COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Safer and Healthier Work for All - Modernisation of the EU Occupational Safety and Health Legislation and Policy
Date: 2017-01-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, accident prevention, cancer, carcinogenic substance, health legislation, health risk, labour standard, occupational safety, public awareness campaign, safety standard

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 10.1.2017  COM(2017) 12 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Safer and Healthier Work for All - Modernisation of the EU Occupational Safety and Health Legislation and Policy {SWD(2017) 9 final} {SWD(2017) 10 final}  
 
 
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 

Over  the  last  25  years,  the  EU  has  been  a  front-runner  in  setting  high  standards  of  worker 
protection against health and safety risks at work on its territory, and has promoted high levels 
of protection also in third countries. Occupational safety and health 
policy is contributing to the objective of improving the safety and 
health of workers in the EU. According to the most recent available 
data  the  incidence  rate  of  deaths  in  accidents  at  work  dropped  by 
almost 1/4 as compared with the situation in 20081, however, with 
different trends in individual Member States. The percentage of EU 
workers  reporting  at  least  one  health  problem  caused  or  made 
worse by work decreased by nearly 10%.2 

Investment in occupational safety and health makes a lot of sense. It improves people's lives 
by preventing work-related illness and accidents and also has a tangible positive effect on EU 
economies.  It  leads  to  improved  business  productivity  and  performance.  At  macroeconomic 
level,  it  contributes  to  national  competitiveness.3  Different  studies  prove  that  the  employer 
will have a return in double for every euro spent on occupational safety and health.4 

The  EU  legislative  framework  has  played  a  pivotal  role  in  shaping  national  and  company 
level  occupational  safety  and  health  strategies.  The  detailed  ex-post  evaluation  of  the  EU 
acquis, checking their relevance as well as efficiency, effectiveness, coherence and EU added 
value,  carried  out  by  the  Commission  confirms  that  the  framework  meets  its  ambition  to 
adequately  protect  workers.5  This  REFIT  evaluation  comprised  the  Framework  Directive 
89/391/EEC and 23 related Directives.  

It  concluded  that  the  overall  structure  of  the  EU  occupational 
safety and health acquis, consisting of a goal-oriented Framework 
Directive  complemented  by  specific  Directives,  is  generally 
effective  and  fit-for-purpose.  However,  it  pointed  to  specific 
provisions of individual Directives that have become outdated or 
obsolete,  and  highlighted  the  need  to  find  effective  ways  to 
address  new  risks.  The  way  in  which  Member  States  have 
transposed  the  EU  occupational  safety  and  health  Directives  varies  considerably  across 
Member States. Compliance costs therefore vary and cannot be easily dissociated from more 
detailed  national  requirements.  However,  overall,  the  evaluation  clearly  concluded  that 
compliance with the occupational safety and health Directives is more challenging for SMEs 
than large establishments, while at the same time the major and fatal injury rates are higher 
for  SMEs.  Specific  support  measures  are  therefore  necessary  to  reach  SMEs  and  help  them 
increase their compliance in an efficient and effective way.  

1   Eurostat, European Statistics for Accidents at Work (ESAW) (online data code hsw_n2_02), EU-28. 
2   Eurostat, 2007 and 2013 EU Labour Force Survey ad hoc modules on accidents at work and work-related 
health  problems.  Estimate  excluding  NL  due  to  non-provision  of  2013  data  and  FR  due  to  important 
differences in the survey questionnaires between 2007 and 2013. 
3      http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---

safework/documents/publication/wcms_215307.pdf 

4   Calculating  the  international  return  on  prevention  for  companies:  costs  and  benefits  of  investments  in 

occupational safety and health, International Social Security Association; 2013. 

5   See  SWD  (2017)10  Ex-post  evaluation  of  the  European  Union  occupational  safety  and  health  Directives 

(REFIT evaluation) 

2 

 
 
                                                 
Based  on  the  detailed  ex-post  evaluation,  it  is  clear  that  the  EU  must  continue  investing  in 
occupational  safety  and  health  for  it  to  remain  at  the  vanguard  and  ensure  effective  worker 
protection  also  against  the  background  of  the  changing  nature  of  work  and  new  risks. 
Occupational safety and health measures should reach the widest number of people at work, 
no matter the type of working relationship they are in, and no matter the size of company they 
work  for.  Compliance  with  occupational  safety  and  health  rules  should  be  manageable  for 
businesses  of  all  sizes  and  effectively  monitored  on  the  ground.  Measures  must  be  result-
oriented, instead of paper-driven, and maximum use should be made of  new digital tools to 
facilitate implementation.  

In its 2015 report on the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-20206, 
the  European  Parliament  also  drew  the  Commission's  attention  to  the  importance  of 
implementation, compliance and enforcement of the occupational safety and health legislation 
as well as number of increasing or new risks. The report also notably emphasised the need to 
protect all workers regardless of the size of the employer, type of job or contract.  

With  these  common  objectives  in  mind  and  as  part  of  its  overall  strategy  for  modern 
employment  and  social  systems  in  the  EU  –  as  reflected  in  its  broad  consultation  on  a 
European  Pillar  for  Social  Rights  launched  in  March  –  the  following  key  actions,  further 
detailed  in  Annex  1,  would  bring  a  new  impetus  to  the  EU  Strategic  Framework  on  Health 
and Safety at Work7:  

Top Three Occupational Safety and Health Actions 

1)  Stepping up the fight against occupational cancer through legislative proposals accompanied 
by increased guidance and awareness-raising; 

2)  Helping  businesses,  in  particular  micro-enterprises  and  SMEs,  comply  with  occupational 
safety and health rules; 

3)  Cooperating with Member States and social partners to remove or update outdated rules and 
to refocus efforts on ensuring better and broader protection, compliance and enforcement on the 
ground. 

1.  FIGHTING OCCUPATIONAL CANCER AND DEALING WITH DANGEROUS CHEMICALS  

It has been estimated that in the EU between 91,500 – 150,500 people with past exposure to 
carcinogenic  substances  at  work  were  newly  diagnosed  with  cancer  in  2012.  Moreover, 
between  57,700  –  106,500  cancer  deaths  were  attributed  to  work-related  exposure  to 
carcinogenic substances in 2012; designating cancer as the first cause of work-related deaths 
in the EU.  

6   European  Parliament:  report  on  the  on  the  EU  Strategic  Framework  on  Health  and  Safety  at  Work  2014-

2020,   (2015/2107(INI)) – 26.10.2015 

7   Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council the European Economic and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety 
at Work 2014-2020; COM(2014)332 final. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
It is hardly possible to quantify value of human life and lost quality of 
life.  Direct  costs  of  work-related  cancer  in  terms  of  healthcare  and 
productivity losses amount at least to some 4-7 billion EUR per year. 
The indirect costs may reach as much as about 334 billion EUR (242 – 
440) each year8. 

