Brussels, 31/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 31 May, the European Commission launched a public consultation (running until 26 July 2013) on health and safety at work. Contributions are particularly sought from representatives of member states' public authorities, organisations representing employees and employers, and stakeholders and experts with an interest in the area of occupational safety and health.
Laszlo Andor, European Commissioner, said “accidents at work are at a historically low level and the European Union's occupational safety and health standards are a reference for the rest of the world. Investing in occupational safety pays off in terms of improved productivity and staff well-being, (…). However, this policy area also faces challenges and together we need to find solutions to address these challenges”. The challenges he speaks of include: - improving implementation of provisions on health and safety at work in SMEs and micro-enterprises; - developing more accurate monitoring and evidence gathering tools; - focusing more on emerging risks and occupational illness; - and effectively tackling the occupational safety and health problems linked to the ageing of the working population. The Commission has also published the results of the assessment made of the European strategy for 2007-2012 for health and safety at work. (LC/transl.jl)