The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #37202

Tom O'Connor, MPH, National Network of Committees on Occupational Safety and Health, 133 Circadian Way, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, 919-933-6322, taoc99@bellsouth.net

Active worker involvement in occupational safety and health (OHS) programs at the workplace level has been shown to be a critical component of successful injury prevention programs. Worker participation in these programs in the United States, not required by US law, is sporadic and is typically limited to involvement in joint labor-management health and safety committees. In contrast, in the European Union (EU), worker involvement is specifically mandated in EU guidelines to member countries and is codified in each country’s legislation. The methods of implementing worker participation vary from country to country but most involve the concept of the worker “Safety Representative” who is to be provided paid time to address OHS hazards. These programs vary from country to country and offer interesting models from which much many lessons applicable to the U.S. may be learned. In this session, a panel of representatives from different countries within the EU will describe the implementation of worker participation in EU countries and will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different models. Panel participants will also describe the differences among worker participation models in regards to workers’ decision-making roles, relationships between worker safety representatives and unions, and labor-management relations.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to

• Identify at least three distinct models of worker participation in occupational safety and health programs in place in countries outside of the United States.
• Describe the differences among worker participation models in regards to workers’ decision-making roles.
• Discuss the relationships among different stakeholders including management, unions, and safety committee members under these different models.
• Identify European Union legislation which forms for the basis for worker participation models in member countries.

Keywords: Workplace Safety,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.