HSE leads for the UK in negotiations. Other agencies such as the Office of the Rail Regulator, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Civil Aviation Authority, HSENI and the Better Regulation Executive have an interest.
In 1990 the European Commission introduced two Directives intended to address the problem of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs); one on Manual Handling and another on the use of Display Screen Equipment. In 2008 it commissioned research into the possible impact of a number of EU level policy options designed to improve the prevention of work-related MSDs. This was followed in 2009 by a proposal for a new Directive addressing all significant risk factors for work-related MSDs and repealing the previous two Directives. The aim was to:
During 2009 a working group of the Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work (ACSH) considered the proposal, revised the text and agreed an opinion, which was accepted by the ACSH at its December plenary. In addition an Expert Group, composed of representatives from all Member States, met to advise the Commission on the drafting of the two technical annexes. It was expected the Commission would publish a proposal in Spring 2010. However, the Commission decided more research was needed before preparing an impact assessment of the economic, social and environmental consequences of its proposal. The latest information is that the European Commission expects to produce its impact assessment in May 2011 and adopt a legislative proposal in the second half of 2011. Negotiations between Member States would then take place.
HSE supports the principle policy objective of this Directive i.e. simplification; but considers the text on which the ACSH based its opinion did not achieve this aim. It will continue to work on its own impact assessment for the proposal and contribute to the work of the expert group should another meeting be called.
October 2010