National  measures  in  this  area  vary  significantly,  leading  to  different 
levels of protection of workers across the EU.  

At EU level, minimum standards for the protection of workers from exposure to chemicals at 
work  are  set  through  the  Carcinogens  and  Mutagens  Directive 
(Directive 2004/37), the Chemical Agents Directive (Directive 98/24) 
and  the  Asbestos  Directive  (2009/148).  They  complement  action 
under the Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, 
Evaluation,  Authorisation  and  Restriction  of  Chemicals  (‘REACH’) 
and  other  pieces  of  chemicals  regulation  by  focusing  on  specific 
situations at the workplace.  

EU-wide limit values for chemicals promote upwards levels of protection throughout the EU, 
contributing to an improved level playing field for businesses and help companies operating 
across borders thus saving  compliance  costs as they can use  the same technology to protect 
workers  at  different  sites.  There  is  also  an  important  element  of  economies  of  scale  in  the 
complex  scientific  assessments  underlying  the  establishment  of  specific  limit  values  for 
chemicals,  which  allows  Member  States  to  shift  more  financial  resources  to  protection  and 
prevention measures. It is therefore important to revise or adopt new EU limit values for the 
most dangerous substances. 

Following the  proposal to  amend the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive and establish, or 
revise, binding occupational exposure limit values with regard to 13 chemical agents adopted 
on  13  May  20169,  the  Commission  adopts  today  a  new  proposal  improving  protection  of 
4 million  workers  in  the  EU  by  acting  on  further  carcinogenic  chemical  agents.  It  is 
committed  to  continue  efforts  to  prevent  deaths  caused  by  work-related  cancer  and  other 
health problems through further legislative proposals.  

Legislation to improve protection against dangerous substances  
and fight occupational cancer 

  Second amendment of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive 

  Subsequent  amendments  of  the  Carcinogens  and  Mutagens  Directive  are  foreseen  concerning 
substances  such  as  formaldehyde,  beryllium,  cadmium,  chromium  VI  compounds  and  nickel 
compounds. Work has started with a view to presenting a new Commission proposal envisaged for 
early 2018 

In  parallel,  work  will  continue  on  enhancing  the  relevance  and  effectiveness  of  the  Chemical 
Agents  Directive  by  revising  existing  and  establishing  further  occupational  (indicative)  exposure 
limit values and biological limit values in 2017 and 2018.   

“Work-related cancer in the European Union. Size, impact and options for further preventio. RIVM Letter 
report 2016-0010 W.P. Jongeneel et al. 

9   COM (2016) 248. 

 

8  

4 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
Sound scientific basis is indispensable to underpin any occupational safety and health action, 
particularly  in  relation  to  dangerous  chemicals.  The  Commission  will  seek  advice  from  the 
Scientific  Committee  on  Occupational  Exposure  Limits  or  from  the  Risk  Assessment 
Committee of the European Chemicals Agency. The scientific assessments from these sources 
will serve as the basis for proposals subject to impact assessment and social dialogue as well 
as tripartite consultation10. 

Following  the  results  of  the  "HazChem@Work"  study  contracted  by  the  Commission,  a 
database  on  occupational  exposure  for  some  hazardous  chemicals11  will  be  established  in 
early 2017. This will be an important step towards better availability and sharing of data on 
health  effects,  exposure  potential  and  existence  of  national  occupational  limit  values  with 
regard to priority dangerous substances. In addition, the Commission will step up and further 
refine analysis of data obtained through key sources of information12 and will actively work to 
allow  for  the  progress  of  the  European  Occupational  Diseases  Statistics  data  collection.13 
Another  promising action is the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative, which is a major 
new joint initiative funded by Horizon 2020 and 26 Member States to generate new scientific 
evidence from harmonised data on chemical exposures and health14. 

Protection of workers from exposures to dangerous chemicals is fostered by the occupational 
safety and health chemical directives and significantly reinforced by the REACH Regulation 
and  other  legal  acts  regulating  chemicals.  A  recent  opinion  of  the  REFIT  platform15  has 
acknowledged  the  complementarity  of  the  two  systems  but  recommended  that  the 
Commission  should  raise  awareness  and  issue  guidance  on  their  implementation  so  that  the 
interfaces between the REACH Regulation and occupational safety and health legislation are 
clearly  established.  Consequently,  further  work 
is  ongoing  both  at  scientific  and 
administrative  level  to  remove  any  uncertainties  and  overlaps  in  the  design  and  practical 
application  of  this  joint  EU  framework  for  dealing  with  dangerous  chemicals.  The 
Commission has undertaken to present a common approach in 2017. 

Legislative action needs to be followed up through effective implementation at the workplace. 
In  this  context,  the  European  Agency  for  Safety  and  Health  at  Work  will  stage  a  Healthy 
Workplaces  Campaign  on  dangerous  substances  in  2018-2019  and  the  Senior  Labour 
Inspectors Committee will publish relevant guides, such as a guide on preventing exposures to 
respirable crystalline silica.  

10   Within the Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work. 
11   http://www.hazchematwork.eu/ 
12    Such  as  the  European  statistics  on  accidents  at  work,  the  EU  Labour  Force  Survey  ad-hoc  modules  on 
accidents  at  work  and  other  work-related  health  problems,  Eurofound's  European  Working  Conditions 
Survey  or  the  European  Survey  of  Enterprises  on  New  and  Emerging  Risks  (ESENER)  conducted  by  the 
European  Agency  for  Safety  and  Health  at  Work.  Occupational  safety  and  health  research  will  be 
furthermore  be  effectively  supported  through  inclusion  of  relevant  headings  under  the  9th  Research  and 
Innovation Framework Programme and a dialogue with key global counterparts such as the US and China 
will be initiated in order to get a fuller picture of EU occupational safety and health in global context and 
produce more reliable statistics based on bigger cohorts. 

13   Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work, OJ 

L 354/70, 31.12.2008.  

14    http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/human/human-biomonitoring 

15    http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/refit/refit-platform/docs/recommendations/opinion_chemicals.pdf 

5 

 
 
 
                                                 
2.  HELPING BUSINESSES COMPLY WITH OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH RULES 

2.1.  Supporting compliance by microenterprises and SMEs 

The  legal  obligation  to  assess  occupational  health  and  safety  risks  on  a  case-by-case  basis, 
taking into account specificities of each workplace, is at the heart of EU occupational safety 
and  health  legislation.  As  such,  this  case-by-case  approach  provides  for  the  necessary 
flexibility  to  tailor  the  risk  assessments,  preventive  measures  and  training  to  the  specific 
sector  a  business  is  engaged  in,  the  activities  of  its  workers,  the  size  of  the  business,  the 
gender and age composition of the workforce, newly emerging risks, etc. However, in practice 
that flexibility is not always made use of.  

