International Conference on Safety and Innovation

We are pleased to announce the International Conference on Safety and Innovation, organized by INAIL in collaboration with the ISSA Section Machine and System Safety. The event will be held from March 11th – 13th, 2025, at INAIL, Piazzale Giulio Pastore 6, Roma.

The conference will focus on the following key topics:

  • Innovative Technologies for Safety: Exploring cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance safety in the workplace. We invite papers discussing new solutions that improve safety during work activities or reduce risks through design innovations.
  • Safety of Innovative Products: Examining the safety aspects of new technologies integrated into products such as machinery, plants, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Submissions should address how these innovations comply with safety regulations and identify gaps in standardization.
  • Innovative Systems for Specialist Training: Evaluating new training systems, including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality tools. We seek papers that analyze these technologies’ effectiveness compared to traditional training methods and discuss various national protocols and guidelines.
  • Workspace Safety: Addressing the design of workspaces to ensure safe working conditions. We welcome papers that present innovative design solutions and examine how workspace design influences worker behaviour and skills.
  • Safety of Living Environments and Human Settlements: Investigating methods for detecting and mitigating pollution and predictive control of structures and facilities to prevent widespread risks. Papers should focus on innovative techniques for monitoring and controlling human settlements and living environments.
  • Systems for Inclusive Safety: Focusing on creating inclusive safety systems that accommodate diverse needs, including gender differences, an ageing population, and disabilities. We encourage papers that explore technical solutions and design strategies for tools, equipment, and training that promote safety and inclusion in the workplace.

The first deadline for abstract submissions is August 30th, 2024. For further information on the topics and the Call for Papers, please visit INAIL’s event page.

The ISSA Section Machine and System Safety project group

The project group “Human Factors, Ergonomics and Safe Machines” works on design requirements and recommendations regarding occupational safety, health, human factors, and ergonomics. It informs how to integrate human factors and ergonomics design requirements into machinery construction, workplace and equipment design and human-system interaction in practice: https://www.safe-machines-at-work.org/human-factors

As the Section’s website is a communication tool and offers information for designers, manufacturers as well as users, we published the first practical examples from our member institutions:

  • The fact sheets on ergonomics in practice – published by BGN, Mannheim, Germany:
    Ergonomically designed workplaces contribute to keeping employees healthy, satisfied, and productive. Therefore, it is worthwhile to consider ergonomic aspects when designing workplaces.
  • The website of Suva, Lucerne, Switzerland, on physical stress and ergonomics focuses on preventing risks arising from physical stress in the workplace and offers practical recommendations for improving working conditions.

More information: use cases and practical examples: https://www.safe-machines-at-work.org/human-factors

Further examples will follow.

Ideas from the FEES members are welcome.

Ergonomics, Human Factors and Machinery

Update on Machinery Regulation and Standardization Activities

The new Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 has significant ergonomics and human factors implications. The regulation lays down health and safety requirements for the design and construction of machinery, aiming to ensure high protection for persons, particularly consumers and professional users.

The regulation considers digital technologies like AI, IoT, and robotics and their safety/liability challenges. These technologies directly impact ergonomics and human factors as they change how humans interact with machinery. For instance, AI can lead to more intuitive user interfaces, while IoT can provide real-time feedback to operators, enhancing safety and efficiency.

Furthermore, the regulation mandates that machinery or related products may only be made available on the market or put into service if they meet the essential health and safety requirements in Annex III. These requirements likely include ergonomic considerations, such as the design of controls and displays, the provision of adjustable workstations, and the minimization of physical strain and fatigue.

While the specific requirements are mainly provided through European harmonized standards elaborated by European standards organizations, they generally cover aspects such as:

  • The design and construction of machinery to ensure safety.
  • The proper installation and maintenance of machinery.
  • The intended use or any reasonably foreseeable misuse of machinery.

It’s important to note that these requirements are directly applicable in Member States as, unlike those of a Directive, there is no need to be transposed into national legislation. This ensures uniform application for all operators across the Union and does not give room for divergent implementation by Member states.

The new regulation also aims to better cover new technologies such as autonomous mobile machinery (robots), the Internet of Things with connected equipment, or artificial intelligence (AI), where specific modules of AI using learning techniques ensure safety functions1. This highlights the evolving nature of these requirements in response to technological advancements.

