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Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work

Published:
25 November 2022
Updated:
25 November 2022

The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union gives the EU shared competence to encourage cooperation between Member States and to adopt directives setting minimum requirements to improve the working environment in order to protect workers’ health and safety. EU action on occupational safety and health has been

European Industrial Relations Dictionary

Definition

The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union gives the EU shared competence to encourage cooperation between Member States and to adopt directives setting minimum requirements to improve the working environment in order to protect workers’ health and safety. EU action on occupational safety and health has been pursued over the years as part of a strategic policy framework that includes two key components: a comprehensive body of EU legislation covering the most significant occupational risks and providing common definitions, structures and rules; and a series of multiannual action programmes between 1978 and 2002, followed by European strategies from 2002 onwards, to identify priorities and common objectives, provide a framework for coordinating national policies and promote a holistic culture of prevention.

Background and status

Previous strategies

In 2002, the Commission adopted its first strategy with a global approach to improving well-being at work, taking account of changes in the world of work and the emergence of new risks, especially psychosocial risks. It was based on consolidating a culture of risk prevention, on combining a variety of instruments (legislation, social dialogue, best practices and economic incentives), and on building partnerships between all the players on the safety and health scene.

In 2007, the Commission published its second strategy, aiming for a 25% reduction in the total incidence rate of accidents at work by 2012 in the EU27 by improving health and safety protection for workers. To achieve this goal, the strategy proposed measures such as the proper implementation of EU legislation, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting the development of national strategies and developing methods for identifying emerging risks.

The third strategy, issued in June 2014, aimed to identify key challenges and strategic objectives for health and safety at work in the EU, to set out key actions to protect the health and safety of workers, and to identify instruments to achieve the goals of the framework. The framework identifies three major goals for safety and health at work:

  1. to improve the implementation of existing health and safety regulations, in particular by enhancing the capacity of micro- and small enterprises to put in place effective and efficient risk prevention strategies
  2. to improve the prevention of work-related diseases by tackling new and emerging risks without neglecting existing risks
  3. to take account of the ageing of the EU’s workforce

Strategic Framework 2021–2027

On 28 June 2021, the European Commission presented a new Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work, which provides an overview of future actions to be taken by the EU to cut the number of accidents at work (3,300 fatal accidents and 3.1 million non-fatal accidents per annum) and the number of workers who die each year from work-related illnesses (200,000 per annum). Although the number of fatal accidents at work decreased by about 70% between 1994 and 2018, the reduction has slowed down significantly since 2009. One of the objectives of the new strategic framework is to develop a ‘vision zero’ approach to work-related deaths, in order to minimise their number. The Commission is rolling out a series of initiatives, some of which are legislative and binding, while others are based on the social partners or on funding research and communication campaigns.

In the field of legislative interventions, the Commission will announce a revision of directives concerned with digitalisation and recourse to teleworking by 2023.

Limiting risk factors

To tackle occupational illnesses, the Commission planned to either fix or reduce certain exposure limits: in 2022 for asbestos, lead and diisocyanates; and in 2024 for cobalt. The emphasis is on substances to which workers will be exposed in the context of the green transition (e.g. thermal renovation and electric batteries).

The Commission will also announce an update to the EU rules on dangerous substances with a view to tackling cancer, and reproductive and respiratory diseases. It therefore plans to launch a consultation of social partners to revise the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive in 2023, and to identify a priority list of reprotoxic substances. The Commission is dealing with the impact of digitalisation through an awareness campaign covering musculoskeletal disorders and psychosocial risks. In this regard, European social partners are due to assess emerging issues linked to mental health at work and to put forward guidance for action by the end of 2022.

Related dictionary terms

Health and safety occupational accidents and diseases protective equipment risk assessment working environment European Agency for Safety and Health at Work Framework Directive on health and safety carcinogens directive revision

Eurofound (2022), Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work, European Industrial Relations Dictionary, Dublin