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The new general policy on health and safety was published by the European Commission in March. Applying for the next four years, it was argued over and amended by the Commissioners. Trade unions feel that this has resulted in a document strong on analysis but weak on positive measures. We examine the pros and cons.
IN EARLY MARCH THE EU Commission adopted a communication on its general policy for health and safety over the next four years. 'Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and safety at work' outlines a strategy that contains three novel features. the first is a global approach which is conscious of the huge recent changes to the world of work and regards health and safety as an essential part of the 'quality of work'. The second is a culture of risk prevention which seeks to build 'partnerships between all the players on the safety and health scene' Finally it includes a progressive social policy which enhances competitiveness whereas the lack of one 'engenders costs which weigh heavily on economies and societies'.
Changes at work
The document praises the EU for reducing deaths and accidents between 1994 and 1998 but says that, at 5,500 deaths and 4.8 million accidents resulting in three days or more off work in 1998, the figures are still too high. Added to this there are worrying indications that the numbers are now rising again. Other impressive statistics include the 500 million working days lost in 1999 as a result of accidents or health problems and the 300,000 people who have varying degrees of permanent disability.
Changes to this world are identified in the report. These include the transition to a 'knowledge-based economy' as stressed at the Lisbon summit, the ever-growing number of women in the labour market, who work overwhelmingly in the service sector, the increasing incidence of workers aged over 55 and the emergence of flexible and 'atypical' ways of working such as on temporary contracts or on IT links from a remote site. As these changes progress new hazards come to the fore. The Commission says '"emerging" illnesses such as stress, depression, anxiety, violence at work, harassment and intimidation are responsible for 18% of all problems associated with health at work, with a quarter of them resulting in two weeks or more absence from work'.
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Stress is one of the 'emerging' work illnesses according to the EU |
The document then gives a list of objectives for the EU's future strategy on health and safety and some actions to be taken. These include seeking 'A continuing reduction in occupational accidents and illnesses'. Under risk prevention the new policy stresses education and the greater application of existing laws: 'the Commission will, ...adopt a rigorous approach to ensuring that directives are properly transposed and the law is properly applied'. It underlines the importance of Member States' labour inspectors and the the protection of young people. It also mentions the problem of companies escaping fines and sanctions when they work for a short time outside their home country (see issue 18 page 6) and proposes tightening up the 'Posted Workers Directive' as well as investigating other possible measures. Actions proposed include setting up 'observatories' of good practice, extending the scope of directives on VDUs and carcinogenic agents and getting Member States to include targets for reducing accidents at work into their employment guidelines.
While these aims seem relevant and well-intentioned the means to accomplish them are somewhat lacking in the view of the Trade Union Technical Bureau (TUTB) the safety arm of the European TUC. In the words of their bulletin 'most of what it comes up with are proposals for potential actions, and vaguely-worded ideas; in some cases - like the gender dimension - all it does is to set objectives'. According to TUTB the policy's more specific failings are on musculo-skeletal disorders ('equivocal'), psycho-social problems (no clear cut proposal for a directive), labour inspectors (no minimum standards set) and employee representatives ('completely silent'). Other subjects which the document ignores are identified as the exclusion of domestic staff and the self-employed from directives and harmonising occupational disease statistics while the TUTB says that it 'skirts round chemical risk and environmental protection issues' and hardly touches on integrating disabled people.
The next stage is likely to be a declaration by the Council of Ministers but 'Trade unions will have an essential job to do in safeguarding the new elements in the Commission Communication, getting the Commission to turn them into workable proposals, and getting the necessary support from the European Parliament and Member States'.
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