There are 28 different European Directives affecting health and safety,
underlining the importance the EU has given to the subject. However, it
is quite a task to achieve a minimum level of harmonisation across all
the 27 member states, given their different cultures, workplaces and
expectations.
So said Jan Jilek, lawyer at the European Commission’s Directorate of Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.
Jilek pointed to European Community guidelines designed to help implement legislation at Community and national level and obtain a high level of compliance, particularly among SMEs. He also outlined a range of practical tools and sources of information that are available free of charge, including brochures on areas the Commission is currently working on, such as mining, fishing vessels, and electromagnetic fields.
The adoption and application of health and safety legislation over the last decade has contributed to a substantial reduction in accidents at work — the rate of workplace accidents leading to an absence of more than three days has fallen by 33 per cent, for example. But, he cautioned, there are still around four million accidents a year in the EU. “This is hardly acceptable given that in the 21st century most of the accidents that happen are preventable,” he remarked. “The new EU strategy for 2007-2012 proposes to step up our ambition and aim for a further reduction in accidents at work of 25 per cent by 2012.”
In conclusion, Jilek said: “In spite of the initial variance in national legislation and different expectations of the EU member states, they have agreed on the adoption of a large amount of health and safety legislation. This would not have been possible without the full commitment shared by the member states to ensure a high level of protection of workers’ health and safety.”