The regulation also addresses the issue of ‘incomplete machinery’ and ‘substantial modifications’, providing clearer rules for manufacturers and other economic operators. This clarity can help ensure that modifications to machinery do not negatively impact ergonomics or compromise user safety.

Pascal Etienne represented FEES at the November 2023 Machinery Expert Group meeting. From an Ergonomics and Human Factors perspective, several advances in this field are expected in the next few months.

The New Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230

The new Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 is set to come into effect on January 20, 2027. However, it’s important to note that some articles will apply before this date due to Article 54 of the regulation. This includes aspects related to notified bodies, penalties, the Committee, delegated acts, and the categories of machines mentioned in Annex I.

Template for Collection of Machinery-Related Accident Data

The Commission has proposed a template for collecting machinery-related accident data by Member States. This template includes accidents causing harm and also damage to health caused by machines or related products.

Guide to Application of the New Machinery Regulation

The European Commission has launched a Call for Expression of Interest for experts and organizations to participate in revising the Guide to the Application of the Machinery Directive, aligning it with the updated Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. The process is led by the Editorial Group, chaired by Mr. Alwin Verdaasdonk of the Dutch national authority, supported by co-chair Ms. Wendy Van Aerschot (Belgian national authority) and secretary Mr. Marcel Dutrieux (EGMF). The group will oversee five specialized sub-groups addressing key topics such as AI-powered safety functions, cyber-safety, and digital instructions. They aim to refine and update the guide, ensuring alignment with new legislative and technological developments.

Experts from EU Member States, EFTA countries, Türkiye, and other interested parties are encouraged to apply for participation in the sub-groups, which will organize themselves to support this work. Applications should include a motivation letter and CV, submitted to the group’s secretary at machineryeditorialgroup@gmail.com. The initial deadline is 25 April 2025, but applications will remain open until further notice. This initiative provides an opportunity to contribute to modernising machinery safety guidelines, ensuring they remain relevant and practical in light of evolving industry practices.

Standardization

The draft standardization request in support of the new Machinery Regulation will be published later. About 700 EN standards (hENs) under the machinery directive will be revised, with 40% under the ISO CEN agreement. Modifications in some essential health and safety requirements (EHSR) will impact about 60% of the EN standards.

For CEN, the task is to transfer the EN standards under the Machinery Directive to the new Machines Regulation. The work program results will be communicated to the Commission, and the work must be carried out by the end of 2024 using a tool to be developed. The first batches of revised standards will be presented in April/May 2026.

The Judgment of the Court in Case C-588/21 by the European Court of Justice, declaring that European harmonized technical standards on toy safety must be accessible to EU citizens, has significant implications for machinery safety.

Firstly, the ruling emphasizes the importance of transparency and accessibility of safety standards. This is particularly relevant for machinery manufacturers and other economic operators, who must ensure their products meet these standards to be placed on the European market. By making these standards accessible, manufacturers can better understand and comply with safety requirements, leading to safer machinery and reduced risk of accidents.

Secondly, the ruling could potentially lead to greater involvement of stakeholders in developing and revising safety standards. This could result in more comprehensive, up-to-date standards that reflect real-world conditions and challenges.

Finally, the ruling underscores the role of harmonized standards as part of EU law. This means these standards are not just guidelines but have legal implications. Manufacturers who fail to comply with these standards could face legal consequences.

Stay tuned for more updates on these important matters.

Ergonomics, Human Factors and Machinery

The European Machinery Directive – webinar

The European Machinery Directive, Webinar on the 21st of November 13h UTC.

The Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES), an IEA regional network, and the IEA Safety and Health Technical Committee organised the series on tools fostering the development of ergonomics and human factors.

Register for this webinar.

Presenters:

  • Pascal Etienne, Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES), executive board member, pascal.etienne0@orange.fr
  • Aleksandar Zunjic, FEES General Secretary, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
  • Pedro Ferreira, FEES Treasurer, CENTEC, IST, University of Lisbon, Portugal
  • Bernard Michez, FEES president, CEO Ergotec company, France
  • Gyula Szabó, FEES executive board member, Faculty of Mechanical and Safety Engineering, Óbuda University, Budapest, Hungary
  • Jochen Eckhart, International Organisation for Standardization (ISO/CEN)
  • Peter Nickel International Social Security Association (ISSA), International Prevention Section on Machine and System Safety

FFES Logo

Duration: 90 mins

The goal of this online webinar is to present and discuss the EU Machinery directive

  • Its application
  • The specific rules such as « forecast the forecastable misuse… »
  • Its utility for designing working situations

Webinar Chair: Bernard Michez, president of FEES

Zoom link for registration. Registration is free to all interested people. The webinar will be recorded and published on YouTube. Registration permits live interaction with the presenters via Q&A. Register for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register for this webinar.

