Jan Popma. Psycho social health risks and implications for OSH policy

Transcription

1 Jan Popma Psycho social health risks and implications for OSH policy

2 Main points Types of psycho social risk Effects on both workers and companies Implications for OSH Policy Psycho Social Risks and OSH Policy 2

3 Types of psycho social risks Cerberus: many-headed monster 3

4 Types of psycho social risks Work overload / job intensification Emotional demands Health care / Education / Services Poor social relationships Harassment / Aggression / Ethnic Conflicts Lack of social support New Ways of Work (nomadic work) Job insecurity Precarious work (short term contracts) Restructuring 4

5 Work overload The subjective indicator of work intensity, which describes workers experience of high demands, reveals an overall increase in work intensity in most European countries over the past two decades. (Fifth European Survey) 62% of workers working tight deadlines (at least ¼ of the time) 59% of workers working at high speed (at least ¼ of the time) 5

6 Work overload: effects Burn Out => depression Stress + cardio-vascular disease Suicide Correlation accidents / work pressure (European Foundation) Karoshi 25% 20% Absenteeism Faults Accidents Loss of productivity 15% 10% 5% 0% almost never sometimes often almost all of the time <---work pressure---> Psycho Social Risks and OSH Policy 6 Accident% with LTI Accident% without LTI

7 New Ways of Work Permanent connectivity Information overload => ADT/ brain freeze Smart phone addiction Frequent interruptions => lack of concentration Blurring of working time and private time Lack of recovery time Fatigue Permanent sub acute stress 7

8 Techno-stress The existence of ubiquitous techno-stress is like a soldier in the camp. Even if he is not working his shift, he still feels the stress from intangible sources all the time as long as he is there. W.-S. Hung et al (2011), Managing the risk of overusing mobile phones in the working environment 8

9 Restructuring Job-cutting Closure Down-sizing Outsourcing Subcontracting Payrolling Offshoring Contract flexibility Short term contracts Self employed 9

10 Restructuring Job loss => depression/anxiety => psychosomatic illnesses Job precariousness => insecurity => stress Reduced motivation, depression Sickness/absenteeism (also survivor sickness ) 10

11 In sum. Various forms of psycho-social risks 28% of the workers report exposure affecting mental well-being: about 56 million workers (EU labour force survey 2007) Rise of depression: 83 million in EU (WHO), 26% attributed to work (European Foundation) => 22 million workers Stress/depression second most frequently reported occupational disease (ESENER 2012) Costs: at least 20 billion year (EC 2002, Guidance on work related stress) 11

12 Policy implications No specific legislation, except 2003/88/EC But opt out and persons with autonomous decision-taking powers (art. 17) Framework Directive 89/391/EEC Duty of care: ensure the safety and health of workers in every aspect related to the work. Risk assessment: evaluate the risks to the safety and health of workers, inter alia in the choice of work equipment, the chemical substances or preparations used, and the fitting-out of work places => ECJ C-49/00: all risks Framework Agreement on work related stress (2004) 12

13 Policy implications Working Time Directive: prevent abuse of opt out or art. 17 Framework Directive: Psycho-social risks mentioned explicitly, so to end discussion whether FD covers all risks Preventive approach, not just stress management! 13

14 Policy implications Attention to emerging risks New Ways of Work : risk assessment ex ante and evaluation a.s.a.p. after introduction Healthy Restructuring: integrate psycho-social counselling in context of Social Plan Precarious work: ban on various forms of abuse of legal possibilities Internalize costs => tort claims Legal recognition of psycho social disorders as occupational disease! 14