at EU-level

• Runs a European Good Practice Award

• Organises the closing event together with the Italian EU-Presidency

How does the Agency support these?


Solutions promoted during the European Week• The need for all firms to conduct a risk assessment

and to provide relevant information to their workers

• The value of elimination, substitution or reduction

• Importance of other solutions, including personal protective equipment

• Good Practice Awards to highlight innovative solutions


EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SAFETY

AND HEALTH AT WORK

agency.osha.eu.int

Thank you for your interest!

EUROPEAN WEEK FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK — The AGENCY and European Week for Safety and Health...

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