1. OSH COMMITTEES IN SPAIN AND EUROPE
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Aitana Garí Pérez

2. Workers participation in occupational health and safety
Two ways for worker involvement:
Safety Representatives
OSH Committees
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3. OSH Committees What is a OSH Committees in Spain?
a way of organizing a companies internal participation…
used for establishing regular and periodical consulting and negotiating mechanisms…
a stable forum for an organized dialogue between parties…
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4. Who is on the OSH Committee? In equal proportion we have:
OSH Committees
Who is on the OSH Committee?
In equal proportion we have:
Safety representatives and
representatives appointed by the management
Expert in occupational risks prevention: OSH officers, consultants or advisers
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5. OSH Committees How are the OSH Committee set up?
Employers are responsible for establishing OSH committees. But if not
The safety representatives can report them to the Labour Inspectorate.
Meeting at least every 3 months or when either party requests it.
Own functioning norms.
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6. OSH Committees Where are they set up?
all companies with 50 or more workers
companies with various work centres: one Committee for several work centres
joint meetings of OSH Committees in single work center
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7. OSH Committees What functions and rights do OSH committee have?
get involved development and evaluation of the Prevention Program
discuss work organization and/or the introduction of new technologies or machines
promote prevention initiatives and to improve working conditions
inform about the annual prevention report and program
visit the work centre
access all information and documentation for the development of their tasks/of the committee tasks
analyse workers health with the aim of assessing their causes and to propose preventive measures
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8. OSH Committees What are the main OSH committee activities?
participate in the development and implementation of programs to protect workers´ health and safety
ensure the completion and monitoring of  injury and work hazard records
monitor and follow-up hazard reports and recommend action
participate in all health and safety inquiries and investigations, and
monitor the effectiveness of safety programs and procedures
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9. OSH Committees Some good practices in some Spanish committees...
ensure matters do not get stalled over the table: always setting deadlines for agreements and decisions
to sort out the really important matters, and not to get distracted with irrelevant details
maximum transparency: systematically inform workers of everything that happens on the Committee
increase the involvement of workers: providing a suggestion box, etc.
company do not pass its responsibilities to the Committee
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10. OSH Committees A wide spread bad practice in Spanish companies
appoint OSH expert officers or advisers as company's representatives
Legally permitted, but not good for prevention because:
it difficult the principle of incorporating prevention in business management. Responsibilities that belong to company management go to OSH experts officers
it stops the OSH experts officers from carrying out their advisory function to the business as well as to the workers
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11. OSH Committees in Europe:
are more or less the same  same Law: the Framework Directive
(Council Directive 89/391/EEC, on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work)
Some differences on the way they are organized
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12. OSH Committees Finally...
Several studies show that companies that have an OSH Committee reduce the number of accidents.
OSH committee is a worker collective protection.
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13. Exchange of points of view
OSH Committees
Exchange of points of view
Businesspeople: management, economical,…
Safety rep: worker point of view
OSH officers: expert in occupational risk prevention, technical, scientific,…
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14. OSH Committees The moral:
Workers participation in occupational health and safety issues improves their working conditions and therefore the workers´ health.
All together can go far!!!
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