EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/304

(2004/C 78 E/0306)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3637/03

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(9 December 2003)

Subject: Working environment for employees handling preservatives

The EU has in many areas helped secure a better working environment in European companies. Unfortunately, problems still exist because the rules are not obeyed, are inadequate or because there is a lack of knowledge about risks in particular sectors, e.g. in industries producing foodstuffs and preservatives.

In this connection, can the Commission disclose its knowledge of health hazards in the workplace for employees working with preservatives and does it have knowledge of incidents where the employer has not implemented existing safety provisions in this sector? Does it have knowledge of surveys of this area or does it have plans to carry out new surveys of the working environment in this sector? Lastly, can it state when it plans to submit new proposals for improving the working environment for the benefit of the health of employees?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 January 2004)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member on the importance of preventing possible occupational hazards in the food industry. In this line, Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 17 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (1) imposes on the employer the obligation to be in possession of an assessment of the risks to safety and health at work. In carrying out this obligation, the employer shall take the measures necessary for the safety and health protection of workers, including prevention of occupational risks and provision of information and training, as well as provision of the necessary organisation and means.

Directive 89/391/EEC also establishes an employer obligation to draw up, for the responsible authorities and in accordance with national laws and/or practices, reports on occupational accidents suffered by their workers. Member States shall report to the Commission every five years on the practical implementation of the provisions of this Directive, indicating the points of view of employers and workers. No reporting has been made by Member States to the Commission on incidents where the employer has not implemented existing safety provisions in industries using preservatives.

Another health and safety Community initiative, Council Directive 98/24/EEC of 7 April 1998 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work (2), may have amongst others a role in controlling the potential risks from food preservatives in the workplace.

The Commission considers that these directives provide adequate protection for the health of employees in the food industry. As the Honourable Member is aware, Union Directives on health and safety at work have to be transposed into national law. It is the responsibility of national authorities to ensure adequate controls and supervision of the implementation of the national legislation.

A recent initiative to raise awareness on the risk of dangerous substances at the workplace has been the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003 co-ordinated by the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work. Events were organised in all Member States and the Agency has produced information materials that are available from its website: http://osha.eu.int/ew2003.

Finally, the Commission announced in its Communication Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002-2006' (3) that the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work will set up a ‘risk observatory’, based on examples of good practice collected from firms or specific branches of activity.

(1) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989.

(2) OJ L 131, 5.5.1998.

(3) COM(2002) 118 final.