As  shown  by  the  evaluation,  microenterprises  and  SMEs 
struggle  to  put  in  place  the  necessary  occupational  safety 
and  health  management  measures.  Microenterprises 
represent  almost  93%  of  all  enterprises  in  the  EU.16  Only 
69%  of  microenterprises  declare  that  they  perform  regular 
occupational  safety  and  health  risk  assessments  (against 
96%  for  larger  enterprises).17  This  is  not  because  they  are 
less  willing  to  protect  their  workers  but  is  related  to  more 
limited financial, technical and human resources, as well as 
to a lack of awareness and expertise as compared to bigger establishments.  

All  stakeholders,  including  in  the  first  place  SMEs  themselves18,  agree  that  in  this  area 
making exemptions for SMEs is not the right approach, because they fear it may potentially 
lower the protection level of SME workers. Moreover, there is considerable evidence pointing 
towards a greater risk of serious injuries and fatalities in micro and small enterprises than in 
larger establishments19. However, compliance should become simpler and less costly and this 
requires specific support measures for SMEs and microenterprises.   

Building  on  the  evaluation  findings,  the  Commission  in  cooperation  with  the  European 
Agency for Safety and Health at Work will organise a review for Member States and social 
partners to exchange best practices on ways to reduce compliance costs of SMEs and thereby 
increase  compliance  (e.g.  financial  incentives,  digital  tools,  etc.)  whilst  maintaining  equal 
protection levels for workers irrespective of the size of the company they work for. Clearly, 
however,  they  need  better  knowledge,  more  support  and  clear  and  efficient  procedures  to 
reach a higher level of compliance. 

16    Eurostat, SBS, online data code sbs_sca_r2, reference year 2012. 
17    Contexts and arrangements for occupational safety and health in micro and small enterprises in the EU – 

SESAME project, European Risk Observatory, EU-OSHA, 2016. 

18   Reply of the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (UEAPME) to the public 

consultation on the new EU occupational safety and health policy framework, 26/08/13 

19   Source:  EU-OSHA,  Contexts  and  arrangements  for  occupational  safety  and  health  in  micro  and  small 
enterprises in the EU – SESAME project. European Risk Observatory Literature Review, 2016. Available 
at: 
https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-and-publications/publications/contexts-and-arrangements-occupational-
safety-and-health-micro/view 

6 

 
 
 
                                                 
 Getting most out of risk assessments 

In order to help businesses getting most out of obligatory risk assessments, preventive measures and 
training, the Commission makes available today a practical guidance document20. 

Apart  from  the  general  guidance  presented  in  the  annexed  document,  the  Commission  will 
finalise  and  disseminate  in  2017  more  detailed  and  targeted  guides  on  risk  management  in 
agriculture and fishing. In 2017 an interactive e-guide on work-related vehicle safety will be 
published.  Managing  occupational  safety  and  health  in  these  high  risk  sectors  is  especially 
challenging  and  the  numbers  of  accidents  are  among  the  highest.  The  guides  will  help 
employers,  especially  in  SMEs,  to  effectively  improve  the  prevention  of  accidents  and  ill-
health. The Commission will also involve the Enterprise Europe Network to raise awareness 
and provide support to SMEs in this regard. 

Also  at  national  level,  more  and  more  Member  States  dedicate  an  important  part  of  their 
occupational  safety  and  health  policy  work  to  reaching  out  to  and  making  proper  tools  for 
micro  and  SMEs.  Member  States  are  invited  in  this  context  to  similarly  underline  the 
importance  of  result-oriented  risk  assessments  and  to  share  best  practices  on  preventive 
measures and training.  

Use of web-based tools 

The Commission calls on Member States to fully embed the use of web-based risk-assessment tools 
in their legal systems. 

Finally,  the  European  Agency  for  Safety  and  Health  at  Work  makes  an  important 
contribution,  through  its  risk  awareness  campaigns  and  the  development  and  spreading  of 
online  interactive  risk  assessment  tools.  Their Online  interactive  Risk Assessment  (OiRA)21 
and similar national internet-based tools (developed for example in the Netherlands, Ireland or 
Poland) are especially useful as they provide cost-free sector-specific information and guide 
employers  through  all  steps  of  the  risk  assessment  process,  automatically  generating  a 
documented  record  which  can  be  used  as  a  proof  of  compliance  and  as  a  means  to  monitor 
effectiveness of the risk management plan. Such tools need to be significantly expanded and 
their use needs to be recognised and integrated in national requirements for compliance with 
risk assessment obligations.  

20   See  SWD  (2017)9  -  Health  and  Safety  at  Work  is  Everybody's  Business  –  A  practical  guidance  for 

employers 

21   http://www.oiraproject.eu/ 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
 
 
The  'Online interactive Risk Assessment (OiRA)' actions 

  So far, 93 Online interactive Risk Assessment (OiRA) tools have been published and 30 are 
under development. 44.614 risk assessments have been carried out with the tools to date.  

  With  EU  financial  and  technical  support  and  active  cooperation  of  national  partners  and 
sectoral social partners, the following targets should be reached by 2018, focusing on priority 
sectors: 

o  150 published Online interactive Risk Assessment (OiRA) tools, and  

o  100,000 risk assessments carried out with the tools. 

2.2.  Helping  business  cover  rapidly  increasing  occupational  safety  and  health 

risks 

The  ex-post  evaluation  identified  a  number  of  growing  concerns  which  companies  would 
need more support to address; stress, musculoskeletal disorders and the growing diversity of 
the workforce, notably with regard to ageing.  

 

Psychosocial risks 

Psychosocial  risks  and work-related stress are among the most challenging  – and growing  - 
occupational  safety  and  health  concerns.  Over  half  of  EU  workers  report  that  stress  is 
common in their workplace22 and 4 in 10 think that it is not handled well. Workplace stress 
has a serious impact on productivity: 

 

It accounts for around half of  lost working days 
as  the absences are relatively long;  

  Stress  causes  reduced  performance  at  work  and 

can lead to five times more accidents; 

  About a fifth of staff turnover is related to stress 

at work.  

Psychosocial risks are complex, multidimensional issues. 
Poor  health  might  be  caused  by  a  constellation  of  factors,  related  and/or  unrelated  to 
workplace. 

