Report from the Commission - 27th Annual activity report of the advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work 2002
Date: 2004-08-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: activity report, advisory committee (EU), occupational health, occupational safety, working conditions, workplace

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 05.08.2004 
COM(2004) 539 final 

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION 

27TH ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON 
SAFETY, HYGIENE AND HEALTH PROTECTION AT WORK 

2002 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMITTEE.......................................................... 3 
1. 
ACTIVITIES IN 2002 ................................................................................................. 3 
2. 
26th activity report of the Advisory Committee .......................................................... 4 
2.1. 
2.2. 
Opinions adopted ......................................................................................................... 4 
2.2.1.  Committee Opinion (Doc. No 11881/2/02) on the Community strategy for health and 
safety at work (2002-2006) .......................................................................................... 4 
2.2.2.  Committee opinion on the draft work programme for the Bilbao Agency for 2003 ... 5 
Operational procedures ................................................................................................ 6 
2.3. 
2.3.1.  Work programme 2003 ................................................................................................ 6 
ACTIVITIES OF THE AD HOC GROUPS/END-OF-YEAR STRUCTURE ........... 6 
3. 
Ad hoc groups active in 2002 and continuing their activities in 2003......................... 6 
3.1. 
3.1.1.  Planning/Community strategy 2002-2006 ................................................................... 6 
3.1.2.  Standardisation............................................................................................................. 6 
3.1.3.  Chemicals in the workplace ......................................................................................... 6 
3.1.4.  Report on the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work................................. 7 
3.1.5.  Teleworking ................................................................................................................. 7 
3.1.6.  Occupational diseases .................................................................................................. 7 
3.1.7.  ATEX ........................................................................................................................... 7 
3.1.8.  Health and safety in the hospital sector ....................................................................... 7 
3.1.9.  Fisheries ....................................................................................................................... 7 
3.2. 
Creation of ad hoc groups in 2002 ............................................................................... 8 
3.2.1.  Enlargement (Doc. No 11937/02) ................................................................................ 8 
Dissolution of ad hoc groups ....................................................................................... 8 
3.3. 
3.3.1.  Community strategy 2002-2006................................................................................... 8 
COOPERATION WITH OTHER BODIES ................................................................ 9 
4. 
Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and Other Extractive Industries ........ 8 
4.1. 
Senior Labour Inspectors' Committee.......................................................................... 8 
4.2. 
Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits to Chemical Agents ........... 9 
4.3. 
Social partners.............................................................................................................. 9 
4.4. 
Trade Union Technical Bureau .................................................................................... 9 
4.5. 
International Labour Office (ILO) ............................................................................... 9 
4.6. 
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions......... 9 
4.7. 
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work........................................................ 9 
4.8. 

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1. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMITTEE 

In view of the need to establish a standing body to assist the Commission in the preparation 
and implementation of activities in the field of safety, hygiene and health protection at work, 
and  to  facilitate  cooperation  between  national  administrations,  trade  unions  and  employers' 
organisations,  the  Council  of  the  European  Communities,  by  its  Decision  of  27  June  1974 
(74/325/EEC),  set  up  an  Advisory  Committee  on  Safety,  Hygiene  and  Health  Protection  at 
Work. 

The  Committee  is  a  tripartite  body  made  up  of  full  members  comprising,  for  each  Member 
State,  two  government  representatives,  two  representatives  of  trade  unions  and  two 
representatives  of  employers'  organisations.  An  alternate  member  is  appointed  for  each  full 
member.  The  full  and  alternate  members  of  the  Committee  are  appointed  by  the  Council, 
which publishes the list of members in the Official Journal of the European Communities, for 
information purposes. The Committee is chaired by a Member of the Commission or, where 
he or she is prevented from so doing, by a Commission official designated by him or her. 

The Committee produces an annual report on its activities, which the Commission forwards to 
the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee1. 

In  2002,  the  Committee  met  twice  in  Luxembourg.  At  both  meetings  the  Commission 
informed  the  Committee  of  developments  with  regard  to  all  matters  concerning  safety, 
hygiene and health protection at work. 

