The European Risk Observatory is based at the
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union with the task of collecting, analysing and disseminating relevant information that can serve the needs of people involved in safety and h ...
(EU-OSHA). It aims to provide:
* An overview of health at work in Europe
* A description of the trends and underlying factors
* A description of the risk factors
* Anticipation of changes in work and their likely consequences on health
By doing so, the Observatory intends (in particular) to draw attention to new and emerging risks and enable preventive action.
These monitoring and forecasting activities are based (as much as possible) on the collection, analysis and consolidation of existing data from national and international sources such as:
*
Labour Force Survey
Labour Force Surveys are statistical surveys conducted in a number of countries designed to capture data about the labour market. All European Union member states are required to conduct a Labour Force Survey annually. Labour Force Surveys are also ...
s
* Workers' surveys
* Accident registers
* Occupational-disease registers
* Death registers
* Exposure registers
Beyond the collation of data, the Observatory also provides more qualitative information to support the identification of new and emerging risks. This information is mainly based on expert forecast and research reviews but may extend to other sources, such as information collected by control bodies. EU-OSHA is responsible for the management of the Observatory and consolidation of data. External contractors and an EU-wide network of national institutes contributing to the collection and analysis of the data support the Agency in its mission.
Methodology
Data sources
Data collection
Data collection or data gathering is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes. Data collection is a research com ...
is based on existing, available sources. All data have been collected from published and online statistical sources. Existing tables and graphics are used. Not all sources present the data in a similar way or use the same breakdown criteria, so some data are difficult to compare. Where available, efforts have been made to use
raw data
Raw data, also known as primary data, are ''data'' (e.g., numbers, instrument readings, figures, etc.) collected from a source. In the context of examinations, the raw data might be described as a raw score (after test scores).
If a scientist ...
sources, which are treated according to the expected output. This is, for example, the case for data from the European Working Conditions Survey (with regard to European and Belgian data), the occupational diseases statistics in Belgium and the Danish Work Environment
Cohort Study
A cohort study is a particular form of longitudinal study that samples a cohort (a group of people who share a defining characteristic, typically those who experienced a common event in a selected period, such as birth or graduation), performing ...
.
Sources are both statistical and analytical background documents. The statistical sources are a combination of administrative registers and statistics (occupational disease registers, exposure registers), surveys, voluntary reporting systems and inspection reports. A global-risk picture can thus be presented by combining different data sources.
Administrative data sources
Work accidents
The European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW) have been used to collect statistical data on accidents at work. These statistics are available from 1994 onwards. They allow a uniform presentation for European and
member-state statistics and a comparison between member-state statistics. A harmonized
methodology
In its most common sense, methodology is the study of research methods. However, the term can also refer to the methods themselves or to the philosophical discussion of associated background assumptions. A method is a structured procedure for bri ...
for
data collection
Data collection or data gathering is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes. Data collection is a research com ...
has been created. Information is collected on the following variables: economic activity of the employer, occupation, age and sex of the victim, type of injury, body part injured, time of the accident, size of the business, employment status of the victim and work days lost. Phase three of the ESAW methodology has been gradually implemented from the reference year 2001 onwards. In addition to the variables above, it includes information concerning the circumstances and events leading to the accidents.
The details of the ESAW methodology are described in ''European statistics on accidents at work (ESAW) - Methodology - 2001 edition''. A resume of the concepts and coverage of the data may also be found in ''Work and health in the EU: A statistical portrait 1994-2002''.
Work and health in the EU. A statistical portrait 1994-2002
-European Communities – Eurostat – Catalogue No KS-57-04-807-EN-N
Occupational diseases
Both the European Statistics on Occupational Diseases (ESOD) and national data sources have been used to collect statistical data on occupational disease
An occupational disease is any chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work or occupational activity. It is an aspect of occupational safety and health. An occupational disease is typically identified when it is shown that it is more prevalen ...
s. The project on European Statistics on Occupational Diseases (EODS) started with a pilot data-collection for the reference year 1995. The first data according to Phase One methodology was collected for 2001. The Phase One methodology of EODS includes detailed information on the causative agent of the occupational disease; the collection of information on the uses of these causative agents is planned as well. The main drawback of both of these data-collection systems is that not all workers are covered by the national data-collection systems in all member states. Occupational-disease problems also arise from under-reporting and differences between the national social security
Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...
systems.
Exposure registers
An alternative to concentrating on disease occurrence is to monitor exposure. An exposure register records data relevant to occupational health-and-safety outcomes. It is different from a disease register in that it concentrates on workplace exposure, rather than the disorders it causes. The measurement services of the institutions for statutory accident insurance and prevention (''BGs'') in Germany perform exposure measurements at workplaces. The data are stored in the ''BG/BIA'' exposure database.
Physician reporting
Sentinel surveillance uses a network of health care provider
A health care provider is an individual health professional or a health facility organization licensed to provide health care diagnosis and treatment services including medication, surgery and medical devices. Health care providers often receive ...
s to report cases of occupational disease. This approach is similar to a register of occupational diseases, with some important differences. Sentinel networks may not try to achieve total coverage, and may operate in a restricted geographical area or involve a sample of physicians. In the UK, the THOR network is responsible for the collection of specialist-based work-related disease data. The program relies on the systematic, voluntary and confidential reporting of new cases by consulting thoracic physicians throughout the country. Regular reports are required from physicians detailing the number of new cases in each of 10 diagnostic categories and data for each case based on age, sex, place of residence, type of work and suspected agent. The Occupational Surveillance Scheme for Audiologists (OSSA) operates within the THOR network.
Inspections
In some countries, medical inspections carried out by the labour inspectorate play an essential role in ensuring that laws and regulations governing workers’ health surveillance are properly applied. The ''Arbomonitor'' in the Netherlands provides representative information on the state of working conditions in Dutch companies: risks, policies and prevention. The information is gathered through the Labour Inspection on company visits.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Risk Observatory Website
from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union with the task of collecting, analysing and disseminating relevant information that can serve the needs of people involved in safety and h ...
)
Expert forecast on Emerging Biological Risks related to Occupational Safety and Health
Risk analysis
European Union agencies' subsidiary organisations