European Agency for Safety & Health at Work – Emerging Risks (Dec 05)

A report by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work looking at emerging physical risks (i.e. new or increasing risks) has identified 10 key areas for governments and companies to focus on. Changes in society, work organisation and production methods are leading to new types and combinations of occupational risks demanding new solutions, concludes the survey of 60 safety and health experts in fourteen European countries and the US.

The top emerging risks include:

Lack of physical activity
Increasing complexity of new technologies
Greater vulnerability of low-status workers
Multifactoral issues

Integrated Corporate Risk Management Method Required

'The world of work is changing rapidly and work-related health issues are changing too', explains Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, the Agency's Director. 'The resulting message for policymakers and health and safety experts is that we can no longer treat individual risks separately. What we need is a holistic approach to risk prevention.’

The top ten emerging risks are:

Lack of physical activity (e.g. prolonged sitting at the workplace)
Combined exposure to vibration and awkward postures
Poor awareness of thermal risks among low-status worker groups (e.g. agriculture/construction staff working overtime in hot/cold areas)
Combined exposure to MSD risk factors and psychosocial risk factors (e.g. fear job loss)
Multi-factorial risks (e.g. combined effects of poor ergonomic design, poor work organisation, mental and emotional demands)
Combined exposure to vibration and muscular work
Thermal discomfort
Complexity of new technologies, new work processes and human–machine interfaces leading to increased mental and emotional strain
Insufficient protection of high-risk groups (e.g. older workers, low status workers) against long-standing ergonomic risks
General increase of exposure and sensitivity to UV radiation (e.g. working outdoor; new UV technologies).