Online survey on good work

Start of an online survey on the integration of UN SDG 8 in your university

Today we invite you to participate in an important European online survey on the integration of the UN Sustainable Development Goal ‚Good and Sustainable Work‘ in your university (UN SDG 8). With this survey we are reaching out to colleagues from selected higher education institutions across Europe who are responsible for teaching and training in the field of occupational safety, industrial hygiene and/or ergonomics.

The survey has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf [No. 2021-1438]. Our privacy policy is in line with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Completing the questionnaire may take 15 – 20 minutes of your time.

With your answers, you make a valuable contribution to the integration of good and sustainable work into teaching and everyday life at universities.

Here is the link to the online questionnaire: https://befragungen.dguv.de/evasys/online.php?p=GL8XY

We ask you, if possible, to complete the questionnaire within before 30 May 2021.

Thank you in advance for your interest and commitment. Should you require further information at this point, please feel free to contact: ulrike.bollmann@dguv.de.

TRAIN4WORK

Project Structure

Project organisation

  • Project management & Quality management: To assure an adequate deployment of the project activities and the achievement of objectives set within the timescale and resources planned
  • Definition of curriculum: Identification of training requirements, definition of learning objectives and course structure
  • Development of training contents in English: To develop the contents based on the curriculum and the learning methodology
  • Development of e-learning course contents in English: Transform all the materials developed into a fully functional e-learning course, ready to be used in the pilot tests
  • Validation of the course and lessons learnt: Validation of the course adequacy to the skills/requirements of targeted end-users and usability assessment of the online platform
  • Development and Implementation of the final version of the e-learning course: Based on Deliverable 5.1 (Report on the course validation and lessons learnt), IBV will develop a final version of the e-learning course, implementing changes proposed in the validation. The course will be translated into Spanish (IBV), German (IAD) and French (UGA)
  • Dissemination and exploitation activities: Planning and management of dissemination activities and exploitation of project output

Multiplier event

  • E1. Workshop on design of human-centred work. (18-02-2020) (IAD)
  • E2. Workshop on Train4HCWork e-learning course. (10-03-2021) (IBV)

Intellectual Outputs

  • IO1. Course curriculum (M1-M6): It will include the learning objectives, the structure of the selected contents, the type of reinforcement activities, the ongoing monitoring schedule, the methodology for a continuous assessment, and potential accreditation procedures. It will be available in two different formats, text file and project website, and will be developed in English.
  • IO2. Online course in English (M7-M21): This output will consist of the first version online of the Train4HCWork course developed according to the curriculum (IO1). This course will include in an open e-learning platform the contents previously developed and reinforcement activities. This first prototype will be developed in English and will be ready to be tested in pilot validations.
  • IO3. Online course in French, German and Spanish (M17-M29): There will be four main actions to deploy the final course: validation of the first version of the e-learning course (IO2) (pilot course), development of the final version of the e-learning course, translation (to Spanish, German and French) and implementation in the platform.

Project results

  • AR1. Training requirements: Partners will develop a report summarizing the results of the studies performed to detect the vocational training requirements (knowledge, skills and competences) across Europe. This report will be provided in electronic format and disseminated at the website of the project in the Multiplier Event 1 and at partners’ websites. It will be the basis for the definition of a suitable and precise curriculum of the course (intellectual output IO1). In order to get these training requirements, three focus groups (FG) in three different countries and one on-line survey will be carried out.
  • AR2. Training contents: It will include the final version of the training contents. Training contents will cover the most important issues for a human-centred design, integrating knowledge in ergonomics, health and safety at work, and productivity.
  • AR3. Validation of the e-learning course: There will be a pilot course leaded by FEES (focused on professionals of ergonomics), UGA (focused on engineering students and professionals) and Structo (focused on specific demands of companies). IBV and IAD will monitor progress of participants and analyse the results of this monitoring. Finally, a report with recommendations to improve the training course (contents, reinforcement activities, schedule, platform, evaluation activities, etc.) will be proposed.
  • AR4. Dissemination activities: Besides the multiplier events, additional dissemination activities will be carried out. These activities will include, among others, presentations on key events of the target groups, dissemination through social networks, posters in conferences and symposia, or dissemination in the websites of project.
TRAIN4WORK