The Committee adopted the annual activity report for 2001, together with two opinions which 
are reviewed in section 2.2 of this report, and looked at potential subjects for its 2003 work 
programme. 

2. 

ACTIVITIES IN 2002 

On 18 December 2000, the Council, acting on a proposal from the Member States, appointed 
the  full  and  alternate  members  of  the  Committee  for  the  period  from  18  December  2000  to 
17 December 2003, the previous term of office having run from 7 July 1997 to 6 July 2000. 
The list of members for 2002 is attached as Annex B. 

In  2002,  the  Committee  met  on  two  occasions  in  Luxembourg,  in  April  and  November.  At 
each  meeting  the  Commission  informed  the  Committee  of  developments  with  regard  to  all 
matters concerning safety, hygiene and health protection at work. 

Meetings of the interest groups representing governments, employers and workers were held 
on  the  day  before  the  Committee  meetings.  Two  additional  meetings  of  the  interest  groups 
were held during the year. 

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The Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community, to which the activity report 
was also forwarded in accordance with Article 3 (2) of Decision 74/325/EEC, ceased work in 2002 on 
expiry of the ECSC Treaty. 

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The course of the Committee's activities in 2002 mirrored the work of the Commission, taking 
account, among other things, of the adoption by the Commission of its Communication on a 
new strategy for health and safety at work 2002-2006 [COM(2002) 118 final].  

The  proposed  activities  and  priorities  were  put  to  the  Committee  by  the  Planning  Group, 
which met on five occasions. 

18 meetings were organised for the nine ad hoc groups set up to look into specialised areas on 
which the Committee wished to give an opinion. 

The Committee disbanded one group, whose work had been completed: 

– 

Community strategy 2002–2006 

The Committee set up one group, for which a mandate was adopted: 

– 

Enlargement (Doc. No 11937/02) 

The  Committee  also  revised  the  mandates  of  the  following  groups:  "  Community  strategy 
2002-2006" (Doc. No 0994/1/01), "Teleworking" (Doc. No 0509/1/99) and "Planning" (Doc. 
No  0316/1/99),  and  extended  the  part  of  the  mandate  of  the  "Chemicals  in  the  workplace" 
group with regard to the establishing of occupational exposure levels (Doc. No 2502/2/01). 

The work of the groups is summarised in section 3 of this report. 

The Committee adopted its annual activity report for 2001, together with two opinions which 
are reviewed in section 2.2 of this report, and looked at potential subjects for its 2003 work 
programme. 

2.1. 

26th activity report of the Advisory Committee 

Doc. No 11569/02 

The  Committee  adopted  its  26th  report,  covering  activities  in  2001,  at  its  65th  plenary 
meeting on 13 November 2002. 

2.2. 

Opinions adopted 

2.2.1.  Committee Opinion (Doc. No 11881/2/02) on the Community strategy for health and 

safety at work (2002-2006) 

On  15 May  2001,  as  part  of  the  preparations  for  a  new  Community  strategy  for  health  and 
safety  at  work,  the  Committee  decided  to  establish  the  “Community  strategy  2002-2006” 
group.  The  mandate  for  this  group  —  whose  first  draft  opinion  had  been  adopted  by  the 
Committee  in  November  2001  —  was  revised  and  updated  at  the  64th  plenary  meeting  on 
18 April  2002,  following  adoption  of  the  Commission’s  Communication  [COM(2002)  118 
final]. 

The group’s new mandate was to “prepare an Advisory Committee opinion on the measures 
to  be  envisaged  and  actions  with  a  view  to  implementation  of  the  Community  strategy  for 
health and safety at work in the period 2002-2006” (Doc. No 0994/1/01). The Committee had 
entrusted this task to the “Planning” group. 

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Following  on  from  the  opinion  adopted  in  November  2001,  the  Committee’s  new  opinion 
established the essential priorities for the correct implementation of the Community strategy 
2002-2006. 

