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Chapter 3: The future of work in Europe: job quality and work organisation for a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Improving the cross-border portability Box 3: Promoting Health and safety at work
of social security benefits and pensions,
together with better information about The EU( ) has a strong interest in health and safety at work and develops, imple -
64
rights and assistance and their enforce- ments and monitors EU legislation to improve occupational health and safety in
ment, can further reduce institutional all activity sectors. EU legislation seeks to reduce the risk element associated
barriers to labour mobility and increase with particular jobs (e.g. magnetic fields), therefore protecting the health of those
the opportunities to exploit job quality to workers( ). Part of the EU awareness-raising and legal process is also to pro-
65
the fullest extent across the EU. mote workers’ rights to make proposals to improve their health and safety and
to appeal to competent authorities and stop their work in the event of serious
Finally, particular attention will need to danger. The European Commission Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at
be placed on the low- to medium-skilled Work 2014–20 ( ) identifies the following key challenges:
66
workers who are in a disadvantageous • to improve the implementation of existing health and safety rules, in particular
position in their ability to upgrade their by enhancing the capacity of micro and small enterprises to put in place effec -
skills to meet the requirements of the tive and efficient risk prevention strategies;
new knowledge- and technology-inten-
sive activities and are employed in jobs • to improve the prevention of work-related diseases by tackling new and emerg -
subject to international competition ing risks without neglecting existing risks;
from countries with lower job quality • to take account of the ageing of the EU’s workforce.
standards. In such cases, just as with Actions to address these challenges include:
technology, a combination of targeted
measures in terms of adequate earnings, • Consolidating national health and safety strategies through, for example, policy
support services, targeted skill-formation coordination and mutual learning;
programmes and appropriate health and • Practical support (technical assistance and practical tools, such as the Online
safety standards is necessary. Interactive Risk Assessment tool (OiRA) that assesses sector-specific risks) to
micro and small enterprises to help them comply with health and safety rules;
At the same time, a level playing field • Evaluating and improving the enforcement ability of national labour inspectorates;
with trading partners could be assured • Eliminating unnecessary administrative burdens associated with existing legislation;
via, for example, the inclusion in Free • Addressing the ageing of the European workforce and improving prevention of
Trade Agreements of provisions cover- work-related diseases associated with new risks such as nanomaterials, green
ing minimum working conditions and technology and biotechnologies;
the enforcement of national labour
laws, with monitoring and enforcement • Improving data collection and developing monitoring tools;
of labour standards, in line with existing • Reinforcing coordination with international organisations (e.g. ILO, WHO and
good practices. The ILO (2013a) reports OECD) and partners to contribute to improving working conditions and reducing
a substantial growth in the number of work accidents and occupational diseases worldwide.
trade agreements featuring labour-
related measures since the mid-1990s ( ) Supported by Committees of national experts such as the Advisory Committee on Safety and
64
as a result of a growing awareness of Health at Work (ACSH), the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) or the
social and employment effects of trade 65 Senior Labour Inspectors Committee (SLIC).
63
liberalisation( ). In this context, imple- ( ) For more details see Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures
to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work, available at http://eur-lex.
menting health and safety at work leg- europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:31989L0391. See also IRE (2014 — Chapter 7).
66
islation in the EU but also more globally ( ) For more details, see http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=2053&fur
therNews=yes
may be important (Box 3).
63
( ) In total, there were 58 agreements with
labour provisions in June 2013 — almost
a quarter of the total 248 trade agreements
currently in force.
153
Improving the cross-border portability Box 3: Promoting Health and safety at work
of social security benefits and pensions,
together with better information about The EU( ) has a strong interest in health and safety at work and develops, imple -
64
rights and assistance and their enforce- ments and monitors EU legislation to improve occupational health and safety in
ment, can further reduce institutional all activity sectors. EU legislation seeks to reduce the risk element associated
barriers to labour mobility and increase with particular jobs (e.g. magnetic fields), therefore protecting the health of those
the opportunities to exploit job quality to workers( ). Part of the EU awareness-raising and legal process is also to pro-
65
the fullest extent across the EU. mote workers’ rights to make proposals to improve their health and safety and
to appeal to competent authorities and stop their work in the event of serious
Finally, particular attention will need to danger. The European Commission Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at
be placed on the low- to medium-skilled Work 2014–20 ( ) identifies the following key challenges:
66
workers who are in a disadvantageous • to improve the implementation of existing health and safety rules, in particular
position in their ability to upgrade their by enhancing the capacity of micro and small enterprises to put in place effec -
skills to meet the requirements of the tive and efficient risk prevention strategies;
new knowledge- and technology-inten-
sive activities and are employed in jobs • to improve the prevention of work-related diseases by tackling new and emerg -
subject to international competition ing risks without neglecting existing risks;
from countries with lower job quality • to take account of the ageing of the EU’s workforce.
standards. In such cases, just as with Actions to address these challenges include:
technology, a combination of targeted
measures in terms of adequate earnings, • Consolidating national health and safety strategies through, for example, policy
support services, targeted skill-formation coordination and mutual learning;
programmes and appropriate health and • Practical support (technical assistance and practical tools, such as the Online
safety standards is necessary. Interactive Risk Assessment tool (OiRA) that assesses sector-specific risks) to
micro and small enterprises to help them comply with health and safety rules;
At the same time, a level playing field • Evaluating and improving the enforcement ability of national labour inspectorates;
with trading partners could be assured • Eliminating unnecessary administrative burdens associated with existing legislation;
via, for example, the inclusion in Free • Addressing the ageing of the European workforce and improving prevention of
Trade Agreements of provisions cover- work-related diseases associated with new risks such as nanomaterials, green
ing minimum working conditions and technology and biotechnologies;
the enforcement of national labour
laws, with monitoring and enforcement • Improving data collection and developing monitoring tools;
of labour standards, in line with existing • Reinforcing coordination with international organisations (e.g. ILO, WHO and
good practices. The ILO (2013a) reports OECD) and partners to contribute to improving working conditions and reducing
a substantial growth in the number of work accidents and occupational diseases worldwide.
trade agreements featuring labour-
related measures since the mid-1990s ( ) Supported by Committees of national experts such as the Advisory Committee on Safety and
64
as a result of a growing awareness of Health at Work (ACSH), the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) or the
social and employment effects of trade 65 Senior Labour Inspectors Committee (SLIC).
63
liberalisation( ). In this context, imple- ( ) For more details see Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures
to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work, available at http://eur-lex.
menting health and safety at work leg- europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:31989L0391. See also IRE (2014 — Chapter 7).
66
islation in the EU but also more globally ( ) For more details, see http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=2053&fur
therNews=yes
may be important (Box 3).
63
( ) In total, there were 58 agreements with
labour provisions in June 2013 — almost
a quarter of the total 248 trade agreements
currently in force.
153
