Safe Maintenance in Focus With the Launch of the New Healthy Workplaces Campaign
Wednesday 28th April
To mark today’s (Wednesday 28th April) World Day for Safety and Health at Work, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) in association with the Health and Safety Authority, has launched its new Healthy Workplaces Campaign for 2010/11, promoting safe maintenance across Europe.
Martin O’Halloran, Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority said, “I am pleased to be working closely with the European Agency on this important campaign. Safe maintenance is a core aspect of minimising workplace risks and it is important that employers and employees are aware of the risks and take appropriate actions to reduce them.”
Launching the Campaign at the European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels, Dr Jukka Takala, Director of EU-OSHA, alongside the EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Mr László Andor, outlined the campaign’s objectives and the basic rules for safe maintenance as a key contribution to healthy workplaces.
Mr Andor, giving his backing to the campaign, said, “Our overall strategy is to cut all work-related accidents in the EU by 25% over the coming years. This campaign will help to raise awareness about maintenance-related risks, saving lives across Europe and bringing us closer to our overall goal for safer and healthier workplaces.”
The safe maintenance campaign in Ireland runs throughout 2010/11 and is focused on European Week for Safety and Health at Work which takes place at the end of October each year. One of the principal activities to support the campaign is the European Good Practice Awards. These awards will recognise outstanding examples of good practice related to safe maintenance.
