1. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
Healthy Workplaces
Good for you. Good for business
Ljubljana, 25th October 2010
William Cockburn
European Risk Observatory, EU-OSHA

2. EU-OSHA Established in 1996 in Bilbao Mission:
To help improve working conditions in the European Union by collecting, analysing and communicating technical, scientific and economic information related to OSH to Community bodies, Member States, the social partners and all those involved in the field of OSH
EU-OSHA is a tripartite organisation and brings together representatives from:
governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations
as well as from the European Commission
Our mission
We are the European Union organisation responsible for the collection, analysis and dissemination of relevant information that can serve the needs of people involved in safety and health at work.
Our vision
To be the European centre of excellence for occupational safety and health information, promoting a preventive culture to support the goal of making Europe’s current and future workplaces safe, healthy and productive.
Our values
Pan-European; relevant and responsive; reliable and transparent; tripartite; and partnership- and network-based.
Our goal:
To raise awareness of OSH risks and their prevention
To identify good practice in OSH and facilitate its exchange
To anticipate new and emerging risks in order to facilitate preventive action
To promote MS co-operation on information sharing and research, and
To promote networking to make the best use of OSH resources in Europe and beyond

3. A network of Focal Points to support the Agency's activities
Every Member State has a focal point
Every focal point has a tripartite national network
Extent of activity depends upon national structures EU
EFTA/EEA
Candidate and potential candidate countries

4. Health and safety at work:
What is the scale of the challenge in Europe?
What is EU-OSHA’s role?

5. 5,580 died in a fatal accident at work in 2007
Accidents at work
5,580 died in a fatal accident at work in 2007
7 million workers (3%) suffered an accident resulting in time off work
In 1 in 4 cases, this was for longer than a month
800,000 had two or more accidents
Equal to 83 million lost days, not including those who will never work again (25,000) and those still on sick leave during the study (363,000)

6. Work-related health problems and occupational diseases
8.6% of workers suffered a work-related health problem in 2007
Approximately 23 million workers, of whom 2.1% (483,000) had two or more problems
12.5 million had to take time off work
Approximately 367 million work days lost in 2007 (excluding 1.4 million who do not expect to work again)
Longest absences related to cardiovascular problems, stress/depression/anxiety and lower body MSDs

7. Work-related health problems experienced in the past 12 months
Source: LFS ad hoc module 2007 – FR not included
60% identified MSDs as their most serious work-related health problem
14% identified stress, depression or anxiety as the most serious health problem

8. EU-OSHA’s role
Identify OSH issues related to the changing world of work
Board, Focal Points, staff, stakeholders, Topic Centre, others
Analyse the issues and help coordinate research
European Risk Observatory
Identify practical approaches to dealing with the issues
Working Environment Information Unit
Disseminate the information
Communication and Promotion Unit
Pan-European ‘Healthy workplaces’ campaigns
Bring together interest groups to share information and promote a positive health and safety culture
Networks include EFTA/EEA, candidate, pre-accession countries
Internet-based information exchange
The Agency was set up in 1996 to collect and disseminate information on health and safety at work. Since 2005, the European Risk Observatory has been responsible for identifying new and emerging risks, monitoring trends in OSH, helping to coordinate research and providing a platform for debate.

9. Upcoming EU-OSHA activities
Coordination and promotion of research
Seek consensus on priorities and encourage inclusion of OSH in research programmes
Foresight on new and emerging risks
Identify risks arising due to demographic, scientific, technological, societal or economic changes
2012 Healthy Workplaces Campaign
Better Health and Safety at Work through Prevention
Provide workplace solutions
Online interactive risk assessment tool, economic incentives, occupational health promotion, mainstreaming OSH into education

10. Thank you for your attention