The Framework Directive creates a legal obligation for employers to protect workers from all 
workplace  risks.  Some  individual  occupational  safety  and  health  directives  (e.g.  display 
screens directive) include provisions indirectly linked to the prevention of psychosocial risks. 
EU-level  social  partners’  framework  agreement  on  work-related  stress23  underlines  the 
relevance of the Framework Directive. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work 
conducts  awareness  raising  actions  and,  in  the  framework  of  a  pan-European  campaign  on 

22   https://osha.europa.eu/en/themes/psychosocial-risks-and-stress. 
23   http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=521&langId=en&agreementId=1106 

8 

 
 
 
                                                 
 
stress and psychosocial risks carried out in 2014-2015, it made available a practical e-guide to 
managing  psychosocial  risks24  designed  to  respond  to  the  needs  of  employers  and  people 
working in small enterprises. 

There is a  variety of approaches across the Member States. Some do not  explicitly mention 
psychosocial  risks  in  their  occupational  safety  and  health  legislation,  while  others  highlight 
the  need  to  consider  them  as  part  of  the  occupational  safety  and  health.  Some  require 
psychosocial  risk  assessments  with  a  few  advocating  the  involvement  of  an  expert.  One 
Member State has established binding guidelines on psychological risks prevention. Member 
States also develop non-regulatory approaches (tripartite bodies, guidance, awareness raising, 
management standards etc.). 

To improve workers' protection in practice, it is necessary to raise employers' awareness and 
provide  them  with  further  guides  and  tools.  In  the  guidance  document  published  today  the 
Commission clarifies that according to the existing EU level provisions employers are obliged 
to  protect  workers  from  psychosocial  risks  and  that  these  risks  have  to  be  duly  taken  into 
account  in  the  risk  assessment  process.  The  document  provides  concrete  non-binding  tools 
and  resources  for  employers  to  effectively  tackle  psychosocial  risks  in  the  risk  assessment. 
The Commission will work together with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work 
and  the  Advisory  Committee  for  Safety  and  Health  at  Work  to  identify  good  practice  for 
promotion  and  dissemination  and  will  mandate  the  Senior  Labour  Inspectors  Committee  to 
develop  a  guide  for  assessing  quality  of  risks  assessments  and  risk  management  measures 
with regard to psychosocial risks. 

 

Risks related to musculoskeletal disorders 

Exposure  to  ergonomic  risks  factors  represents  one  of  the  major  occupational  safety  and 
health problems in the EU today. Repeated exposure to these risks can result in work-related 
musculoskeletal  disorders  –  one  of  the  most  serious  and  widespread  work-related  illnesses, 
which  give  rise  to  major  cost  burden  for  individuals,  businesses  and  society  in  general. 
According  to  the  findings  of  the  2013  Labour  Force  Survey,  work-related  musculoskeletal 
disorders are today the most prevalent type of work-related health problem and the first cause 
of work-related absenteeism. They represent about 60% of all work-related health problems in 
the EU, and account for 60% of sickness absences and cases of permanent incapacity to work.   

Ergonomic  risks  are  complex  and  multidimensional  in  their  nature.  When  occurring  at  the 
workplace,  they  can  directly  cause,  or  make  worse  a  pre-existing,  ill-health  condition.  
Different  jobs  entail  very  different  exposures  and  there  are  considerable  age,  lifestyles  and 
gender differences which need to be taken into account. 

This  category  of  risks  is  currently  covered  by  various  EU  Directives  (2002/44  "vibration", 
90/269  "manual  handling  of  loads",  and  90/270  "work  with  display  screen  equipment"),  as 
well  as  by  the  Framework  Directive.  Other  EU  Directives  have  an  indirect  impact  on  the 
prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Non-regulatory initiatives included the 
European  Agency  for  Safety  and  Health  at  Work's  awareness-raising  campaigns  (2000  and 
2007) and the Senior Labour Inspectors Committee's campaign (2007-2008) on enforcement 
of  the  "manual  handling  of  loads"  Directive  in  the  sectors  of  health  care,  transport, 
construction and retail. 

24   http://hw2014.healthy-workplaces.eu/en/tools-and-resources/a-guide-to-psychosocial-risks 

9 

 
 
                                                 
There  are  differences  in  the  way  Member  States  have  transposed  (and  implemented)  the 
current EU occupational safety and health framework - e.g., as regards Directive 90/269/EEC, 
in some cases Member States have set out legally binding limits or thresholds; in other cases 
these  limits  are  included  in  the  guidance  to  the  legislation,  recommendations  or  other 
indicators.  Member  States  also  develop  non-regulatory  approaches  (guidance,  awareness 
raising, management standards etc.). 

Also in this case, the Commission wants to improve the protection on the ground by clarifying 
employers'  obligation  to  ensure  protection  from  this  type  of  risks  and  to  take  them  into 
account in the risk assessment process, as well as by assisting employers in complying with 
their  obligations.  Work  with  the  European  Agency  for  Safety  and  Health  at  Work  and  the 
Advisory  Committee  for  Safety  and  Health  at  Work  on  identification  of  good  practice  for 
promotion and dissemination and a Senior Labour Inspectors Committee's guide for assessing 
quality  of  risks  assessments  and  risk  management  measures  with  regard  to  ergonomic  risks 
will also be initiated. 

 

Diversity-sensitive risk assessment 

The  Framework  Directive  creates  a  legal  obligation  for  the  employer  to  take  the  measures 
necessary  for  the  safety  and  health  protection  of  all  workers.  It  foresees  that  particularly 
sensitive risk groups must be protected against the dangers which specifically affect them. 

Risk  management  measures  need  therefore  to  pay  attention  to  the  specific  risks  faced  by 
women  and  men,  young  workers,  older  workers,  migrants  or  persons  with  disabilities;  and 
necessitates  the  design  of  specific  preventive  and  protective  measures  according  to  the 
requirements of those groups of workers. The evaluation pointed in particular to the need to 
step up age-sensitive risk assessment but the same principles apply to all vulnerable workers.  

The  number  of  people  aged  over  60  in  the  EU  is  currently  increasing  by  about  two  million 
every year, which is twice as fast as it did before 2007. By 2030, older workers will make up 
almost a quarter of the total workforce. Currently many older workers leave the labour market 
prematurely, often due to health problems, including those related to poor working conditions.  

The  EU  Strategic  Framework  on  Health  and  Safety  at  Work  2014-2020  has  identified 
demographic  change  and  ageing  workforce  as  one  of  the  key  challenges,  and  proposed  a 
number of actions which are currently under development. The European Agency for Safety 
and Health at Work's Campaign (2016-2017) "Healthy Workplaces for All Ages" is a world 
leading initiative raising awareness of this issue across the EU.  

