All Publication-Items on agriculture

All Publication-Items tagged with the subject agriculture

Maintenance in Agriculture - A Safety and Health Guide

Agricultural workers suffer 1.7 times the average rate of non-fatal occupational accidents and 3 times the rate of fatal accidents, making the sector particularly hazardous. This guide describes the main hazards and risks associated with maintenance activities in agriculture and the most common causes of accidents and ill health. The guide also provides advice on risk management, examples of good practice in accident prevention and policies and campaigns at national level. Finally, it includes examples of checklists for safe maintenance in agriculture.

Summary - New risks and trends in the safety and health of women at work

In 2009 and 2010, the Agency commissioned an update to its previous research on gender issues at work , which found that inequality both inside and outside the workplace can have an effect on the health and safety of women at work. This summary provides a policy perspective and is meant to contribute to the task outlined by the European strategy on health and safety at work for EU-OSHA’s European Risk Observatory, “examining the specific challenges in terms of health and safety posed by the more extensive integration of women in the labour market”. It provides a statistical overview of the trends in employment and working conditions, hazard exposure and work-related accidents and health problems for women at work. It explores selected issues (combined exposures, occupational cancer, access to rehabilitation, women and informal work, and “emerging” female professions such as home care and domestic work). The research highlights the type of work carried out by women, issues faced by younger and older women, the growth of the service sector, violence and harassment, and increasingly diversified working time patterns as major risk factors.

Factsheet 99 - Safe maintenance in agriculture

Agricultural workers suffer 1.7 times the average rate of non-fatal occupational accidents and 3 times the rate of fatal accidents, making the sector particularly hazardous. In addition to the hazards and risks usually present on farms, maintenance tasks bear some specific hazards. Self-employment, and the fact that farming is often a family business, are an additional challenge for occupational safety and health in agriculture. This factsheet provides concise information on how to carry out maintenance tasks safely.

Foresight of New and Emerging Risks to Occupational Safety and Health Associated with New Technologies in Green Jobs by 2020 - PHASE II – KEY TECHNOLOGIES

The report of Phase 2 of the “Foresight of new and emerging risks associated with new technologies in green jobs by 2020” identifies a shortlist of key technologies likely to be found in green jobs and have an impact on OSH by 2020. The list includes green technologies in the construction, transport, manufacturing, waste treatment and wind energy sectors; nanotechnologies; bioenergy and biotechnology; electricity transmission and storage; and domestic applications of emerging energy technologies. In Phase 3, a series of workshops is exploring the potential emerging OSH risks from these technologies in order to develop future scenarios helping decision makers to anticipate these risks.

OSH in figures: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the EU - Facts and figures

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remain the most common occupational disease in the European Union and workers in all sectors and occupations can be affected. Recent figures, for example from Austria, Germany or France, also demonstrate an increasing impact of musculoskeletal disorders on costs. This latest report, following on from the Agency’s previous research, aims to give an updated overview of the current European situation as regards musculoskeletal disorders, the trends over the years since the first campaign in 2000, and a detailed insight into the causes and circumstances behind MSDs. The report highlights the main issues and aims to provide a well-founded evidence base, helping policy makers, actors at enterprise and sector level, as well as researchers and those who record, prevent and compensate occupational diseases in the European Union to set the agenda for the next years.

Combined exposure to Noise and Ototoxic Substances

Noise-induced hearing loss remains one of the most prominent occupational diseases in Europe. However, noise is no longer perceived as the only source of work-related hearing damage and increasing attention is being paid to the risks of combined exposure to high-level noise and ototoxic substances, that is, those which can affect the structures and/or the function of the inner ear and the associated signal transmission pathways in the nervous system. This publication aims to provide an up-to-date picture of our knowledge in this field. It includes: a description of the basic features of the physiological mechanisms leading to hearing impairment, current diagnostic tools, and an overview of the chemicals that may be deleterious to the inner ear, ranking the certainty of their ototoxic properties in a defined weight-of-evidence approach. The review also identifies the health effects resulting from exposure to multiple ototoxic substances and also from the interaction of ototoxic substances and noise, pointing out the work areas where exposure to ototoxic substances is likely. Finally, the report highlights gaps in our current knowledge for proposed future action and research.