Consortium Project partners

IBV | Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia (Coordinator)

The Instituto de Biomecanica (IBV) is a technological centre that studies the behavior of the human body and its interaction with products, environments and services. Founded in 1976, the Institute is currently coordinated under the agreement of the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) and the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV).
Contact: Elisa Signes Pérez, elisa.signes@ibv.org

IAD (TUD) | Technische Universität Darmstadt – Institut fur Arbeitswissenschaft

The Technische Universitat (TU) Darmstadt is one of Germany’s leading technical universities. Its around 303 professors, 4,250 employees and 25,100 students devote their talents and best efforts to the significant future research fields energy, mobility, communications and information technologies, housing and living conditions. The wide variety of disciplines represented are all focused on technology, as viewed from the vantage point of engineering, the natural sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences, and cover the full range of academic endeavor, from the origination of basic concepts to practical, everyday applications.

Contact: Jurij Wakula, wakula@iad.tu-darmstadt.de

UGA | Universite Grenoble Alpes

The Universite Grenoble Alpes (UGA) is a comprehensive university offering high-quality education in all academic disciplines and at all levels (undergraduate, master, doctorate, as well as certificate programs) to 45,000 students in initial and lifelong learning. Its dense territorial grid embraces the towns of Grenoble, Valence, Vienne, as well as several units located over the Isere territory. It belongs to the Communaute Universite Grenoble Alpes (COMUE) and works together with other HEIs on and outside of the campus, mutualizing some of their actions to improve the quality of their services.

Contact: Nicolas Villerme, nicolas.vuillerme@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Structo Ingenieros Consultores S.L.

Structo is a dynamic company with a high adaptation to customer needs, because we have a multidisciplinary team of engineering. We have experience in conducting projects and Facilties. We develop projects in all sectors of industry and institutions. Project Management and Construction of industries of all sectors and facilities. We also carry out projects as industrial machinery, technical projects operating licenses, legalization of all kinds of industries and fire safety projects in industrial establishments.

Contact: Hugo Merelo, hugo.merelo@structoingenieros.com

Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FFES)

FEES is the Federation of the European Ergonomics Societies. Its mission is to enhance the recognition of ergonomics contributing to economic development, to quality of life, to health and safety at work, and to social progress in European Countries.

The formal foundation of FEES took place in the context of the 48th Spring Conference of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft in Munich, on May 7th, 2003. It is a network of the ergonomics societies in the various countries in Europe according to the description by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) of IEA Networks. Members are ergonomics societies, not individuals. All ergonomics societies in Europe can be a member of FEES – inside the European Union landscape, but also beyond.

The governing body is the FEES Council, consisting of representatives of the member societies. All major decisions are taken by the Council, which meets at least once a year. The day-to-day administration is performed by the FEES Executive Committee, which is supported by working groups for specific issues.

For more information contact Pedro Ferreira, treasurer of FEES: treasurer@ergonomics-fees.eu

TRAIN4WORK

Train4Work News & Events

May 2021

“Human-centred design is the solution to develop effectiveefficient  and productive work environments”

Free Webinar
Dissemination of project
Results20th May 202111:00 – 12:00 (CET)

The characteristics of the spaces and workstations affect the development of the work in a very relevant way, from the point of view of the safety and health of the workers and also in relation to the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity in the tasks. 

Human-centred work environments consider their characteristics and needs in the design and implementation to ensure the proper performance of tasks. 

Under this approach, following the methodology of human-centered design and applying it to the development of work environments, within the framework of the “Train4HCwork” project an online course has been developed that includes the disciplines and key aspects to consider for the development of human-centered industrial environments. 

ADDRESSED TO: 

  • Professionals related to the design and implementation of work environments. 
  • Responsible for planning, processes, job design, production department personnel or industry organization. 
  • Designers of machinery or work equipment. 
  • Personnel responsible for health and safety, human resources personnel. • Students from nearby areas of knowledge. 

OBJETIVES: 

Present IBV as a reference center in ergonomics and human factors. • Introduce the human-centered design approach and how to translate it into the design and implementation of industrial / work environments. • Present the new Train4HCwork course.

MODALITY:

Online 100%. The participants will connect through a videoconference system. The access codes will be provided once the registration is formalized. 