EU Member States vary both in terms of their demographic situation and with regard to their 
legal and institutional framework. An integrated policy framework is in place only in a limited 
number of Member States, but for most Member States population and workforce ageing are a 
policy  priority  resulting  in  a  varied  set  of  measures  (including  in  the  area  of  occupational 
safety  and  health)  to  increase  older  people’s  participation  in  the  workforce.  All  Member 
States have implemented pension reforms, and those with an older population have raised the 
retirement  age  and  restricted  access  to  early  retirement,  as  well  as  introduced  economic 
incentives to employ older people. 

As regards gender, there is evidence that work-related risks to women's safety and health have 
been  underestimated  and  gender-neutral  approach  has  contributed  to  less  attention  and 
resources being directed towards prevention of work-related risks experienced by women.  

10 

 
 
In order to respond to these growing occupational safety and health challenges, the guidance 
document  draws  attention  to  the  need  to  make  risk  assessment  diversity-sensitive  and  pay 
attention to specificities related to age, gender and other demographic characteristics. It points 
out,  at  the  same  time,  that  assumptions  should  not  be  made  purely  on  the  basis  of  such 
characteristics.  The  risk  assessment  should  consider  work  demands  in  relation  to  the 
individual’s abilities and health. The document provides also practical tools for employers to 
reflect age-related and gender-related risks in the risk assessments.  

Actions on rapidly increasing  occupational safety and health risks 

  Publication on best practices in managing psychosocial risks and ergonomic risks 

  Develop relevant principles for labour inspectors with regard to age-sensitive risk assessment 

Lifestyle-related  risk  factors  –  such as  unhealthy  diets,  physical  inactivity,  smoking  and  the 
harmful  use  of  alcohol  –  are  contributing  to  the  heavy  burden  of  chronic  disease  across 
Europe.  This  carries  a  direct  threat  to  workers'  health  and  also  has  an  impact  on  workers' 
productivity  and  that  of  companies,  and  the  economy,  as  well  as  on  the  sustainability  of 
effective,  accessible  and  resilient  health  systems.  Workplace  related  initiatives  on  health 
determinants are important to promote the wellbeing of workers. 

3.  UPDATING  AND  REMOVING  OUTDATED  RULES,  REFOCUSSING  EFFORTS  ON 
FACILITATING  COMPLIANCE,  A  BROADER  COVERAGE  OF  PEOPLE  AND  BETTER 
ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING  

3.1.  Updating EU legislation and removing obsolete provisions 

Whilst  the  detailed  ex  post  evaluation  has  confirmed  that  the  EU  occupational  safety  and 
health legislation, consisting of the Framework Directive and the related specific directives, is 
generally effective and fit-for-purpose, it has also identified scope for removing or updating a 
number of outdated provisions.  

To address this, as a first step, the Commission will launch and conclude within two years a 
program  for  removing  or  updating  outdated  provisions  in  the  Directives.  The  program  will 
seek  to  have  clearer,  more  coherent  and  more  relevant  rules,  simplifying  and  reducing 
administrative  burden,  where  possible,  for  businesses  and  enforcement  agencies,  but  only 
where it allows maintaining or improving workers protection.  Building on the strong tradition 
of  tripartite  dialogue  on  occupational  safety  and  health  at  national  and  EU  level,  the 
legislative  proposal  to  amend  the  Directives,  where  needed,  will  be  prepared  in  close 
cooperation  with  the  Advisory  Committee  on  Safety  and  Health  at  Work,  where  social 
partners and governmental experts are around the table. 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Drawing  on  the  ex-post  evaluation,  the  Commission  has  identified  the  following  six 
Directives as priorities:  

 

Workplaces (89/654)  

Modern  IT  technologies  and  new  forms  of  work  such  as  platform  work  mean  that  an 
increasing  number  of  workers  occasionally  or  regularly  work  outside  of  the  employers' 
premises. In this context, the findings of the evaluation exercise indicate that a shift towards a 
more dynamic notion of "workplace" seems to be needed.  

Clarification of the notion of "workplace" and updating/simplifying/removing the annexes of 
the directive will be considered to reflect changes in ways of working. 

 

Display screen equipment (90/270) 

The  technology  has  changed  dramatically  since  the  display  screen  equipment  Directive  was 
adopted in the early nineties. Some technology referred to in the Directive is no longer in use 
and  corresponding  provisions  could  possibly  be  removed.  Other  issues  to  consider  will  be 
technical  updates  of  some  of  the  definitions  used  in  the  Directive,  such  as  the  definition  of 
"workstation", as well as some exemptions which could be outdated.  

 

OSH signs (92/58)  

Annex  II  of  Directive  92/58/EEC  provides  for  a  list  of  requirements  as  regards  safety 
signboards  including  pictograms  to  be  used.  Is  also  stipulates  in  Annex  II  section  1.3  that 
"The pictograms used may be slightly different from or more detailed than shown in section 3, 
provided that they convey the same meaning and that no difference or adaptation obscures the 
meaning".  The  evaluation  pointed  to  some  uncertainties  as  for  to  what  extent  the  EN  ISO 
7010 signs standard can be considered as compliant with Directive 92/58/EEC (in particular 
as regards the pictograms used). Some Member States have advocated for the alignment of the 
Directive with the standard EN ISO 7010 in order to ensure a greater harmonisation of safety 
signs across the EU.  

In  order  to  simplify  and  clarify  existing  obligations,  adaptation  of  the  Annexes  to  take  into 
account  the  EN  ISO  7010  or  a  reference  to  those  standards  within  the  Directive  will  be 
considered. 

 

Biological agents (2000/54) 

The  evaluation  posed  questions  regarding  the  scope  of  application  of  the  Directive,  most 
importantly on the need to update the list of biological agents in Annex III. An update of the 
Annex III will therefore be considered.  

 

Medical assistance on board (92/29) 

The evaluation indicated a possible need to review and update the compulsory list of medical 
supplies laid down in the Directive.  

It  also  posed  the  question  of  conformity  with  international  standards,  such  as  such  as 
International  Maritime  Organisation  (IMO)  –  Life  Saving  Appliances  (LSA)  Code  4.15.1.8; 
ISO 3864-1:2011 "Graphical symbols – Safety colours and safety signs"; International Labour 
Organisation's 2006 Maritime Labour Convention and the Convention on Work in  Fishing). 

12 

 
 
  
 
Moreover,  the  use  of  new  technological  equipment  to  improve  treatment  and  diagnosis  of 
disease and/or prevention of accidents appears a possible option for larger vessels.  

 

Personal protective equipment (89/656) 

A  technical  update  of  the  directive  will  be  considered  with  reference  to  the  definition  of 
Personal  Protective  Equipment,  in  particular  as  regards  the  current  exclusions  of  equipment 
used by emergency and rescue services such as fire fighters.   