The human-machine interface as an emerging risk

Interaction with – and dependence on – technology is increasing in almost all fields of work. Given that a poor human-machine interface can have serious consequences in terms of occupational accidents and diseases, including stress, its proper inclusion in design equipment and workplace is of utmost importance. Based on a literature survey and a small expert survey, this report explores how the human-machine interface influences occupational risks, describing who is exposed, and giving some examples of what can be done to reduce the risk.

Workplace exposure to nanoparticles

Nanomaterials possess various new properties and their industrial use creates new opportunities, but they also present new risks and uncertainties. Growing production and use of nanomaterials result in an increasing number of workers and consumers exposed to nanomaterials. This leads to a greater need for information on possible health and environmental effects of nanomaterials.

Report - Expert forecast on emerging chemical risks related to occupational safety and health

It is estimated that about 74,000 work-related deaths may be linked to hazardous substances at work each year in the EU – about 10 times more than workplace accidents. About 15% of European workers report handling chemical products for a quarter of their working time and 19% report breathing in dust, fumes and smoke in their workplaces. The 49 experts from 21 European countries who participated in this forecast highlighted particles and dusts as major emerging concerns and put nanoparticles at the top of the list of emerging risks. Other main groups of emerging risks identified were carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances, and the increasing use of allergenic and sensitising substances. Specific occupations of emerging concerns were also highlighted and include the increasing waste management industry, construction, and service activities such as cleaning or home nursing. In addition, there is a growing number of workers in SMEs and sub-contracted jobs, where the management of chemical risks is generally poorer. Last but not least, concern about multiple exposures is increasing as it was also shown in the three other forecasts on emerging biological, physical and psychosocial emerging risks.

Report - Skin diseases and dermal exposure: policy and practice overview

Skin diseases are the second most common work-related health problem in Europe. They represent more than 7% of all occupational illnesses and are one of the most important emerging risks related to the exposure to chemical, physical and biological risk factors. The fact that there is no scientific method to measure the level of the body’s exposures to risks via dermal contact and their physiological consequences, increases the importance of recognising risk factors and developing methods of assessing the level of exposure and controlling it. This report presents an overview of dermal exposures and occupational skin diseases. It also presents the principal policies relating to the recognition and recording of skin diseases, as well as the recognition, assessment and control of dermal exposure to chemical, biological and physical risk factors in the Member States of the European Union.

E-fact 29 - Occupational safety and health in Europe's forestry industry

Forests and other wooded land cover about 160 million hectares, some 35% of the European Union’s land area. As well as wood, forests provide cork, Christmas trees, resins, pine nuts, medicinal plants, mushrooms and berries. They are a valuable resource, but forests are a dangerous place to work: the incidence of fatal or major injuries is higher than in many other sectors, with forest workers using chainsaws to fell trees being at particular risk. Heavy physical workloads, noise, vibration and exposure to biological hazards and chemicals also put forest workers at risk. This E-Fact outlines the dangers of working in forestry and provides information on prevention.

Literature Study on Migrant Workers

Increasing mobility of workers is one of the growing demographic changes worldwide and it is likely that migration will increase in the next decade. The aim of the report is to provide an overview of the most important issues relating to the occupational safety and health (OSH) of migrant workers.

Report - Expert forecast on Emerging Biological Risks related to Occupational Safety and Health

About 320,000 workers worldwide die every year of communicable diseases, some 5,000 in the European Union. In the last decade, media coverage has raised public awareness of biological hazards, such as anthrax at work due to bioterrorist activities, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the threat of avian flu. But biological agents are ubiquitous and, in many workplaces, workers face considerably harmful biological risks. The Community strategy 2002-06 called on the Agency to 'set up a risk observatory' to 'anticipate new and emerging risks'. This report sets out to present the results of the forecast on emerging OSH biological risks, which is the second forecast of emerging risks carried out in this context.