Coordination, allocation of sufficient resources, and inclusion of health and safety at work in all 
Community policies are all essential to the success of the new strategy. 

Analysis of the occupational health and safety situation, including the current position in the 
candidate countries, should make it possible to identify areas for priority action at European 
level  and  in  individual  Member  States  or  candidate  countries.  In  this  connection,  the 
Committee  emphasises  the  importance  of  establishing  a  European  Risk  Observatory, 
preparing a discussion document setting out the criteria for a possible benchmarking exercise 
in  the  field  of  health  and  safety  at  work,  and  defining  indicators  and  ensuring  that  they  are 
reliable through a rigorous  examination of the credibility of existing  sources  or any  sources 
that might be created. 

As  regards  possible  legislation,  an  improvement  in,  and  a  concrete  evaluation  of,  the  way  in 
which existing directives are applied must be undertaken by adapting evaluation reports (to be 
produced  on  the  basis  of  a  simplified  and  rational  procedure  with  a  view  to  obtaining 
homogeneous  data)  and  consolidating/simplifying  existing  legislation  (a  document  setting  out 
the principles of the proposed consolidation of directives should be examined by the Advisory 
Committee).  The  Committee  would  also  welcome  the  rapid  adoption  of  the  new  legislation 
currently  under  examination  (physical  agents,  asbestos),  adaptation  of  existing  legislation  on 
carcinogenic products, and amendment of the list of occupational diseases. 

Among  the  non-legislative  instruments  envisaged  under  the  new  strategy,  the  Committee 
emphasises  the  importance  to  be  placed  on  the  preparation  of  guides  facilitating  the 
implementation of directives and the need, in this connection, to develop a general approach for 
these  instruments,  identifying  the  users  and  appropriate  forms  of  dissemination.  It  is  also 
necessary  to  promote  prevention  training  targeting  employees,  young  people  at  school  and 
persons  attending  vocational  training.  Special  attention  must  also  be  paid  to  emerging  risks 
(musculoskeletal  disorders,  psychosocial  risks)  and  action  to  be  taken  in  the  context  of  the 
enlargement process. 

The Committee unanimously adopted the draft opinion on 13 November 2002. 

2.2.2.  Committee opinion on the draft work programme for the Bilbao Agency for 2003 

In accordance with Article 10 of the Regulation establishing the Agency, the Administrative 
Board adopts the Agency’s annual work programme on the basis of a draft prepared by the 
Director, after consultation with the Commission and the Advisory Committee. 

The  Agency’s  programme  for  2003  was  submitted  to  the  Committee  at  its  65th  plenary 
meeting  on  13 November  2002.  The  comments  by  the  three  interest  groups  may  be 
summarised as follows: 

The three groups welcome the fact that this year the Committee has been able to take note of 
the programme before its adoption by the Agency’s Administrative Board. 

The  government  group  fully  supports  the  outlines  and  essential  themes  of  the  programme, 
while  emphasising  the  importance  of  avoiding  any  duplication  of  work  by  the  different 

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institutions,  given  the  very  limited  resources  and  the  need  for  the  various  aspects  of  the 
programme to be better integrated. 

The  employers’  group  emphasises  the  need  to  find  a  reasonable  balance  between  the 
necessarily ambitious nature of a European project and the associated risk of aiming too high. 
The  group  considers  the  objective  very  ambitious,  in  particular  regarding  the  Agency’s 
communication strategy, but the first thing should be to ensure that it corresponds to the right 
actors, the priorities of European policy and the available resources. 

The workers’ group supports certain remarks concerning the work programme, with which it 
is  also  generally  in  agreement.  Its  first  comment  concerns  the  number  of  subjects,  which  is 
very large and in some cases may mean they are not dealt with in detail. Similarly, but in a 
different  field,  the  group  is  concerned  that  the  maintaining,  updating  and  topicality  of 
information  on  the  Agency’s  site  might  be  neglected.  In  future,  preparation  of  the  new 
Community  strategy  must  make  it  possible  to  reaffirm  and  define  more  precisely  the  links 
between the Agency’s activities and the Commission’s policy. 

