BACK TO HOME PAGE

EUROPEAN REVIEW

ISSUE 31 - Page 7

'Bull bars' to be tackled by EU safety law

SO-CALLED BULL BARS, rigid protective rods found on the front of many 4-wheel drive cars above and below the bumper, have attracted criticism as being a danger to pedestrians. Now the European Commission has seen its proposal on tightening up the regulations on their use passed at first reading by the European Parliament. While recognising that the bars can provide protection for occupants of vehicles in low-speed collisons with animals, the Commission considered that they increased the risks to pedestrians. In striking a balance they consulted the motor industry but were also aware that the focus in road safety was passing from the vehicles themselves to protection for pedestrians and other road users.

Therefore, while not going for an outright ban strict tests on criteria such as energy absorption will have to be done before manufacturers can fit 'bull bars' to their vehicles. It is hoped that this measure will make a contribution to reducing the 47,000 fatalities and 1.7 million injuries on the roads of Euopre annually.

Irish safety regime beefed up as cases multiply

MORE DETAILS HAVE BEEN announced of the improvements to the Labour Inspectorate in Ireland following a critical internal report and several high profile recent cases. Already turning away from the voluntarist approach advocated by the UK government (see our last issue) after bad workplace accident figures, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheal Martin announced a new team of 11 inspectors would be recruited. As well as health and safety the team, together with colleagues in the Employment Rights Compliance Section (ERCS), will be responsible for ensuring that employees' entitlements are upheld by employers. The minister wants the team to concentrate particularly on sectors where large numbers of migrant workers are employed.

The Irish ferry Normandy involved in the blockade

This approach has been influenced by problems within companies employing migrant labour such as Gama construction and Irish Ferries. The Irish Labour Court recently found that the multinational construction firm had been paying Turkish workers for a 40 hour week while they actually worked up to 84 hours, and banking the surplus. Their real wage worked out at as little as €2.20 an hour. Meanwhile in a current dispute Irish Ferries have given up their Irish registration to employ Asian and eastern European seafarers at a fraction of the minimum wage, resulting in blockades involving British and French unions

A report for the ERCS also recommened stiffer penalties for non-complying firms, simplification of the legal means for workers to claim what was owed to them, education about employment rights in schools and further expansion of the Labour Inspectorate beyond that already proposed by the government.

'Stop that noise' to be safety week slogan

The EU Noise Directive, passed in 2003, is due to come into force in Member States, after the usual 3 years' grace, next year. To increase awareness of both the problem and the new legislation a 'stop that noise' campaign will be run by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. This will culminate in the annual European Week for Health and Safety which will run from October 24 to 28 and have noise as its theme this year.

For details of the European Week for Safety & Health at Work go to :

http://ew2005.osha.eu.int/

Back to	Forward to	Up to	Back to
FRONT PAGE	NEXT PAGE	TOP OF THIS PAGE	LIST OF HEALTH & SAFETY ARTICLES