1. The current situation of national OSH Strategies in the EU
William Cockburn
Head of the Prevention and Research Unit
4th ACSH Workshop on National OSH Strategies
Luxembourg, 15-16/Oct/18

2. Status – National OSH Strategies (I)
Currently 26 Member States have a national OSH strategy.
The most recent national OSH strategies are the Bulgarian, Greek, Rumanian and Slovenian ones.
The information on national OSH strategies feeds into the EU OSH information system.
The information collection also supports the ACSH Working Party Strategies in their activities.

3. Status – National OSH Strategies (II)
The current published version of the national strategies report includes the national OSH strategies of 25 Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The Romanian national OSH strategy will be incorporated into the report with the help of the Focal Point as no English translation is available.

4. National OSH Strategies research objectives
Collect data across EU Member States and allow a comparison of national OSH strategies on the basis of a “description scheme”.
Identify the extent to which the EU strategic framework has influenced national strategies regarding the key challenges, the objectives and other mentioned OSH topics.
Provide an overview of approaches and of their common content or structure.
The full report is available at:

5. Reference to the EU Strategic Framework Challenges
Challenge 1: Improving implementation record (particularly by supporting SMEs and micro enterprises)
Challenge 2: Improving prevention of work- related diseases by tackling existing, new and emerging risks
Challenge 3: Tackling demographic change
Austria 
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark 
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Ireland
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom  

6. Explicit Reference to the Seven Key Objectives
Further consolidate national strategies
Implicitly all countries by preparing an updated strategy
Facilitate compliance with OSH legislation, particularly by micro and small enterprises
Most countries mention adaptation and implementation of legislation as important step, many also identify SME as a particular challenge
Better enforcement of OSH legislation by Member States
Not explicitly but indirectly approached in all countries
Simplifying existing legislation
The word ‘simplify’ is used by: Cyprus, Denmark, France, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Slovakia, Sweden and United Kingdom; Belgium: clear legislation that is easy to apply; Slovenia mentions reduction of administrative burdens; Romania aims ‘to simplify’ the administrative procedures with regard to signalling and the declaration of occupational diseases
Address the ageing of the workforce, emerging new risks, prevention of work- related and occupational diseases
The ageing of workforce is not tackled by all countries. The prevention of risks and injuries is an objective in every country
Improve statistical data collection and develop the information base
Particularly mentioned in: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands and Slovenia (a reform of OSH statistics is envisaged), Greece (occupational accidents and diseases), Portugal and United Kingdom (cost aspect), and Romania (occupational diseases)
Better coordinate EU and international efforts to address OSH and engage with international organisations
Particularly mentioned by: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden

7. Explicit Reference to the Topics mentioned in the EU Strategic Framework (in Second Challenge) (I)
COUNTRIES
Cancer causing occupational exposure, fata­lities associated with chemical substances
Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia
Diseases caused by asbestos, lung diseases, skin diseases, asthma and other chronic conditions
All countries tackle these specifically or under the term ‘occupational diseases’
New technologies and innovations in work organisation
Explicitly mentioned by: Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy (work organisation), Ireland, Latvia (non- standard forms of employment), Lithuania, Romania (new technologies and non-standard forms of employment), Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden
Nanomaterials, biotech­nologies and green technologies. Information technology developments, e.g. constant connectivity
Nanomaterials: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain Green technologies: Sweden (but referring to agriculture)
Information technology: Implicitly all

8. Explicit Reference to the Topics mentioned in the EU Strategic Framework (in Second Challenge) (II)
COUNTRIES
Workforce diver­sity, atypical contractual arrangements and work patterns, a higher job turnover associated with shorter job assign­ments, especially for younger workers
Most of the countries tackle these topics either specifically or in general under terms like ‘emerging risks’ or ‘changes in the workforce’, Romania (changes in the labour market)
Stress, ergonomic risks (repetitive movements or tiring or painful positions and lifting, carrying or moving loads on a daily basis)
‘Stress’ is explicitly mentioned by: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania (psychosocial risks), Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom
‘Ergonomics’ is mentioned by Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland In addition MSDs is often mentioned under occupational diseases
Impact of changes in work organisation in terms of physical and mental health
Most of the countries tackle these topics either specifically or in general under different terms
Women facing specific risks like musculoskeletal disorders or specific types of cancer
Specifically mentioned by: Austria, Belgium, Portugal and Slovenia. Romania: women facing work-related ‘specific risks’ as part of vulnerable groups.

9. Overview tables of the report - matrices
Summarised overview of the common aspects of the various national OSH strategies and a country fiche for each country
Annex 3: overview matrix showing information if the national OSH strategy makes reference to the 7 key objectives, involved actors and stakeholders, evaluations, etc…
Annex 4: overview matrix of national strategies’ objectives and reference to the EU Strategic Framework’s 3 key challenges: elaborated table which shows at which level the challenges are tackled by the Member States
The reports shows that the EU strategic framework has had an important impact on the adoption and the content of national OSH strategies

10. Final assessment (I)
In general new OSH strategies are less ‘optimistic’ and more ‘realistic’ compared to former strategies.
Very ‘optimistic’ goal-setting in former strategies generally replaced by specifically defined actions, including monitoring, reporting and evaluation measures. These better-defined goals and measures seem achievable.
The EU strategic framework had a very clear influence on national OSH strategies.
Strategies are regarded as important and innovative; an opportunity for better implementation of OSH principles and better collaboration.

11. Final assessment (II)
Their main focus is now to work systematically on the principal weaknesses of a national system and they play a central role in national discussions and activities on OSH.
A proper assessment of national OSH strategies needs to also take account of strategies and policy programmes in related areas that might have strong influence on health and safety at work (such as on rehabilitation, return to work, public health programmes, social policy measures etc.).

12. Thank you for your attention!