2.3. 

Operational procedures 

2.3.1.  Work programme 2003 

Doc. No 11831/02 

At its meeting on 13 November 2002, the Committee adopted its work programme for 2003, 
which reflects the indicative priorities set out in the forward timetable for implementation of 
the new Community strategy 2002-2006. 

3. 

ACTIVITIES OF THE AD HOC GROUPS/END-OF-YEAR STRUCTURE 

3.1. 

Ad hoc groups active in 2002 and continuing their activities in 2003 

3.1.1.  Planning/Community strategy 2002-2006 

The Planning Group met on five occasions in 2002 to prepare the new mandates and organise 
and monitor the work of the groups. Three of these meetings were partly devoted to preparing 
the  opinion  on  the  "Community  strategy  2000-2006"  (see  2.2.1),  in  accordance  with  the 
mandate under which the Committee had entrusted this task to the Planning Group. 

3.1.2. 

Standardisation 

This  group’s  activities  are  of  an  ongoing  nature.  Its  remit  from  the  Committee  is  to  study 
standardisation mandates as and when they are submitted by the Commission. The group also 
deals  with  general  problems  relating  to  health  and  safety  at  work  in  the  context  of 
standardisation. 

In 2002 the group met once. 

3.1.3.  Chemicals in the workplace 

Created  on  29  November  2001  following  the  merger  of  the  former  "Establishment  of 
occupational exposure levels" and "Guidelines on chemical agents" groups, the tasks of this 

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group  include  monitoring  action  based  on  the  Commission's  White  Paper  "Strategy  for  a 
future  chemicals  policy"  [COM  (2001)  88  final]  and  suggesting  further  action  on  problems 
relating to organic solvents. 

The group met five times in 2002 and will continue its work in 2003. 

3.1.4.  Report on the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work 

This group, created in May 1999, did not meet in 2002 but will continue its work in 2003. 

3.1.5.  Teleworking 

The  mandate  of  this  group,  created  on  18  May  2000,  was  revised  on  13  November  2002 
following  the  signing  in  July  2002  of  a  voluntary  European-level  framework  agreement  on 
teleworking, pursuant to Article 139 of the Treaty. 

The  new  mandate  requires  the  group,  in  the  context  of  the  framework  agreement  on 
teleworking  and  links  with  current  legislation  in  the  field  of  health  and  safety  at  work,  to 
examine the problems likely to arise and propose possible solutions. 

The group did not meet in 2002. 

3.1.6.  Occupational diseases 

The  mandate  of  this  group,  created  on  18  May  2000,  is  to  prepare  an  Advisory  Committee 
opinion  on  Commission  proposals  concerning  the  updating  of  the  "European  Schedule  of 
Occupational Diseases" (Annex I to Commission Recommendation 90/326/EEC). 

The group met three times in 2002 and will continue its work in 2003. 

3.1.7.  ATEX 

The remit of this group, established on 19 December 2000, is to assist the Commission in the 
preparation  of  a  guide  to  good  practice  enabling  the  employer  to  produce  the  "explosion 
protection  document"  required  by  Article  8  of  the  ATEX  Directive  (1999/92/EC).  This 
preliminary and preparatory work will be put out to tender. 

The group met three times in 2002 and will continue its work in 2003. 

3.1.8.  Health and safety in the hospital sector 

The  task  of  this  group,  created  on  29  November  2001,  is  to  prepare,  on  the  basis  of  a 
Commission  document  setting  out  proposed  Community  measures,  an  Advisory  Committee 
opinion on possible measures to ensure better protection of the health and safety of workers in 
the hospital sector. 

The group did not meet in 2002. 

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3.1.9.  Fisheries  

On  29  November  2001,  the  Committee  adopted  the  mandate  for  this  group,  which  was  to 
monitor work relating to the health and safety of workers in the fisheries sector in conjunction 
with the preparation of a new European common fisheries policy. 

The group met once in 2002 and will continue its work in 2003. 

3.2. 

