Brussels, 16/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 15 January in Strasbourg, with the adoption by 598 votes to 20 and 23 abstentions of the own-initiative report by Glenis Willmott (PES, UK) on “Community strategy 2007-2012 on health and safety at work”, the European Parliament deplores the fact that the European Commission “is silent on targets for the reduction of occupational diseases”. New and emerging risks, e.g. from nanotechnologies, should be identified, and asbestos-related risks need to be phased out. Furthermore, the EP restates its call for better protection of healthcare workers from blood-borne diseases, a Parliament press release states.
A majority of MEPs described the well-balanced report as “excellent” and the Parliament also welcomes the ambitious targets that the Commission has set itself to reduce work-related accidents in the EU by 25% on average (EUROPE 9371). The EP calls for targets to be set with a view to reducing occupational diseases, and cancer in particular. It calls on the Commission to study the possibility of transforming Recommendation 2003/670/EC concerning the European list of occupational diseases into a “minimum directive”, the press release continues. The EP considers member states should develop national action plans for gradually phasing out asbestos. Such plans should include obligations to map asbestos in buildings and to provide for its safe removal. The Parliament takes the view that it is fundamental to identify and control new risks sufficiently early, for example risks entailed by nanotechnology, and risks of a psycho-social nature. Finally, the EP calls on the Commission to prepare proposals for a directive covering all musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) caused by the nature of work.
Thomas Ulmer (EPP-ED, Germany) considered it imperative that the EU should take measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that record a number of occupational diseases and work-related accidents higher than the average in the EU. He stressed that healthcare workers should be protected against the risk of contracting over 20 potentially fatal viruses including Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and HIV/AIDs. Furthermore, he went on to say that the protection of voluntary workers in the healthcare sector should not be forgotten.
Pier Antonio Panzeri (PES, Italy) commented that, generally speaking, the problem of worker safety was not resolved. Referring to a fire that recently broke out in part of the ThyssenKrupp steelworks in Turin, in which seven workers died, Mr Panzeri called on the European Parliament and on the European Commissioner to express their contempt for ThysssenKrupp that did not take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of its workers. He called for a moratorium to be launched against this kind of company. Romano Maria La Russa (UEN, Italy) said that, according to information concerning the fire, ThyssenKrupp did not have fire extinguishers in working order and had therefore not complied with the safety norms for workers. She went on to say, however, that she could not imagine this company had not ensured its installations were safe. “It is urgent for the European Union to guarantee full application of the legislation”, she went on to say, concluding: “Worker safety and health are vital. Hence the need to step up cooperation intervention and strengthen the European committee on intervention”. Luca Romagnoli (NA, Italy) bitterly asserted that “in Italy, one hears of work-related accidents too often because too little is done to protect workers. Control and supervision mechanisms are needed. I think one should not simply speak of competition matters when one discusses work and individuals”, he concluded.
Elizabeth Lynne (ALDE, UK) drew attention to the fact that situations differ greatly between the different member states. The United Kingdom, for example, records ten times more work-related illnesses than the Netherlands. She recalled that, in her amendment adopted in parliamentary committee, she called for the adoption of a “European code of best practice on infection contracted in health services”.
Sepp Kusstatscher (Greens/EFA, Italy) regrets that “the human dimension is too often ignored during work-related accidents”. He stressed that, “on the matter of worker health and safety in the workplace, one must analyse the different situations. More controls are needed as well as precise targets in relation to the different situations”. Derek Roland Clark (IND/DEM, UK) said: “companies must keep their workers in good health”. Jean-Claude Martinez (NA, France) pointed to the fact that, in the construction sector, there are more fatal accidents than in the European senior civil service. He went on to regret, however, that “nothing is ever said about the cause of such accidents”. Maria Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou (EPP-ED, Greece) considered that, if one works at European and national level, the follow-up of workers' health would be all the more promising. Maria Matsouka (PES, Greece) noted that the report by Ms Willmott allowed the shortcomings of the Commission's new strategy to be identified. To make up for these deficiencies, she calls for research and worker information with regard to worker health to be stepped up. She also calls for account to be taken of the provisions set out in contracts signed when workers are taken on, in keeping with the current importance placed on social dialogue. Richard Falbr (PES, Czech Republic) said that one of the causes of the many work-related accidents in some countries is the fact that trade unions are losing momentum and are not consulted on such matters. He also bemoaned the fact that little importance is given to temporary workers.
Adamos Adamou (GUE/NGL, Cyprus) welcomed the aim of the new Commission strategy to reduce the number of work-related accidents and occupational diseases by 25%, by 2012. “But this is not enough”, he continued, stressing the fact that Ms Willmott has rightly put a finger of blame on worker exploitation, especially that of the most vulnerable workers, e.g. elderly workers, women, etc. He called for “far more to be done for older workers, for fewer atypical contracts and for more permanent contracts”. Kathy Sinnott (IND/DEM, Ireland) spoke along the same lines, also drawing attention to workers with disabilities and to those who do not speak the language of the workplace. Jacek Protasiewicz (EPP-ED, Poland) also took these views, saying that migrant workers and the young should be counted amongst the most vulnerable categories. Gabriela Cretu (PES, Romania) noted the large number of work-related accidents and occupational diseases amongst female workers. The European Commission should specify whether it is speaking of men or women, she said. Harald Ettl (PES, Austria) took the view that the new joint Commission strategy on health and safety at work “is absolutely necessary in a rapidly changing world of work”. He continued saying: “Pressure and performance go hand in hand with psychological problems. Some people are more vulnerable than others. Workers must be informed”.
Several MEPs then spoke within the framework of the new EP method called “Catch the Eye”, drawing attention to the following points: (1) as prevention against accidents at work, one must be prepared for an emergency, with specialist teams on the spot that may benefit from special premiums, and take measures to train workers; (2) one must not forget, as is the case in the new version of the Commission's strategy, migrant workers and the most vulnerable workers; (3) a new legal framework for wage negotiations must be set up; (4) and it is necessary to consolidate the analysis of the European health and safety at work strategy , which is a “good thing”. The problem of migrant workers in the EU is that they are far too exposed to health problems because they do not know their rights when it comes to social security and retirement, and more often than not they have undeclared employment.
“Each accident, every occupational disease calls for increased worker protection, mainly for the most vulnerable workers”, said Commissioner Stavros Dimas after the debate, adding: “We must achieve our objective which is to have a place of work in good condition” for which “funds should be made available”. The commissioner spoke of the Commission's resolve to “take things forward to better protect specialised workers”. On the subject of blood-borne diseases (e.g. from administering injections), an assessment is being made, Mr Dimas added. He called on the EP to “support the Commission. Health and safety at work must remain a priority”, the commissioner concluded. (G.B.)