Safety and health at work is everyone’s concern. It’s good for you. It’s good for business. Occupational health and safety in agriculture European Parliament hearing Brussels, 20 th March 2013 Dr. Zinta Podniece Prevention and Research Unit

2 Sector characteristics  5% of EU27 workforce employed in agriculture, decreasing  Male dominated – 65%  Ageing – 25,2% of workers aged 55 years or older  Relatively low educational levels  Relatively high levels of unskilled work  Low income  Most are self-employed – over 59%  78% worked alone with help of family members and seasonal workers (occasionally)  Temporary contracts – 43,9%  No contracts – 24%  Migrant workers

3 Working conditions and outcomes (1) Many different activities in different sites, for example:  Cattle-breeding  Milking  Cultivation of crops  Harvesting  Pruning etc. THEREFORE, also many different risks and health problems Some examples in the next slides

4 Working conditions and outcomes (2) Accidents  Non-fatal occupational accidents rates 1,7 times higher than the average  Number of fatal accidents 3 times higher  The highest incidence rate of fatal accidents among young workers is in agriculture  Main causes: Transport (being run over or vehicle overturns) Falling from a height Struck by moving or falling objects (trees etc.) Livestock related accidents Contact with machinery

5 Working conditions and outcomes (3) Physical risks and related health problems  Ergonomic risks – musculoskeletal disorders  Chemicals: pesticides – cancers, neurological diseases, reproductive effects, impaired fertility in males, depression  Biological hazards: bacteria, yeasts, mites, viruses and organic dust – infections, allergies, poisoning or toxic effects  Noise – hearing loss  Vibration – white finger, circulatory, muscular and back disorders  UV radiation – burns, skin cancer  Heat or cold

6 Working conditions and outcomes (4) Psychosocial risks  Long and non-standard working hours  Poor work-life balance  Work ‘on call’  Poor social relationship  Poor career prospects and related health problems  Stress  Anxiety  Sleeping problems  Overall fatigue  Poor mental health

7 Challenges for OSH  Specificity of the sector  Not well informed about OSH risks  Only 20% report on-the-job training  Lowest level of employee representation  Behavioural / cultural factors  Difficult to reach

8 How to improve health and safety?  Raise awareness, e.g. by demonstrating examples from life (good and bad practice)  Inform, share good practice, network  Go were farmers are  Work with bigger companies having small farm sub-contractors  Provide simple, easy-to-use, practical risk assessment and management tools etc. Change behaviour to establish positive health and safety culture – integral to good farm business management

9 EU-OSHA activities Awareness raising, e.g. through campaigns:  Working together for risk prevention  Collaboration with Social partners in agriculture Good practice:  Web resources  Case studies  Frequently asked questions  Collection of risk assessment tools  Maintenance in agriculture – OSH guide Data collection:  OSH in figures  Expert forecasts on emerging risks  2 nd phase of Enterprise survey on new and emerging risks (ESENER) – agriculture and establishments of 5 or more workers included

10 Good practice example  The ‘Farm Safety and Health Awareness Days’ (SHAD) in the UK, organised by HSE, are events designed to inform and train agricultural workers including practical demonstrations covering the everyday hazards faced by farmers, farming families and workers  More than 43,000 people have attended over 140 SHAD events and research shows that a majority of those who attend a SHAD make at least one change to improve health and safety on their farm as a result  Almost all those who attend would recommend them to another person

11 Thank you for your attention! More information:  OSH in agriculture  EU-OSHA 