Strategic Approaches to OSH Fifth EU-US Joint Conference on OSH Cascais, Portugal November 7-9, 2007

Common Themes Strategic approaches are an essential element of continuing efforts to improve OSH. Strategy is coordinated and systematic action, applied over the long term, to achieve a goal. Strategies should be: –Clear about objectives, priorities and tradeoffs –Account for causes, trends, and opportunities –Evidence based –Include effective mechanisms for adaptability –Encourage stakeholders to participate in the tripartite planning process and the implementation process –Include measurable targets –Communicated effectively –Evaluated periodically

Common Themes OSH strategies must account for such issues as demographic changes, vulnerable worker populations, outsourcing and contracting, and the increasing pace of change along with the traditional occupational hazards. The active engagement and collaborative work amongst all social partners (tripartite approach) and other stakeholders is valuable in promoting successful initiatives to address such challenges. There is a need for strategic approaches at the enterprise, industrial sector, national, and trans-national levels. Strategic action must address the differing needs and capabilities of small, medium, and large enterprises.

Common Themes Occupational risks have not been reduced in a uniform manner and there are disparities by industrial sector as well as by employees’ demographic characteristics. While voluntary approaches to OSH are important, and perhaps preferred, mandatory approaches to OSH are necessary as OSH is a worker’s right. OSH is the complete state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and disability (WHO). OSH strategies should mesh with other strategies at the enterprise level (e.g., human resource policy) and at the national level (e.g., public health policy), and trans- national level.

Common Themes The use of measurement and surveillance systems is important to track and demonstrate progress on strategic action. Metrics need to be accurate, reliable and reproducible. While outcome metrics are the ultimate measure of performance, leading metrics are necessary to drive performance and communicate how to achieve a goal. Reliance on any single metric is problematic. There is an interest in expanding risk and hazard based approaches to OSH and it is important to get the workers at risk involved in addressing the hazards.

Possible future action Identify, develop and disseminate: –Indicators of exposure and risk and compare to traditional injury- based indicators. –Criteria for OSH indicators to allow trans-national comparison. –Alternative aggregate indicators of OSH that are not employer- based (e.g., household surveys). –Case studies that demonstrate how OSH has had a positive impact on businesses. –Case studies that demonstrate how OSH can be better linked to overall worker’s health and wellness. –Case studies where effective OSH policies and procedures have been pushed up and down through the supply chain, including to contractors and sub-contractors, as well as to industrial facilities in the developing world. –Case studies demonstrating effective methods to address the OSH concerns of small and medium enterprises. –Case studies demonstrating how effective strategic action has reduced OSH risk.