All Items on risks

All Items tagged with the subject risks

AIR PURIFYING IN THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL COMPANY

Finnzymes has laboratories for DNA (research, analytics, diagnostics) and for the production of DNA and protein molecules. In this case study, GENANO ® technology, which cleans all of the airborne particles, including nanosized particles and molecules, is used to purify the indoor air in the ...

TESTING OF NANOPARTICLE CONTAINING POLYMERS FOR AVIATION APPLICATIONS

Exova is an international consulting company with a testing laboratory. Exova's main working area is material testing including nanomaterials for the aviation industry. Physical and mechanical properties (e.g. material strength, weight and wear resistance) of the nanomodified materials are tested ...

Women hurt at work

This hazards factsheet presents information on the hazards that women face at the workplace that may result in injury.

Sex, gender and women’s occupational health

There is some evidence that women’s occupational health (WOH) problems are under-compensated and that prevention efforts are less common in women’s jobs. Such inequities can result in suffering, distress, and delays in treatment for women. A number of researchers have pointed out that less is known about occupational determinants of health in women than in men. The authors examine inventories of ongoing Canadian research and of recent scientific publications in order to identify trends in the approaches used to study women’s occupational health (WOH). Findings demonstrate that it is necessary to explore the implications of using sex routinely as an explanatory variable in occupational health research and to increase emphasis on the mechanisms involved in any sex or gender differences sought or found. From an equity perspective, it is also important to situate biological sex differences so as to prevent them from being used erroneously to justify job segregation or inequitable health promotion measures.

Non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC ‚artificial optical radiation’

The Directive 2006/25/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of the workers to risks arising from physical agents (artificial optical radiation) aims at improving the safety and health of workers by laying down limit values for exposures of workers to artificial optical radiation to eyes and skin (exposure to natural optical radiation / sunlight are not covered by this Directive).

The non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC provides information on the sources of artificial optical radiation, their health effects from exposure to optical radiation as well as the requirements of the Directive. Additionally, the use of exposure limits, risk assessment, the measurement of optical radiation as well as the use of manufacturers’ data, control measures and health surveillance are described in the non-binding guide.

EU - European Commission Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterial

On 18 October 2011 the European Commission adopted the Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterial. 

INT - NIOSH publishes proceedings of Making green jobs safe Workshop

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), through the Prevention through Design Program, launched the Going Green: Safe and Healthy Jobs initiative to make sure that green jobs are good for workers by integrating worker safety and health sustainability. 

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.

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.

EU - Call for Tenders for a study of the potential impact of nanomaterials at the workplace and need for possible modifications of the EU worker protection legislation

Call for Tenders VT/2011/039

The Call for Tenders VT/2011/039 “Study service contract to establish the potential impact of nanomaterials & nanotechnology at the workplace, evaluate the scope and requirements of possible modifications of relevant EU safety & health at work legislation” was published in Official Journal no. 2011/S 109-179079 on 08/06/2011 by the European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion DG, Employment and Social Legislation, Social Dialogue Directorate, Health, Security and Hygiene at Work Unit, EMPL B/3. The deadline for receipt of bids is the 19/07/2011.

EU - Non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC "Artificial Optical Radiation"

Many workplaces contain artificial optical radiation sources and Directive 2006/25/EC lays down minimum health and safety requirements regarding exposure of workers to such sources. The European Commission non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC pinpoints applications posing minimal risk and provides guidance on others. It sets out an assessment methodology and outlines measures to reduce hazards and check for adverse health effects.

This publication is available in English at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=148&langId=en&furtherPubs=yes

It will also soon be available in printed format in English, French and German and in electronic format in all other EU official languages.

The increasing use of portable computing and communication devices and its impact on the health of EU workers

Portable computing and communication devices (portable IT) such as portable digital assistants PDAs, laptop computers, smart phones, tablet personal computers are widely used by workers in different occupations and their use is increasing.

This report highlights possible effects of frequent use of portable computing and communication devices on health and safety of workers: both physical and psychological health effects due to portable IT use are covered. Furthermore, the report tries to characterise current and future patterns of portable IT use (types of work, working patterns, working environments, categories of workers, disruption to personal life).

The report also includes options for management and legislation to try and compensate for the possible negative health effects of the use of portable computing and communication devices.

Anticipating new and emerging risks

What technologies will shape “green jobs” by 2020? Your views are needed!

Last June we informed you in this blog about our "foresight of new and emerging occupational risks associated with new technologies in green jobs" that had just started. Since then, the first phase of the foresight has been completed and, within phase 2, we are now seeking your opinion on what new technologies may be found in green jobs by 2020 and impact on workers’ safety and health. Take part in our web consultation!

