document

Paper Number	03-550
Title	International Trends in Workplace Safety and Health
Authors	Kathy A. Seabrook CSP (US), RSP (UK) Global Solutions, Inc.
Source	ASSE Professional Development Conference and Exposition, June 22 - 25, 2003, Denver, Colorado
Copyright	2003. American Society of Safety Engineers
Language	English
Preview	Abstract Successful companies understand that meeting regulatory compliance is a license to do business in any country. This paper provides an overview of the current safety and health regulatory environment in selected Asian and European countries. The paper will also include regulatory resources, and where applicable, new trends and the general acceptance of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. Country Specific Safety and Health Regulatory Resources The following provides a country-specific overview of current safety and health regulations and regulatory resources, trends and comments on recognition of Occupationsla Health and safety management systems. Each resource organization listed is the regulatory body for safety and health unless otherwise stated. United Kingdom Regulations-The Health and Safety Executive oversees the enforcement of health and safety regulations and reports to the Health and Safety Commission. The Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 sets out the statutory duty for employers to provide a safe place of work for their employees. 1 In 1992, in line with Europe, the UK adopted the European Framework Directive: the Management of Health and safety at work regulations which were updated in 1999. These regulations can be found on the internet at http://www.hse.gov.uk Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1999 require employees to develop and implement a system to manage health and safety risk in the workplace. In the UK, the British Standards Institute oversaw the development of Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 18001: Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems-Specification. 2 It is a recognized guidance document for an Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS) and used by many UK companies as guidance and a for third party verification. According to British Standards Institute, OHSMS registrations using OHSAS 18001 requirements are on the rise in the UK. European Union The European Union (EU) uses designated Focal Points, as a source of EU country expertise, enforcement and accident data. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is not a regulatory or enforcement body but an entity set up by the European Union to conduct research and disseminate safety and health information throughout the EU. Their website, http://europe.osha.eu.int provides internet access to all of the European Union country Focal Points; designated by each country and is the entity is involved in regulating workplace safety and health in that country. 3 Most importantly, this EU website provides country specific regulatory information. Most countries provide website information in English. However, there may be some countries, such as, Austria, Greece and France where that is not the case.
Number of Pages	9
File Size	275 KB
Price	Change Currency

Download History:

27 times downloaded since 2007.