Report - Noise in figures

A growing proportion of workers are employed in the service sector. This is why this report not only includes information for the traditionally well-known noise-exposed sectors such as construction, manufacturing or agriculture, but also for more female dominated service-oriented professions, such as education or call centres.

Factsheet 44 - How to convey OSH information effectively: the case of dangerous substances

Within the EU’s legislative framework, worker information and consultation about hazardous chemical agents occurring in the workplace, health and safety risks and protective and preventive measures is a legal obligation of the employer. The employer shall inform not only workers and their representatives but also employers from any outside undertaking. The information shall be provided in a manner appropriate to the outcome of the risk assessment. This may vary from oral communication to individual instruction and training supported by information in writing. Persons involved in implementing occupational health and safety measures at workplace level, such as employers or workers’ safety representatives, sometimes find it difficult to obtain specific and practical information on dangerous substances. For the European Week for Safety and Health 2003, the Agency has therefore collected some good practice examples describing how to transfer information effectively to different target groups and how to assess the relevance of the information for these groups. The aim is to provide policy makers, chemical suppliers, researchers, safety professionals, employers and intermediary parties (such as the social partners) with practical information to support, adapt and assess their approach. Nineteen good practice examples from across Europe were chosen and grouped relating to the level on which the information was dealt with.

Factsheet 40 - Skin sensitisers

Occupational skin diseases are estimated to cost the EU EUR 600 million each year, resulting in around 3 million lost working days. They affect virtually all industry and business sectors and force many workers to change jobs. The Agency is producing a series of factsheets on occupational safety and health information about dangerous substances for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003. This factsheet contains information on skin sensitisers as well as preventive measures for skin exposure.

Factsheet 39 - Respiratory sensitisers

For the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003, the Agency is producing a series of factsheets focusing on the communication of occupational safety and health-related information on dangerous substances. Respiratory sensitisers are biological and chemical agents that can induce allergic respiratory diseases in humans. This factsheet discusses important characteristics of the exposure to these agents and appropriate prevention measures.

Factsheet 37 - Improving occupational safety and health in SMEs: examples of effective assistance

SMEs are important contributors to European competitiveness, with most new jobs in Europe being created by micro-enterprises with up to six employees. However, they also face particular difficulties including effective management of safety and health and Member States have set up measures to assist entrepreneurship. The Agency has carried out several important projects to improve occupational safety and health in SMEs, including special funding schemes of good safety and health practice in SMEs initiated by the European Parliament and the European Commission. As part of these efforts the Agency has also made a study of practical examples of successful occupational safety and health assistance services to SMEs.

Factsheet 34 - Elimination and substitution of dangerous substances

The theme for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003 is the prevention of risks from dangerous substances. The Agency is producing a series of factsheets focusing on the communication of OSH information on dangerous substances including biological agents. This factsheet introduces the process of eliminating or substituting dangerous substances.

Factsheet 33 - An introduction to dangerous substances in the workplace

Dangerous substances are found in many workplaces. A recent survey found that 16 % of workers in Europe reported handling hazardous products and 22 % being exposed to toxic vapours. Exposure to dangerous substances can occur anywhere at work, on farms, in hairdressers’ shops, in motor-vehicle repair shops, at chemical plants. Dangerous substances can cause many different types of harm. Some cause cancer, others can affect the ability to reproduce or cause birth defects. Other substances may cause brain damage, harm to the nervous system, asthma, and skin problems. The harm done by dangerous substances can occur from a single short exposure or by the long-term accumulation of substances in the body. The theme for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003 is the prevention of risks from dangerous substances. The Agency is producing a series of factsheets focusing on the communication of occupational safety and health-related information on dangerous substances including biological agents. This factsheet introduces the key issues in this topic.