Foresight of New and Emerging Risks to Occupational Safety and Health Associated with New Technologies in Green Jobs by 2020 - Phase I: Key drivers of change

This report describes the work carried out in Phase 1 of the project ‘Foresight of New and Emerging Risks to Occupational Safety and Health Associated with New Technologies in Green Jobs by 2020’ commissioned by the European Risk Observatory (ERO). The aim of Phase 1 is to identify key contextual drivers of change that could contribute to creating new and emerging risks associated with new technologies in green jobs within ten years. This report serves as an interim report to the whole project, which has three phases.

US-NIOSH, Young workers included in WHO Executive Board Resolution Child injury prevention

Inclusion of Young Workers in WHO Executive Board Resolution 128/15 Child Injury Prevention

Workplace Violence and Harassment: a European Picture

The report presents the prevalence of violence and harassment at work based on international and national statistics, as well as the results of scientific studies on antecedents and consequences of work-related violence. A survey of the Agency's Focal Point network suggest that there is still an insufficient level of awareness and recognition of problems with third-party violence and harassment in many EU Member States, and there is a clear need to promote and disseminate good practice and prevention measures which are sensitive to the national context. Some measures proposed by EU, ILO, WHO and national experts are included in the report.

EU - ETUC adopted a second resolution on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies

On 1 December 2010, the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) adopted a second resolution on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies.

Seminar on Violence and Harassment at Work

The problems of both violence and harassment at work have created special interest in recent years, which has resulted in many scientific and popular publications related to this topic. Also, social preoccupation has increased and different political and labour institutions, at national and international level, have stated their concern about violence and harassment in workplaces. The “Framework agreement on harassment and violence at work” was signed by EU social partners in April 2007. In 2008 the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work commissioned a study on violence and harassment at work aimed at presenting a comprehensive overview of the level of prevalence and awareness of these problems in the EU Member States. The project focused on international and national statistics, cultural definitions and norms, methodology, data sources, and preventive measures related to third party violence and harassment at work. The aim of the report was to: 1) Scrutinise differences in EU Member States in terms of the level of occurrence of different forms of violence and harassment at work (key statistics from international and national sources), as well as examples of preventive measures (including legislative acts) which are employed. 2) Review the methodology and data sources used in different countries to assess the risk, prevalence and consequences of both workplace violence and bullying. 3) Examine cultural differences - definitions and norms - related to both violence and harassment at work.

NIOSH - Research on health effect of breathing nanoparticles

Research methods demonstrate that breathing nanoparticles may result in damaging health effects

Also in this section

AIR PURIFYING IN THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL COMPANY

Finnzymes has laboratories for DNA (research, analytics, diagnostics) and for the production of DNA and protein molecules. In this case study, GENANO ® technology, which cleans all of the airborne particles, including nanosized particles and molecules, is used to purify the indoor air in the ...

TESTING OF NANOPARTICLE CONTAINING POLYMERS FOR AVIATION APPLICATIONS

Exova is an international consulting company with a testing laboratory. Exova's main working area is material testing including nanomaterials for the aviation industry. Physical and mechanical properties (e.g. material strength, weight and wear resistance) of the nanomodified materials are tested ...

Women hurt at work

This hazards factsheet presents information on the hazards that women face at the workplace that may result in injury.

Sex, gender and women’s occupational health

There is some evidence that women’s occupational health (WOH) problems are under-compensated and that prevention efforts are less common in women’s jobs. Such inequities can result in suffering, distress, and delays in treatment for women. A number of researchers have pointed out that less is known about occupational determinants of health in women than in men. The authors examine inventories of ongoing Canadian research and of recent scientific publications in order to identify trends in the approaches used to study women’s occupational health (WOH). Findings demonstrate that it is necessary to explore the implications of using sex routinely as an explanatory variable in occupational health research and to increase emphasis on the mechanisms involved in any sex or gender differences sought or found. From an equity perspective, it is also important to situate biological sex differences so as to prevent them from being used erroneously to justify job segregation or inequitable health promotion measures.

Non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC ‚artificial optical radiation’

The Directive 2006/25/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of the workers to risks arising from physical agents (artificial optical radiation) aims at improving the safety and health of workers by laying down limit values for exposures of workers to artificial optical radiation to eyes and skin (exposure to natural optical radiation / sunlight are not covered by this Directive).

The non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC provides information on the sources of artificial optical radiation, their health effects from exposure to optical radiation as well as the requirements of the Directive. Additionally, the use of exposure limits, risk assessment, the measurement of optical radiation as well as the use of manufacturers’ data, control measures and health surveillance are described in the non-binding guide.

EU - European Commission Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterial

On 18 October 2011 the European Commission adopted the Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterial. 

INT - NIOSH publishes proceedings of Making green jobs safe Workshop

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), through the Prevention through Design Program, launched the Going Green: Safe and Healthy Jobs initiative to make sure that green jobs are good for workers by integrating worker safety and health sustainability. 