 

Further updates 

Other  Directives  might  be  subject  to  similar  technical  updates  (e.g.  the  Carcinogens  and 
Mutagens  Directive  2004/37  and  the  Chemical  Agents  Directive  98/24)  and  particular 
attention will be  given to the annexes to  the various  Directives, with  the aim to  assess how 
they can be made more future-proof.  

3.2.  Encouraging  Member  States  to  review  national  occupational  safety  and 

health legislation 

In the field of occupational safety and health, EU sets minimum requirements which Member 
States can go beyond to adopt more detailed provisions which bring additional protection for 
workers.  In  doing  so,  it  is  essential  that  the  focus  is  on  increased  protection  and  that  no 
unnecessary  administrative  burden  is  added  on  companies.  The  Framework  Directive  gives 
flexibility  to  Member  States  as  regards  provisions  such  as  the  documentation  of  the  risk 
assessment  to  allow  adaption  of  the  measures  to,  for  example,  the  size  of  undertakings,  the 
nature of their activities and the nature and extent of the risks. 

The last few years have shown a most welcome trend among Member States to screen their 
legislative frameworks in order to simplify while maintaining or improving protection. There 
is a lot to be gained by this. Indeed, the perception of business of the occupational safety and 
health rules as complex varies from 14% to 67% across the Member States.25 This suggests 
that a significant proportion of the administrative burden on businesses originates in national 
differences  rather  than  the  EU  minimum  requirements,  while  there  is  no  corresponding 
indication that there would be more work accidents and occupational disease in systems with 
less perceived burden. 

Examples of Interaction EU/National Level 

  Requirement  of  external  certification  by  a  consultant  for  risks  assessments  prepared  by 
employers. No such obligation exists in the framework directive but it is introduced in some 
national provisions and poses direct costs for companies; 

  Obligations 

to  have  signed  documents  and  other  documentation  requirements  for 
appointments  of  various  occupational  safety  and  health  actors  where  the  EU  rules  (e.g.  the 
Construction Sites Directive 92/57/EEC) only require the appointment. 

25   EU-OSHA, European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks - 2 (ESENER-2), 2014. Available 

at: https://osha.europa.eu/en/surveys-and-statistics-osh/esener   

13 

 
 
                                                 
 
The Commission can play an important supporting role in this process to ensure that Member 
States use the opportunity of learning from each other's good practice and have the necessary 
expertise. 

Reduction of administrative burdens 

  The  Commission  will  initiate  a  peer  review  process  with  the  specific  aim  to  reduce 

administrative burden in national legislation while maintaining workers' protection. 

As a response to the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-2020, 17 
Member States have adopted national occupational safety and health strategies which are the 
key  instrument  to  adapt  national  policies  to  new  needs  and  priorities.  The  most  effective 
frameworks, e.g. the German or Slovak strategies, set specific measures and define indicators 
allowing  for  monitoring  and  follow-up.  It  is  strongly  encouraged  that  all  Member  States 
urgently  adopt  national  strategies  including  a  priority  axis  on  reviewing  and  updating  of 
national  legislation,  with  the  specific  aim  of  removing  redundant  provisions  and  alleviating 
administrative burden where possible, especially for small and micro-enterprises.  

In  the  assessment  of  the  implementation  of  the  current  Strategic  Framework  in  2018,  the 
Commission  will  focus  on  the  implementation  of  the  priorities  in  this  communication 
including  stock  taking  and  recommendations  on  the  reduction  of  administrative  burden 
drawing from the peer-review.  

At EU level, the transposition of the EU acquis will be supported via reinforced cooperation, 
with Member States, social partners and labour inspectorates. The Commission will prioritise 
cases  where  breaches  are  particularly  important  and  remedy  is  likely  to  have  a  significant 
impact. Enforcement in individual cases is a matter for Member States' authorities. 

3.3.  Encouraging  Members  States  to  ensure  a  broad  coverage  of  occupational 

safety and health policies  

 

Self-employed 

The legal basis  for EU  occupational safety  and health  legislation,  Article 153 of the TFEU, 
foresees  that  the  EU  can  legislate  to  improve  the  working  environment  to  protect  workers' 
health and safety. 

In  this  context,  it  is  important  to  note  that  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the  EU  has  held  that  the 
classification of a "self-employed person" under national law does not prevent a person being 
classified  as  an  employee  or  worker  within  the  meaning  of  EU  law  if  his  independence  is 
merely notional, thereby disguising an employment relationship (Allonby, C‑256/01). 

Self-employed  workers  account  for  16.4%  of  total  EU  employment.  Particularly  large 
proportions  work  in  wholesale  and  retail,  but  also  in  high  risk  sectors  such  as  agriculture, 
forestry,  fishing  and  construction.  Because  of  the  particular  status  of  the  self-employed 
working under his or her own supervision, it could be complex and burdensome to apply risk 
assessment,  training,  consultation  etc.  to  their  situation  as  these  principles  build  on  a 
worker/employer relationship.  

14 

 
 
 
 
 
However, in cases where self-employed are working alongside workers this distinction is less 
evident. Also the actions/oversights of a self-employed can in this context have an impact on 
the health and safety of the worker. Two specific occupational safety and health Directives, 
where such a risk is more prevalent are the Construction Sites Directive 92/57/EEC and the 
Fishing  Vessels  Directive  93/103/EC,  which  scope  covers  the  self-employed  working 
alongside workers.  

Taking  into  account  that  many  self-employed  work  in  high  risk  sectors,  a  Council 
Recommendation  on  self-employed  encourages  Member  States  to  promote  their  safety  and 
health and include them in the scope of their national legislation. It also foresees that: "self-
employed  workers,  irrespective  of  whether  they  work  alone  or  with  employees,  may  be 
subject to health and safety risks similar to those experienced by employees".  

Before the adoption of the Council Recommendation, very few Member States included self-
employed in their national occupational safety and health legislation. Since its adoption, about 
half  the  Member  States  have  included  them  in  their  legislation  with  some  variation  in  the 
definition  of  a  self-employed,  the  scope  of  the  relevant  legislation  and  the  extent  of  their 
obligations. Member States are hereby called to fully implement the Recommendation. 

In  the  rapidly  changing  labour  market  with  the  emergence  of  new  forms  of  work  and 
increasing  uncertainty  over  the  status  of  workers  and  self-employed,  the  question  of 
application of health and safety rules to all becomes even more important to prevent accidents 
and occupational disease. 

 

Persons employed for household work in private households 

 The EU occupational safety and health legislation does not oblige Member States to include 
persons  employed  for  household  work  in  private  households26  under  the  scope  of  their 
national  occupational  safety  and  health  rules  and  not  all  parts  of  the  EU  acquis  in  this  area 
may be well suited for it, such as specific requirements laid down in the Workplace Directive 
in relation to emergency routes and exits and their signalisation.  
However,  the  International  Labour  Organisation's  convention  on  domestic  workers27  states 
that every domestic worker has the right to a safe and healthy working environment and that 
this principle shall be implemented with due regard for the specific characteristics of domestic 
work. To date six Member States have ratified the convention: Belgium, Germany, Finland, 
Ireland, Italy and Portugal. 