CONTENTS: 

  1. Presentation of the IBV and the Occupational Health Unit and introduction to human-centered design. 
  2. Application of human-centered design to spaces and workstations 
  3. Importance and necessity of the adaptation to the people of the work environments. The point of view of the ergonomists. 
  4. Detailed explanation of the course developed within the framework of the Train4HCwork project. 

SPEAKERS: 

  • Mercedes Sanchis. Head of Innovation – Occupational Health and Safety at Instituto de Biomecánica. 
  • Raquel Marzo. Researcher at Instituto de Biomecánica. People’s Needs and Preferences Area. 
  • Alberto Ferreras. Researcher at Instituto de Biomecánica. People’s Needs and Preferences Area. 
  • Pedro Ferreira. Treasurer at FEES. 
  • José Francisco Serrano. Technician at Instituto de Biomecánica. Human Factors Area. 
TECHINICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The participant must have a computer with an  internet connection and a microphone. If possible, a webcam is recommended.  The connection will be made via videoconference system. Access codes will be  provided once registration has been formalized.


November 2020

TRAIN4HCWORK at the H-WORKLOAD conference | 03 December 2020

As partner in the project, FEES will be presenting project achievements at the online Conference H-WORKLOAD 2020.

The conference was initially planned to take place at the University of Granada, Spain but due to the pandemic limitations, was moved to an online format. Registration are available HERE


June 2020

TRAIN4HCWORK Multiplier event (online) | 24 June 2020, 13:00 (CET)

hosted by IAD /TU Darmstadt

Principles of User Centred design in a Product Development Process (in German)

Session1 (1 hour)
  • Description of the Product Development Process (PDP)
  • Definition of the term “context of use” according to DIN EN ISO 9241-210
  • Usage context analysis
    • User
    • Goals & Tasks
    • Physical Environment
  • Selected Methods for analysing the context of use
Session 2 (1 hour)

Analysis of the usage context on an example “bicycle”

For more information and registration please contact Jurij Wakula at iad.tu-Darmstadt


May 2020

Success of the TRAIN4HCWORK pilot course

Trainees from 21 countries took part in the Online training course on  design of human-centred workplaces

Human centred workplaces are a key essential part of the factories of the future due to important advantages. The COVID-19 pandemic obliged the corporate world to look for a new worker’s future but, in this field, research has never stopped.

The launch of the TRAIN4HCWORK aroused interest and the participation was outstanding.

The assistance was above any expectations”, states Project Coordinator José Serrano, “And we covered all the target groups“.

There were 88 students enrolled in the course, from 21 different Countries. “We have Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal or Germany but also Russia, China, India, Costa Rica and the United States, among others. We didn’t know we could get so far”, follows Serrano.

77.5% of the trainees has completed successfully the course, with an almost perfect gender balance, 54% male and 46% female.

During the following months, the consortium will work on the analysis of feedback from the pilot course and the implementation of improvements. Finally, the course will be available in English, French, Spanish and German.

After the emergency, TRAIN4HCWORK is more topical than ever”, states Giuseppe Caprara, Innovation Manager at IBV.

According to Sarah Tilley from Wunderman Thompson, “The pandemic has shown business leaders and their employees that the old way of working is not fit for the future we now face. (…) As countries begin to relax restrictions and economies restart, workers will look to a brighter, more employee-focused future.

TRAIN4HCWORK sets the tone: the workplaces of the future will give much more importance to human knowledge, skills and cultural background, in particular through life-long learning and training. Human-centred workplaces not only remain essential in the pursuit of reduced occupational and work-related diseases and injuries, and absenteeism, but they will also become increasingly critical to ensure the flexibility, agility, and competitiveness that will be imposed on future manufacturing operations.

TRAIN4HCWORK is also preparing two multiplier events, that will be organised by the project partner Technische Universitat Darmstadt and by the coordinator IBV, at the end of the project, scheduled for March 2021.


March 2020

TRAIN4HCWORK launches the pilot course

The English version of the TRAIN4HCWORK online course will be piloted between March and May. We are looking for participants from the following professional groups:

  • Engineers responsible for workplaces, process and production design
  • Engineers responsible for machinery, working equipment and tools design
  • Health and safety managers
  • Consultants who provide services related to these issues to industry
  • Human resources professionals (recruitment and job assignment of workers)
  • Students

! SIGN UP FOR THE TRAIN4HCWORK PILOT COURSE FOR FREE !