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.

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.

EU - Call for Tenders for a study of the potential impact of nanomaterials at the workplace and need for possible modifications of the EU worker protection legislation

Call for Tenders VT/2011/039

The Call for Tenders VT/2011/039 “Study service contract to establish the potential impact of nanomaterials & nanotechnology at the workplace, evaluate the scope and requirements of possible modifications of relevant EU safety & health at work legislation” was published in Official Journal no. 2011/S 109-179079 on 08/06/2011 by the European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion DG, Employment and Social Legislation, Social Dialogue Directorate, Health, Security and Hygiene at Work Unit, EMPL B/3. The deadline for receipt of bids is the 19/07/2011.

EU - Non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC "Artificial Optical Radiation"

Many workplaces contain artificial optical radiation sources and Directive 2006/25/EC lays down minimum health and safety requirements regarding exposure of workers to such sources. The European Commission non-binding guide to good practice for implementing Directive 2006/25/EC pinpoints applications posing minimal risk and provides guidance on others. It sets out an assessment methodology and outlines measures to reduce hazards and check for adverse health effects.

This publication is available in English at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=148&langId=en&furtherPubs=yes

It will also soon be available in printed format in English, French and German and in electronic format in all other EU official languages.

The increasing use of portable computing and communication devices and its impact on the health of EU workers

Portable computing and communication devices (portable IT) such as portable digital assistants PDAs, laptop computers, smart phones, tablet personal computers are widely used by workers in different occupations and their use is increasing.

This report highlights possible effects of frequent use of portable computing and communication devices on health and safety of workers: both physical and psychological health effects due to portable IT use are covered. Furthermore, the report tries to characterise current and future patterns of portable IT use (types of work, working patterns, working environments, categories of workers, disruption to personal life).

The report also includes options for management and legislation to try and compensate for the possible negative health effects of the use of portable computing and communication devices.

Anticipating new and emerging risks

What technologies will shape “green jobs” by 2020? Your views are needed!

Last June we informed you in this blog about our "foresight of new and emerging occupational risks associated with new technologies in green jobs" that had just started. Since then, the first phase of the foresight has been completed and, within phase 2, we are now seeking your opinion on what new technologies may be found in green jobs by 2020 and impact on workers’ safety and health. Take part in our web consultation!

Foresight of New and Emerging Risks to Occupational Safety and Health Associated with New Technologies in Green Jobs by 2020 - Phase I: Key drivers of change

This report describes the work carried out in Phase 1 of the project ‘Foresight of New and Emerging Risks to Occupational Safety and Health Associated with New Technologies in Green Jobs by 2020’ commissioned by the European Risk Observatory (ERO). The aim of Phase 1 is to identify key contextual drivers of change that could contribute to creating new and emerging risks associated with new technologies in green jobs within ten years. This report serves as an interim report to the whole project, which has three phases.

US-NIOSH, Young workers included in WHO Executive Board Resolution Child injury prevention

Inclusion of Young Workers in WHO Executive Board Resolution 128/15 Child Injury Prevention

Workplace Violence and Harassment: a European Picture

The report presents the prevalence of violence and harassment at work based on international and national statistics, as well as the results of scientific studies on antecedents and consequences of work-related violence. A survey of the Agency's Focal Point network suggest that there is still an insufficient level of awareness and recognition of problems with third-party violence and harassment in many EU Member States, and there is a clear need to promote and disseminate good practice and prevention measures which are sensitive to the national context. Some measures proposed by EU, ILO, WHO and national experts are included in the report.

EU - ETUC adopted a second resolution on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies

On 1 December 2010, the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) adopted a second resolution on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies.

Seminar on Violence and Harassment at Work

The problems of both violence and harassment at work have created special interest in recent years, which has resulted in many scientific and popular publications related to this topic. Also, social preoccupation has increased and different political and labour institutions, at national and international level, have stated their concern about violence and harassment in workplaces. The “Framework agreement on harassment and violence at work” was signed by EU social partners in April 2007. In 2008 the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work commissioned a study on violence and harassment at work aimed at presenting a comprehensive overview of the level of prevalence and awareness of these problems in the EU Member States. The project focused on international and national statistics, cultural definitions and norms, methodology, data sources, and preventive measures related to third party violence and harassment at work. The aim of the report was to: 1) Scrutinise differences in EU Member States in terms of the level of occurrence of different forms of violence and harassment at work (key statistics from international and national sources), as well as examples of preventive measures (including legislative acts) which are employed. 2) Review the methodology and data sources used in different countries to assess the risk, prevalence and consequences of both workplace violence and bullying. 3) Examine cultural differences - definitions and norms - related to both violence and harassment at work.

NIOSH - Research on health effect of breathing nanoparticles

Research methods demonstrate that breathing nanoparticles may result in damaging health effects