Osh prevention in eu

GTZ - Progress Social & Environmental Standarts. Alberto Cerda MicoGTZ - Progress Social & Environmental Standarts. Alberto Cerda Mico 11
The European Network forThe European Network for
Workplace Health PromotionWorkplace Health Promotion
(ENWHP) 2001(ENWHP) 2001
Report of the Current Status ofReport of the Current Status of
WHP in Small & MediumWHP in Small & Medium
Enterprises (SMEs)Enterprises (SMEs)
(19 countries)(19 countries)

GTZ - Progress Social & Environmental Standarts. Alberto2
Objectives:Objectives: provide overview currentprovide overview current
practice in workplace OHS pro-motionpractice in workplace OHS pro-motion in SMEsin SMEs
in the European Unionin the European Union
We will analyse:We will analyse:
 I - general economic and health conditionsI - general economic and health conditions
 II - current procedures and regulationsII - current procedures and regulations
 III - conditions which inhibit or promoteIII - conditions which inhibit or promote
practice in both fieldspractice in both fields

SpecialSpecial features of SMEsfeatures of SMEs
The role of the enterprise ownerThe role of the enterprise owner
 regard themselves as independent/enjoyregard themselves as independent/enjoy
personal autonomy to make decisions.personal autonomy to make decisions.
 very sceptical about formal legal require-ments.very sceptical about formal legal require-ments.
 If health-related strategies are implemented,If health-related strategies are implemented,
they tend to be of a short-term nature.they tend to be of a short-term nature.
 Longer-term strategic and conceptionalLonger-term strategic and conceptional
 programmes, required for preventive action, areprogrammes, required for preventive action, are
therefore less developed or not promoted.therefore less developed or not promoted.

Social relationships inSocial relationships in
enterpriseenterprise
 strong family atmosphere = tend to be familystrong family atmosphere = tend to be family
ownedowned
 employees tend to feel trust and loyalty towardsemployees tend to feel trust and loyalty towards
the ownerthe owner
 owner shows consideration/understandingowner shows consideration/understanding
towards stafftowards staff
 Not surpris-ingNot surpris-ing institutionalised representatives –institutionalised representatives –
e.g. works councils – have little significance thane.g. works councils – have little significance than
in large companiesin large companies

Work requirementsWork requirements
 characterised by simple organisationalcharacterised by simple organisational
structuresstructures
 Fewer routine activitiesFewer routine activities
 significant degree of direct communicationsignificant degree of direct communication
 Ad-hoc decisions &Ad-hoc decisions & improvisation areimprovisation are
common than rigid regulations laid downcommon than rigid regulations laid down
in writing.in writing.

I General economicI General economic
conditionsconditions
 SMEs play a key role in the economicSMEs play a key role in the economic
development of Europedevelopment of Europe
 almost 20 million companies within the 19almost 20 million companies within the 19
European states * employ fewer than 250European states * employ fewer than 250
peo-plepeo-ple
 That is more than 99% of all companiesThat is more than 99% of all companies
 77 million people work in SMEs77 million people work in SMEs

II StructuresII Structures occupationaloccupational
health and safety for SMEshealth and safety for SMEs
 Legislative frameworkLegislative framework
 Labour inspectionLabour inspection
 Occupational health & safety servicesOccupational health & safety services
 Employees representationEmployees representation

b) Labour inspectionb) Labour inspection
 despite different structures, qualifications, skills anddespite different structures, qualifications, skills and
responsibilities of the labour inspectors, their OHSresponsibilities of the labour inspectors, their OHS
strategies show more and more similaritiesstrategies show more and more similarities
 The inspection mandate has been extended to includeThe inspection mandate has been extended to include
consultancy and information. The employers are to beconsultancy and information. The employers are to be
advised and informed by the inspectors as to how theyadvised and informed by the inspectors as to how they
should carry out their obligations.should carry out their obligations.
 Although inspection and monitoring, linked with action inAlthough inspection and monitoring, linked with action in
the case of blatant infringements are still relevant, a new,the case of blatant infringements are still relevant, a new,
revised understand-ing of a labour inspector’s role canrevised understand-ing of a labour inspector’s role can
be seenbe seen

b) Labour inspectionb) Labour inspection
 the aim is no longer short-term, one-offthe aim is no longer short-term, one-off
elimination of all acute deficiencies, but theelimination of all acute deficiencies, but the
detection of underlying (frequentlydetection of underlying (frequently
organisational) shortcomingsorganisational) shortcomings
 the labour inspector more as a mediator andthe labour inspector more as a mediator and
advisor on OHS and less as an inspectoradvisor on OHS and less as an inspector
 Remaining Problems: subject to restrictions inRemaining Problems: subject to restrictions in
terms of resources (few staff and insufficientterms of resources (few staff and insufficient
funds)funds)

