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More success through efficient regulation

13-14 June 2007, Bonn

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The effects of globalization on legal requirements

Ir. Kris De MeesterDirector health and safety affairsChairmen BussinessEurope OSH Committee

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Megatrends in the world of work Restructuring of economy and politics: "Competitive

Europe" Competitive world economy and increased productivity with

restructuring of organizations and management– Outsourcing, focus on core-business, downsizing, delocalisation– 60% of world trade within supply chain!– Work intensity, stress,…– The world becomes "smaller" (a global village in a "global" world)

New technology and new production: "Innovative Europe" Increasing global automation and change of manufacturing

industries towards a service production– New production models and job contents– Shift from traditional workplace to homework, mobile office,…

Demographic shift: "Graying Europe" Rapid ageing of work force, changing age attitudes and

demands on work ability and competence Challenges facing young workers and immigrants

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Megatrends in the world of work

Geographic shift: “Migrating Europe” Workers from new EU member states,…

Language barriers, training Social change: “Conscient European Generation"

From a work life-centred society toward a "multi-society"

– Periods of employment, unemployment, training, leisure, family life and individual development vary throughout the whole life course.

Employee participation and a new citizenship is growing Balancing work and family life

Growing role of media "Attention Economy and Citizens Europe“

Fast changes ”Speeding Europe”

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Framework

Lisbon Strategy Guaranteeing quality and productivity at work can

play in promoting economic growth and employment. The enormous economic costs of problems

associated with health and safety at work inhibits economic growth and affects the competitiveness of businesses in the EU

Raise the employment rate

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Poor OSH = burden Poor OSH conditions

Human burden Enterprise burden Societal burden

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: every year 5,500 people killed in workplace across EU 4.5 million accidents resulting in more than three days absence

from work 146 million working days lost 20 billion euro cost affects all sectors of the economy heavy costs to the company, particularly small companies Prevention has more benefits than just reducing damages:

contributory factor in improving company performance

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CONVINCED ???

NO YES

STOP (AND GO HOME)

CONTINUE

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CSR from OSH point of view

OSH management (systems) ILO guidelines OHSAS 18000 Tailored company system Contractor safety management schemes Supply chain management

Preventative safety and health culture Focus on the organisation as a whole and on the

individual worker Increase general awareness, knowledge and

understanding of hazard, risk and prevention Increase responsibility of employers, managers and

workers

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In general Development and strengthening of a preventive culture

must be a central element of any strategy aiming at improving occupational safety and health

Development and strengthening of a preventive culture = achieving better OSH performance by fostering changes in behavioural patterns

Governments Employers Workers OSH-Experts Financial world Students, young people ALL PEOPLE

Cannot be achieved through legislation !

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Strategy Strategy to promote a preventive culture must

address all parts of society go beyond the workplace and the working population should help create a general culture that values

health and risk prevention Regulation is just one element

+ implementation + control + awareness raising + education and training + enabling environment + guidance, assistance, + …

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Better regulation = not only about more efficiency

+ Overall goal, environment + Effectiveness + Proportionality + Legitimacy (support) + Institutional framework + Better implementation + Better control (level playing field)

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Better regulation Overall goal, environment

Goals is health and safety of workers, but… …approach embedded in global socio-economic

strategy of employment, welfare and productivity (GDP factor) = priority n° 1

Lisbon agenda = driver and target

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Proportionality Legislation is not always the first/right answer

Needle stick incidents??? Transposition of directives in national legislation (gold

plating)???

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Legitimacy Societal consensus is necesaary Without « field » support legislation will not work

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Institutional framework Specialised institutions Employers/workers organisations OSH-services Health services Social security schemes (occupational accidents,

diseases,…) Labour inspection Educaton system

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Better implementation and control Responsibility of governments:

Making/changing regulations is not enough From the cradle to the grave approach Implementation ! (not just on paper) One level playing field Regulation that allows employers (and workers) to

take up their responsibility Mechanism to short-circuit employers that do not

assume responsibility Practice what you preach

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Efficiency of regulation Efficiency = reach the target at the lowest cost Regulation must therefore also be effective (= reach the

target To be efficient

Simple, comprehensible and coherent Sometimes deregulation is necessary Goal- and not means-based Harmonised (one level playing field) A flexible framework for solutions at enterprise level for health

and safety to work with other workplace systems Low administrative burden Adapted to real workplace situation (not theoretical) Support and guidance mechanisms Regulatory Impact Analysis Complement with other instruments (agreements, market driven

systems,…), mainstreaming Link with levers for change

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To do for all

REFOCUS AT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL TO Develop national strategy (ILO convention 187)

Profile Vision Action Plan

Promote appropriate health and safety management as an integral part of effective business management

Achieve higher levels of recognition and respect for health and safety as:

an integral part of a modern, competitive business and public sector;

a contribution to social justice and inclusion Encourage awareness of the importance of greater

corporate responsibility for health and safety Promote good health and safety practice for all sizes of

organisation in all sectors

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To do for all

‘Challenge’ all organisations, private, (public and voluntary), to provide direction on health and safety

Develop tools for use by stakeholders (including business, institutional investors, insurers, employers and trade unions) to further goal of achieving greater corporate responsibility Search levers for change

Promote public reporting of health and safety targets and performance so that information is made readily accessible to all stakeholders

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Levers for change Management systems/tools Activities to usefully support focus on prevention

Awareness-raising actions targeting a large public Dissemination of good practices

Positive action: “appreciative inquiry” Use/search “market driven” instruments

Contractor safety management systems and training Safety logbook Supply chain incentives (Public) procurement (Accident and diseases insurance systems) Customer and consumer demands Temporary workers management systems (risk activities) Benchmarking New indicators (solution reponse-time, training level)

Be creative !

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Practice what you preach! What has been build up over months and years

can be destroyed in minutes! Practice what you preach

– Authorities– Social partners– Top management– Operational supervisors– Experts

Stimulate safe behavior Discourage unsafe behavior Stress the success of safe behavior Reduce disadvantages of safe behavior

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To do at industry level Federations

Take control over the agenda Assume leadership (captains of industry) Offensive or opportunistic strategy (voluntary) Agreements at national, regional and branche level Exchange of good practice Collaboration: with education, health,…

Companies Systems approach Do not focus on experts and advisers but on deciders Management involvement Role and responsibility of supervisors Internal auditing by management Workers involvement (partnership – set expectations) Behaviour based approach

– Last Minute Risk Analysis Further explore “the healthy workplace”

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A new industry vision

To gain recognition of health and safety as a cornerstone of civilized and responsible companies and, with that, to achieve a record of workplace health and safety that leads the world!

It’s time to set the traditional regulatory approach upside down and to start with an overall integrated efficient and effective new approach

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Thank You – Danke Schön