Creation of ad hoc groups in 2002 

The Committee created one ad hoc group and adopted its mandate. 

3.2.1.  Enlargement (Doc. No 11937/02) 

The  task  of  this  group,  established  on  13  November  2002,  is  to  provide  the  Advisory 
Committee with an opinion on possible initiatives in the course of 2003 concerning health and 
safety at work, as part of the preparations for the accession of new Member States. 

3.3. 

Dissolution of ad hoc groups 

The Committee decided to disband one group whose work had been completed. 

3.3.1.  Community strategy 2002-2006 

Following the adoption of Doc. No 11881/2/02 (see 2.2.1), this group was formally disbanded 
on 13 November 2002. 

4. 

COOPERATION WITH OTHER BODIES 

4.1. 

Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and Other Extractive Industries 

The main tasks of the Safety and Health Commission are to monitor developments in the field 
of safety and health in the extractive industries, to submit to the governments of the Member 
States practical proposals for improving safety and health protection at the workplace and to 
foster exchanges of useful information. 

Since 1994, representatives of the Safety and Health Commission have attended meetings of 
the Advisory Committee as observers. Similarly, representatives of the Committee are invited 
to  the  plenary  meetings  of  the  Safety  and  Health  Commission,  each  interest  group  sending 
two  observers.  This  arrangement  ensures  a  better  information  flow  between  the  two  bodies. 
Experience  acquired  so  far  shows  points  in  common,  but  the  impression  of  two  separate 
bodies  persists.  The  Safety  and  Health  Commission  is  essentially  a  technical  body  which 
deals with safety problems specific to the extractive industries. Technical aspects constitute a 
key  element  of  its  work,  whereas  the  Advisory  Committee  is  also  in  a  position  to  discuss 
fundamental issues of safety and health at work. 

4.2. 

Senior Labour Inspectors' Committee 

Created by Commission Decision 95/315/EC of 12 July 1995, the Senior Labour Inspectors' 
Committee is composed of two representatives of the labour inspectorates from each Member 
State and is chaired by a representative of the Commission. 

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The Committee submits an annual report on its activities to the Commission, with particular 
reference to any problem relating to the enforcement or monitoring of secondary Community 
legislation in the field of health and safety at work. The Commission forwards the report to 
the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the 
Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work. 

4.3. 

Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits to Chemical Agents 

Set  up  in  response  to  a  request  from  the  Council  by  Commission  Decision  95/320/EC  of 
12 July 1995, this scientific committee is required to examine the health effects of chemical 
agents on workers at work. Its activities are monitored by the Advisory Committee and, more 
particularly, by the "occupational exposure levels" group as it prepares its opinions on draft 
proposals for directives adopting occupational exposure limits under Directive 98/24/EC. 

4.4. 

Social partners 

A representative of the European Trade Union Confederation  (ETUC) and a member of the 
Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE) are invited to attend 
the meetings of the Committee. 

4.5. 

Trade Union Technical Bureau 

The  European  Trade  Union  Technical  Bureau  for  health  and  safety  (TUTB)  was  set  up  in 
1989 by the ETUC as a vehicle for keeping close track of the technical work carried out by 
the  standardisation  organisations.  Backed  by  the  European  Parliament,  which  allocated  a 
budget heading in 1989, the TUTB signed a multiannual agreement with the Commission in 
the  same  year.  It  conducts  studies  and  supplies  information  tying  in  closely  with  European 
harmonisation and standardisation work in the field of safety and health at the workplace and 
with the Committee's standardisation group. A representative of the TUTB is invited to attend 
the Committee's meetings. 

4.6. 

International Labour Office (ILO) 

A representative of the ILO is invited to meetings of the Committee. 

4.7. 

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions 

A  representative  of  the  European  Foundation  for  the  Improvement  of  Living  and  Working 
Conditions  is  invited  to  meetings  of  the  Committee  and  presents,  amongst  other  things,  the 
Foundation's work programme. 

4.8. 

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work 

Under the Decision establishing the Agency, the Committee is consulted on its annual work 
programme and annual report. 

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