EU TACKLES ACCIDENTS IN SMALL BUSINESSES

Accident prevention in Europe's small businesses is to be the main activity of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in 2001.

The programme will focus on the development and exchange of effective good practice examples aimed at reducing the number and seriousness of work-related accidents in Europe. This will also be the theme of this year's European Week for Safety and Health at Work.

Workers in enterprises of fewer than 50 employees are two to three times more at risk of becoming accident victims and the small enterprise programme is intended to help foster effective preventive measures such as risk assessments, systematic accident management, training of workers, campaigns and "good neighbour" schemes.

Further information can be obtained at the Agency's website: http://europe.osha.eu.int/oshmail/