Around half of the Member States have occupational safety and health rules in place covering 
persons  employed  for  household  work  in  private  households.  Their  experience  may  help  in 
bringing  about  across  Member  States  comparably  high  standards  as  regards  the  health  and 
safety at work protection of the estimated 2.5 million such persons in the EU. It may also help 
Member States who ratify the aforementioned International Labour Organisation's convention 
complying with their international obligations.  

In  early  2018  the  Commission,  in  cooperation  with  the  International  Labour  Organisation, 
will invite national administrations, social partners and representatives of the civil society to a 
conference to take stock of progress and encourage ratification and pragmatic implementation 
building on best practice. 

26   Under  the  Occupational  Safety  and  Health  Framework  Directive  89/391/EEC  those  are  referred  to  as 

"domestic servants" 

27   C189 - Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) 

15 

 
 
 
                                                 
3.4.  Enhancing enforcement and a culture of prevention  

Given the importance of enforcement in occupational safety and health implementation, it is 
vital  that  Member  States  fulfil  the  obligation  to  ensure  monitoring  and  enforcement  on  the 
ground and that they secure the necessary resources to do so.  

The role of the Commission, as the "guardian of the Treaties", is to see to it that EU law is 
properly  enforced,  if  necessary  through  infringement  procedures.  The  Commission  will 
pursue this role in line with the Communication "Better Results through Better Application" 
(C(2016)8600) adopted on 13 December 2016. 

The ex-post evaluation indicated that legal requirements combined with inspection are major 
reasons  explaining  why  establishments  develop  occupational  safety  and  health  policies  and 
take  relevant  action.  Inspections  can  indeed  contribute  to  a  true  prevention  culture.  Studies 
show  tangible  impacts  of  inspections  on  occupational  safety  and  health  conditions  in 
companies  in  terms  of  a  reduction  in  injury  rates  following  inspection.28  A  drop  of  22%  in 
injury  rates  over  the  following  3  years  was  noted  in  concrete  individual  plants  which  were 
inspected  and  penalised.29  Recent  studies  confirm  that  inspections  lead  to  a  decrease  in 
workplace injuries.30 Higher occupational safety and health inspection scores, yield a decrease 
in the rate of severe injuries.31 

And  yet,  the  frequency  of  inspections  varies  significantly  across  the  Member  States  and 
overall, at least 50% of microenterprises and SMEs and 25% of large enterprises have not had 
a single inspection in the last three years.  

The way in which inspections are carried out also varies greatly between Member States and 
sometimes  within  Member  States.  In  some  cases  inspections  focus  on  checking  compliance 
and  imposing  sanctions  only.  In  other  cases,  they  go  beyond,  helping  companies  identify 
better ways to achieve compliance. 

Cooperation between social partners, trade organisations and inspectorates is essential for the 
prevention of accidents and disease, notably in microenterprises and SMEs. The Commission 
will  also  reinforce  its  support  for  better  standards  and  guidance,  in  particular  through  the 
Senior  Labour  Inspectors  Committee.  The  evaluation  recognises  the  key  role  of  this 
Committee in the process of identifying best practices regarding enforcement and inspection 
by Member States and its contribution to competence building and guidance to inspectorates. 
The Senior Labour Inspectors Committee will work to enhance relevant and targeted training 
for labour inspectors at EU level. 

28   The Fitness check evaluation report in Annex 1 showed that even if at macro-economic level no correlation 
could be identified between accidents rates and frequency of inspections, at a more micro-level evaluation 
evidence  points  to  the  fact  that  enforcement,  and  particularly  the  combined  role  of  inspectors  enforcing 
legislation and providing guidance on implementation, contributes to the compliance with the occupational 
safety and health acquis. 

29   Quoted in OECD 2000. Building an evidence base for the Health and Safety Commission Strategy to 2010 
and beyond: A literature review of interventions to improve health and safety compliance, Health and Safety 
Executive 2004; 

30   David  I.  Levine  Michael  W.  Toffel,  Matthew  S.  Johnson,  Randomized  Government  Safety  Inspections 

Reduce Worker Injuries with no detectable job loss, Science, 18 May 2012, pp 907-911. 

31   Occupational  safety  and  health  inspection  scores  predicts  rates  of  workers'  lost  time  injuries: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9316705; 

16 

 
 
 
                                                 
To  reach  out  to  microenterprises  and  SMEs  in  the  context  of  limited  resources  labour 
inspectorates need to join forces with other enforcement agencies to use every opportunity for 
raising awareness of existing obligations and preventive measures and reduce the burden on 
companies  of  overlapping  inspections.  The  Platform  to  enhance  cooperation  in  tackling 
undeclared work32 is a very good example of how such cross-agency cooperation can be set-
up  and  contribute  to  awareness  raising,  mutual  understanding,  concrete  initiatives  and  joint 
actions at EU level. 

In the context of the new world of work, it is very important that individuals already have an 
understanding  of  occupational  safety  and  health  when  entering  the  labour  market.  This 
requires  not  only  lifelong  learning  for  occupational  safety  and  health  professionals  but  also 
integration of occupational safety and health in all sectors of education. Labour inspectorates 
and  national  agencies  play  a  decisive  role  in  this  respect.  This  will  be  another  important 
element  of  Senior  Labour  Inspectors  Committee  cooperation, 
the  peer-review  and 
implementation of the Strategic Framework.  

3.5.  Developing monitoring tools 

Evidence  based  policies  need  high  quality,  comparable  and  timely  data.  For  this  reason,  in 
view of informing future policy development, work will continue, within the Commission and 
in collaboration with other actors such as the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work 
and  Eurofound  on  the  development  of  the  EU-level  data  collections.  This  will  include,  for 
example,  tools  to  monitor  the  performance  of  the  occupational  safety  and  health  legal 
framework  and  continue  to  track  impacts,  methodological  work  on  the  issues  of  under-
coverage  and  under-reporting  as  regards  the  European  Statistics  on  Accidents  at  Work  data 
collection and work on the pilot data collection on European Occupational Diseases Statistics. 
It  will  include  as  well  exploring  the  possibility  of  ensuring  up-to-date  data  at  the  EU-level 
about the incidence rate of accidents at work broken down by enterprise size. New editions of 
existing multiannual EU surveys33 will also be conducted by the horizon of 2020. Important 
efforts will also be devoted to develop better exposure data. The use of new ICT solutions to 
improve the information base will be explored. 