To apply, all you need to do is (before 15 March):

  • Create your profile at IBV CAMPUS VIRTUAL
  • Confirm your interest in joining the TRAIN4HCWORK pilot course by emailing Raquel Portilla (campus.ibv@ibv.org) with the following details:
    • First and last name
    • Email contact
    • Occupation
    • Country of residence
    • Also please place “TRAIN4HCWORK COURSE – IBV” on the subject of your message

For more information, please refer to the course learning guide and the pilot flyer


January 2020

TRAIN4HCWORK meeting in Grenoble

On 29 January 2020, the T4W team met in Grenoble for the review and planning of up coming project work. Nicolas Vuillerme and Romain Balaguer from the partner Universite Grenoble Alpes (UGA) were the hosts.

The contents of the course are nearly concluded and a pilot exercise will be launched in March. The pilot course will be in English and it will also include audio and video slots and it will be hosted at IBV educational platform (Campus IBV).

TRAIN4HCWORK is also preparing the first multiplier event, that will be organized by the project partner Technische Universitat Darmstadt, represented in the meeting by Jurij Wakula. Pedro Ferreira from Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) and Hugo Merelo from Structo engineering complete the attending team to the Grenoble meeting.


September 2019

TRAIN4HCWORK meeting in Darmstad

On 25 September 2019, the T4W team met in Darmstad for the review and planning of up coming project work. New developments will come soon, as we progress towards the development of course contents.


May 2019

First results of the Train4HCWork project

After the first six months of work, consortium has already developed the course structure, the online learning methodology and even a proposal of contents organized in different modules and sessions. These outcomes have been obtained with the participation of people from the target groups to ensure the course will respond to their formative needs.

In order to know the training requirements of professionals around Europe, IBV, IAD and UAG firstly organized five focus groups (with a total of 34 participants) and lastly, together with FEES and Structo, realized an open-source online survey in five different languages (English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Serbian). More than one hundred answers from different countries were achieved.

Finally, FEES carried out the analysis of information obtained on the online survey (including SWOT analysis, priorization of requirements, differences among potential end-users), to obtain the final training requirements for the online course to be developed in the project. With that information, IBV, IAD and UGA established the recognition framework and defined the Curriculum of the course.


January 2019

Online TRAIN4WORK questionnaire

The project TRAIN4WORK launched an online questionnaire on 13 February 2019 to identify training requirements, define learning objectives and course structure of a new learning material.

The questionnaire aims to gather data to support the development of the online training course which targets all those who are involved in the design (or re-development) of work systems but are not ergonomics and human factors specialists.

The questionnaire can be accessed in four different languages

The questionnaire will be open until April 30 2019.

The TRAIN4WORK is an initiative of the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies under the umbrella of Erasmus+, to create a freely accessible online ergonomics training material.

Supporting musculoskeletal health in the workplace

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is running a Europe-wide campaign from 2020 to 2022 to raise awareness of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the importance of preventing them. The objective is to encourage employers, workers and other stakeholders to work together to prevent MSDs and promote good musculoskeletal health among EU workers.

Why it is so important to prevent work-related MSDs and to promote good musculoskeletal health among EU workers?

  1. Key for EU workers’ quality of life and for sustainable work, productivity and social security systems.
  2. Work-related MSDs remain the most common work-related health problem in the EU and one of the most common causes of disability and sick leave.
  3. Work-related MSDs result in huge costs that fall on the workers, employers, health services and the wider society and economy.
  4. MSDs are preventable and manageable. So high costs related to MSDs can be reduced. The return on investment for workers’ quality of life at work, businesses and social security systems is worth the effort.
  5. Taking into account the need for an ageing EU workforce to remain healthy and productive, it is urgent for organisations to implement MSD policies to prevent and reduce work-related MSDs.
  6. As well as the prevention of new disorders, rehabilitating workers with MSDs and integrating them back into work should also form an integral part of any workplace MSD policy.

All info sheets and other campaign materials are available to download from EU-OSHA’s Healthy Workplaces Campaign website (https://healthy-workplaces.eu).

“Ergonomists are committed to creating safe and healthy workplaces with the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.” The Federation of the European Ergonomic Societies submitted the application to be the official campaign partner of the upcoming Healthy Workplaces – Lighten the Load 2020-2022 campaign organized by European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).