Health & Safety

Good occupational health and safety benefits both workers and employers, and prevention of risks is key. Pressure from trade unions is a major factor in driving prevention measures. Unions make workplaces safer and union action at EU level to promote improvement in EU Health and Safety rules is crucial.

Work-related cancer is the cause of over 100,000 deaths each year. We call on the EU to impose binding occupational exposure limits (BOELs) on at least 50 carcinogenic substances used in European workplaces. Legislation is needed on repro-toxins and nanotechnology and the EU must catch up with other workplace developments like robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

Musculoskeletal disorders are the number one occupational illness in the EU, while psychosocial problems such as stress, violence and bullying are increasingly common. The ETUC demands strong, Europe-wide legislation to make European workplaces healthy and safe, with regular, independent inspection.

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  • 23.10.2024 Press release

    Directives needed to make work safe for digital age

    stressed out and connected
    This European week for safety and health at work, trade unions are calling for swift EU action to address the rising tide of burnouts and work related stress.The EU’s health and safety agency, EU OSHA, is using the week to highlight its campaign for ‘safe and healthy work in the digital age’.The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) highlights that this laudable objective won’t be achievable without the following legislative initiatives:
  • 23.08.2024 Press release

    Firefighters cut in 12 EU countries despite rising climate risk

    Firefighter
    The number of firefighters was cut in a dozen EU member states last year despite a rising risk of fires caused by climate change, an analysis of new EU data by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has found. Eurostat figures published today show that there were 362,400 firefighters in the EU in 2023, which is an increase of 3,200 on the previous year. 
  • 08.08.2024 Press release

    Migrant workers still face exploitation behind Marcinelle tragedy

    Esther Lynch lays wreath at Marcinelle commemoration
    The “ethos of exploitation” which caused one of Europe’s most notorious industrial disasters is still leading to the deaths and injuries of migrant workers almost seven decades later, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) warned today.
  • 13.06.2024 Press release

    EU extends action against workplace cancer

    Stop Cancer at Work
    Action needed to prevent work-related cancer will continue until at least 2028 under an agreement signed today by trade unions, businesses and member states.Cancer is the leading cause of work-related deaths in the EU with over 100,000 cancer deaths each year.The Roadmap on Carcinogens was launched in 2016 in an effort to tackle this scandal, leading to the introduction of safer exposure limits on dozens of dangerous substances commonly found in workplaces.
  • 15.05.2024 Press release

    End stress directive needed to improve mental health

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    A directive aimed at ending stress at work must be a priority for the next European Commission if it is serious about improving mental health in Europe. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is making the call for legislation on psychosocial risks in the workplace during European Mental Health Week. 
  • 26.04.2024 Press release

    Heat deaths at work up by 40% in the EU

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    The number of people dying at work due to extreme heat is increasing faster in the European Union than any other part of the world, new data shows ahead of International Workers’ Memorial Day. According to estimates provided to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), 80,800 people suffered injuries at work due to heat exposure in 2020 and 67 people died as a result of working in extreme heat. 
  • 26.02.2024 Press release

    Enough is enough: zero accidents at work now

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    The deaths of more than 30 construction workers on building sites across Europe over the last four months show the urgent need for EU action to raise safety standards in the sector.  The spate of fatal accidents involves many cross-border and migrant workers, who are more vulnerable to exploitation through subcontracting, undeclared or illegal work, and bogus self-employment.  The number of fatal accidents across construction is increasing across Europe, according to the latest data from Eurostat, however many also go unreported.  
  • 24.02.2024 Document

    Valencia Residential Building Fire: Letter of Condolences and Solidarity

    Esther Lynch wrote to the Spanish trade unions expressing the condolences and solidarity of the ETUC for the residential building fire that took place in Valencia.  Dear colleagues, I am writing on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to express our deepest condolences and unwavering solidarity in the wake of the tragic fire that recently struck a residential building in Valencia, Spain.
  • 30.01.2024 Press release

    ‘Failure would compromise safety and erode trust’: Commission has four months to deliver asbestos promise

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    Failure to deliver on a promise to improve protection from cancer-causing asbestos will have serious consequences for the health of people and democracy, trade unions have warned the European Commission President. In a letter sent to Ursula von der Leyen today, unions remind her that a commitment to deliver legislation on the screening and registration of asbestos in European buildings was included in the Commission’s work programme for 2023.
  • 20.12.2023 Press release

    REACH: EU Commission blocks health protections for workers

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    The European Commission is moving to postpone the review of the crucial chemicals regulation, REACH, to the next Commission. Coupled with the news that it has cancelled the initiative on asbestos screening, this is a major blow to efforts to protect people’s health at work. The postponement was hinted at by Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius and confirmed by DG GROW in a letter received by ETUC this week. The review was due by 2022. In delaying it until after the current mandate’s end, the Commission has failed to live up to its responsibility.
  • 21.11.2023 Press release