Occupational  safety  and  health  research  will  furthermore  be  effectively  supported  through 
inclusion of relevant headings under the 9th Research and Innovation Framework Programme 
and  a  dialogue  with  key  global  counterparts  such  as  the  US  and  China  will  be  initiated  in 
order to get a fuller picture of EU occupational safety and health in global context. 

CONCLUSION 

The  25  years  of  experience  in  occupational  safety  and  health  policy  at  EU  level  and  the 
detailed ex-post evaluation of the EU acquis allow us to draw lessons for the future. Modern 
occupational  safety  and  health  policy  must  consist  of  clear,  up-to-date  rules  at  EU  and 
national  level.  Businesses  must  be  helped  in  complying  with  the  rules  and  in  drawing 
maximum benefits from their occupational safety and health efforts in the form of healthier, 
happier  and  more  productive  workforces.  This  is  particularly  true  for  micro-  and  small 

32    Decision (EU) 2016/344 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on establishing a 

European Platform to enhance cooperation in tackling undeclared work 

33    European  Survey  of  Enterprises  on  New  and  Emerging Risks,  European  Working  Conditions  Surveys,  EU 

Labour Force Survey ad hoc module on accidents at work and other work-related health problems. 

17 

 
 
                                                 
enterprises, where the potential positive impact of better occupational safety and health is the 
greatest  but  which  at  the  same  time  face  constraints  in  understanding  and  applying  the 
existing rules. 

Whilst binding rules enforced on the ground are crucial, a culture of compliance in businesses 
of  all  sizes  and  amongst  workers  is  what  truly  makes  the  difference  on  the  ground.  Such  a 
culture  of  compliance  must  be  forged  from  early  days  of  education  onwards,  be  it  in 
professional  education  or  management  training.  It  must  be  nourished  through  permanent 
awareness  raising  efforts  and  exchanges  of  best  practices,  and  kept  on  alert  through 
inspections which ideally go beyond mere checking and sanctioning and help identify better 
ways of compliance. Social dialogue has made a huge contribution to improving health and 
safety,  at  EU,  national,  sectorial  and  company  level.  It  has  not  lost  any  of  its  relevance  in 
today's context. On the contrary, social dialogue will be crucial in implementing the actions 
contained in this Communication. 

Modern  occupational  safety  and  health  policy  relies  on  many  actors  working  together  with 
common sense and a common conviction that high standards of protection of people's health 
and safety at work are everybody's business.  

18 

 
 
 
ANNEX 1 

List of occupational safety and health actions 

Action 

Actors 

By when 

Fighting occupational cancer and dealing with dangerous chemicals 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Second  amendment  of  the  Carcinogens 
Directive 

European Commission  Early 2017 

Third  amendment  of 
Directive 

the  Carcinogens 

European Commission  Early 2018 

Fourth list of indicative limit values in the 
Chemical Agents directive 

European Commission  Early 2017 

Database  on  occupational  exposure  for 
some hazardous chemicals 

European Commission  Early 2017 

Healthy  Workplaces  Campaign 
dangerous substances 

on 

European  Agency  for 
Safety  and  Health  at 
Work  

2018-2019 

Helping businesses comply with occupational safety and health rules  

1 

Reach  out  to  SMEs  to promote  OiRA  and 
similar national tools 

2 

Fully  embed  the  use  of  web-based  risk-
assessment  tools  in  the  national  legal 
systems. Recognise OiRA and similar tools 
risk  assessment 
as  compliance  with 
obligation. 

2017 

Member  States  and 
social  partners,  with 
the  support  of 
the 
European Commission 
the  European 
and 
Agency for Safety and 
Health at Work 

Member States 

Mid-2018 

3 

Reach the following targets: 

- 150 published OiRA tools, and  

European  Agency  for 
Safety  and  Health  at 
Work 

Mid-2018 

- 100,000 risk assessments carried out with 
OiRA. 

5 

Guide  for  risk  prevention  in  small  fishing  European Commission  Early 2017 

19 

 
 
 
 
vessels. 

6 

7 

Guide  to  best  practice  to  improve  the 
application  of  occupational  safety  and 
health  in  agriculture,  livestock  farming, 
horticulture and forestry. 

Publication  on  best  practices  in  managing 
psychosocial risks and ergonomic risks 

European Commission  Early 2017 

European  Agency  for 
Safety  and  Health  at 
Work 

Early 2018 

Removing or updating outdated rules and ensuring better and broader protection, 
compliance and enforcement on the ground 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

Ongoing  2017-
be 
2018, 
finalised 
end-
2018 

to 

European 
in 
Commission, 
consultation  with  the 
Advisory  Committee 
on  Safety  and  Health 
at  Work  and  Social 
Partners 

Update 
directive (90/270) 

the  display  screen  equipment 

Update the OSH signs directive (92/58) 

Update 
(2000/54)  

the  biological  agents  directive 

Update  the  medical  assistance  on  board 
directive (92/29) 

Update the workplaces directive (89/654)  

Update  the  personal  protective  equipment 
directive (89/656) 

implementation  of 
Full 
Recommendation on self-employed 

the  Council 

Member States 

End 2018 

A  high-level  conference  on  persons 
employed  for  household  work  in  private 
households 

European Commission 
(with  the  International 
Labour Organisation) 

Early 2018 

Ratification  of  the  International  Labour 
Organisation's  Convention  on  Domestic 
Workers.  

Member States 

Mid-2018 

10 

Invite  Member  States  to  a  peer  review 
process  with  the  specific  aim  to  reduce 
administrative 
national 
burden 
legislation  while  maintaining  workers' 
protection. 

in 

European Commission  Ongoing  2017-

2018 

11 

First report on the peer review 

European Commission  End 2017 

12  Update  national  occupational  safety  and 
health strategies reflecting priorities of this 
Communication  and  including  first  results 

Member States 

End 2017 

20 

 
 
 
 
of the peer review 

13  Updated  Common  Principles  of  Labour 

Inspection on Health and Safety  

Senior Labour 
Inspectors Committee 

2017 

14  Guide  to  good  practice  to  improve  the 
application  of  occupational  safety  and 
health  by  reducing  work  related  vehicle 
risk 

European 
Commission/European 
Agency for Safety and 
Health at Work 

2017 

15  Common  standards  for  inspector  training 

programs 

16  An 

e-handbook 

on 

cross-border 

enforcement 

Senior Labour 
Inspectors Committee 

2018 

Senior Labour 
Inspectors Committee 

2018 

17  Develop  relevant  principles  for  labour 
inspectors with regard to age-sensitive risk 
assessment 

Member States and 
the Senior Labour 
Inspectors Committee 

Early 2018 

21