The smaller the enterprise/the less chancesThe smaller the enterprise/the less chances inspectedinspected
 Swedend: typical situation in SMEs: labour inspec-torate visits 15,000Swedend: typical situation in SMEs: labour inspec-torate visits 15,000
of the 160,000 enterprises with fewer than 10 employees annuallyof the 160,000 enterprises with fewer than 10 employees annually
- 75% of visits made to small enterprises- 75% of visits made to small enterprises
- However the largest companies are contacted on average almost- However the largest companies are contacted on average almost
three times a yearthree times a year
- the smallest enterprises see a labour inspector once in ten years.- the smallest enterprises see a labour inspector once in ten years.
 Problems:Problems:
- Labour inspectorate perceived by SMEs as costly and time-- Labour inspectorate perceived by SMEs as costly and time-
consumingconsuming

- bureaucratic structures are less pronounced than in- bureaucratic structures are less pronounced than in
large companieslarge companies
- formalised statutory procedures for occupational health- formalised statutory procedures for occupational health
and safety represent a majorand safety represent a major
burden = need for documentation, identification, self-burden = need for documentation, identification, self-
monitoringmonitoring
- limited resources = labour inspection is concentrated- limited resources = labour inspection is concentrated
on high-risk work siteson high-risk work sites

c) Occupational health andc) Occupational health and
safety servicessafety services
 the employers are legally obliged to provide carethe employers are legally obliged to provide care
through OHS servicesthrough OHS services
 size of the enterprise = the smaller thesize of the enterprise = the smaller the
enterprise, the less favourable the situation isenterprise, the less favourable the situation is
- Although risk assessment is obligatory, it only- Although risk assessment is obligatory, it only
takes place in 30 to 50 % of small enterprises (<takes place in 30 to 50 % of small enterprises (<
50 employees)50 employees)
- whereas in larger companies (> 100- whereas in larger companies (> 100
employees) the proportion isemployees) the proportion is
roughly 90%.roughly 90%.

c) Occupational health andc) Occupational health and
safety servicessafety services
OHS Preventive services: minimum requirementOHS Preventive services: minimum requirement
 only permitted or approved if at least fouronly permitted or approved if at least four
different disciplines are represented:different disciplines are represented:
- occupational medicine (normally externalized),- occupational medicine (normally externalized),
- safety speciality- safety speciality
- occupational hygiene- occupational hygiene
- psycho-sociology and ergonomics- psycho-sociology and ergonomics

c) Occupational health and safety servicesc) Occupational health and safety services
 In Sweden there are 700 preventive service units with 7,000In Sweden there are 700 preventive service units with 7,000
doctors, nurses,doctors, nurses,
psychologists, ergonomists, and physiotherapists working in jointpsychologists, ergonomists, and physiotherapists working in joint
private and branch ser-vicesprivate and branch ser-vices
 In Spain more than 1000 (Accident non profitable Funds and PrivateIn Spain more than 1000 (Accident non profitable Funds and Private
ServicesServices
 In Finland the municipal model is the most importantIn Finland the municipal model is the most important
 The “Good Neighbour Scheme” is a programme (Irish) to encourageThe “Good Neighbour Scheme” is a programme (Irish) to encourage
OHS in SMEs:OHS in SMEs:
- large enterprises with a good occupa-tional health and safety- large enterprises with a good occupa-tional health and safety
infrastructureinfrastructure
- act as mentors for small enterprises in their region- act as mentors for small enterprises in their region
- they help and advise local SMEs, support them with their OHS- they help and advise local SMEs, support them with their OHS
services (including training)services (including training)

d) Health and safety committees andd) Health and safety committees and
representativesrepresentatives
 health and safety representatives are frequently closelyhealth and safety representatives are frequently closely
linked to the trade unions. They are either nominatedlinked to the trade unions. They are either nominated
directly by the trade unions (UK) or approved bydirectly by the trade unions (UK) or approved by
trade unions following an election by the workforce (DK)trade unions following an election by the workforce (DK)
or simply elected by workers (Spain)or simply elected by workers (Spain)

d) Health and safety committeesd) Health and safety committees
and representativesand representatives
 they present a forum for employers’ and employees’they present a forum for employers’ and employees’
delegates to discuss OHS and together to find solutionsdelegates to discuss OHS and together to find solutions
 the committees also play important role in monitoringthe committees also play important role in monitoring
OHS measures and holding training courses andOHS measures and holding training courses and
information eventsinformation events
 they are useful tool to implement OHS in practicethey are useful tool to implement OHS in practice
 their establishment only obligatory for businesses of atheir establishment only obligatory for businesses of a
certain size upwards. The limit is between 20 and 50certain size upwards. The limit is between 20 and 50
employees, depending on the country.employees, depending on the country.

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