The EU-OSHA (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work) Healthy Workplaces Campaigns are part of the efforts to raise awareness of occupational safety and health throughout Europe. The message of these campaigns is clear — ‘Safety and health at work is everyone’s concern. It’s good for you. It’s good for business.’
The current campaign focuses on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) under the theme of “Healthy Workplaces Lighten the Load”. Millions of workers across Europe suffer from work-related MSDs. Approximately three in every five workers in the EU report MSD complaints, based on data from the sixth European Working Conditions Survey.
Given the high prevalence of work-related MSDs, it makes good business sense to invest in preventing their onset or occurrence. MSDs are manageable and preventable, so workers can be protected and costs related to MSDs can be reduced. MSDs affect individuals’ ability to work and are therefore a major cost burden for businesses and economies. Such prevention and early intervention measures can protect workers, reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and lead to real savings for businesses.
To successfully prevent work-related MSDs, it is essential that everyone works together to address the issue in the workplace. Close collaboration between employers, managers and workers creates a common understanding of the issue and leads to lasting improvements.
The new EU-OSHA campaign will run until 2022. For further information please refer to the EU Agency campaign website or contact [email protected]. Lots of useful information is also available on the HSA’s website here.
