Challenges for safety and health at work in the European Union

Under the influence of new technology and shifting socio-economic conditions, our world of work is constantly changing. This brings new and emerging risks, which in turn demand new political, administrative and technical solutions that ensure high levels of safety and health at work. This presentation focuses on the changes that Europe is experiencing in three areas:   First, Europe’s workforce is now more heterogeneous, with increased participation of women and migrant workers (also from outside the EU), and workers with disabilities or chronic illnesses. This represents a challenge to prevention systems more used to dealing with a fairly homogeneous workforce. Second, Europe’s workplaces are also more diverse: e.g., most jobs are created in micro- and small enterprises, usually in the service sector, and people change jobs much more frequently; we have multiple work sites (e.g., in social and personal care), teleworking, ‘global workers’ who operate in a 24/7 environment due to time differences and ICT that allow for permanent connectivity. Maintaining proper prevention in these circumstances requires a significant adaptation in OSH systems. This growth in ‘atypical’ workplaces and careers is also a challenge to health surveillance, which could weaken the evidence base for prevention. Finally, there is growing demographic pressure for workers to delay their exit from the labour market. The ‘greying of Europe’ means that work and workplaces will need to adapt to the needs of older employees, but it also means that we need to take care of workers from an early age so that they are healthy enough to stay in work.   The challenge for the OSH community is to find effective solutions in the context of a global recession which has a double likely impact: fewer resources to invest in prevention, and poorer working conditions tolerated by workers who are scared of losing their jobs.