    Cancer survey shows need to protect outdoor workers

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    New EU polling showing exposure to solar UV radiation is the most common cancer risk faced by European workers shows the need for stronger rules on the protection of outdoor workers. 
  • 14.11.2023 Press release

    1.5 million protected from lead cancer risk

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    Around 1.5 million workers will benefit from new protections from exposure to cancer-causing lead. Safer exposure limits for lead have been agreed today as part an inter-institutional agreement on the fifth revision of the Carcinogens, Mutagens, and Reprotoxic Directive. When implemented, the new limits will mean that: - The occupational exposure limit will be lowered from 0.15 milligrams per cubic meter (0.15mg/m3) to 0.03mg/m3
  • 02.10.2023 Document

    ETUC position on the response to the Social Partner Consultation on CMRD6

    ETUC position on the  response to the Social Partner Consultation on CMRD6 Adopted at the Executive Committee of 27-28 September 2023 Introduction The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes the European Commission’s intention to revise the Directive on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic substances at work (CMRD or Directive 2004/37/EC).
  • 09.08.2023 Document

    In Memoriam of MEP Trillet-Lenoir

    Cover
    It is with sorrow that we learnt about the passing away of MEP Véronique Trillet-Lenoir earlier this month. Her remarkable dedication to the health and safety of workers will be remembered.   As a public servant dedicated to achieving health and safety at work, MEP Trillet-Lenoir demonstrated a solid commitment to improving the lives of workers throughout the EU. Her recent involvement in the revision of the Directive on asbestos at work demonstrated her dedication and commitment to making workplaces safer for all.  
  • 28.06.2023 Press release

    EU agrees better protection of workers against asbestos

    Cover
    Protection for workers from cancer-causing asbestos fibres will be significantly improved – but risks being implemented too late to protect those involved in building renovations part of the EU Green Deal. The occupational exposure limit for asbestos across the EU is to be set at 2,000 fibres/m³ following trialogue negotiations between the European Commission, Council and Parliament on the revision of the Directive on asbestos at work. The new limit is 50 times lower than the current exposure limit of 100,000 fibres/m³, but is subject to a long implementation period:
  • 15.05.2023 Press release

    Schmit tells bosses: Protect workers from extreme heat

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    The European Commission has today taken its first steps to protect workers from extreme heat following a campaign by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). At an EU summit on occupational health and safety in Stockholm, EU Commissioner for Social Rights Nicolas Schmit announced new guidance on employers’ responsibility to people working in high temperatures.
  • 26.04.2023 Press release

    MEPs protect workers from asbestos - now the Commission must do the same

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    The European Parliament (EP) today approved the legislative report on Protecting Workers from Asbestos. The document includes measures such as a ban on encapsulating asbestos and the recognition of all asbestos related diseases. It contains an annex for the necessary training of workers and it sets a new framework that will lower the occupational exposure limit to 1,000 fibres/m3 and describes technical aspects for the measurement of asbestos fibres at the workplace.  
  • 22.03.2023 Circular

    * : Call for tenders for the subcontracting of two experts in the framework of the project “Prevention of OSH risks emerging from the dual transitions and at the centre of the EU trade strategy”

    To: Members of the ETUC Standing Committee on Occupational Safety and Health Brussels, March 22nd, 2023 Dear colleagues, In the framework of the project “Prevention of OSH risks emerging from the dual transitions and at the centre of the EU trade strategy”, we wanted to hereby inform you that we have published two call for tenders for the subcontracting of experts to conduct research on the following two topics: Challenges for OSH and the dual transition:
  • 20.03.2023 Page

    Call for a subcontractor “Prevention of OSH risks emerging from the dual transitions and at the centre of the EU trade strategy – focus on Trade”

    This is a call for a subcontractor to provide expertise in the framework of the implementation of the ETUC project “Prevention of OSH risks emerging from the dual transitions and at the centre of the EU trade strategy – focus on Trade”. The deadline for submission of bids is 10 April 2023 at noon (12:00). All details in pdf attached
  • 01.03.2023 Page

    Worker wellbeing in Italy’s energy sector

    Two of Italy’s major energy companies have agreed with trade unions on new measures to improve parental rights, wellbeing of workers, purchasing power and recruitment.

Contacts

Mr Ignacio DORESTE HERNANDEZ

Senior Advisor

Ms Esyllt MEURIG

Administrative Assistant to Giulio Romani

Mrs Bezaye GIRMA

Administrative Assistant To Isabelle SCHÖMANN