Risk assessment
European labour law on health and safety is characterised by its emphasis on the anticipation of risk, rather than on protection against danger once risks have materialised. A crucial factor is the identification and assessment of hazards, with responsibility for the control of these hazards. Article 6 of Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work lays down the steps to be taken by the employer in order to ensure adequate risk prevention and risk assessment at the workplace.
A risk assessment should, according toArticle 6, identify the significant risks arising out of work, enable the employer to identify and prioritise the measures that need to be taken to comply with the relevant statutory provision, and be appropriate to the nature of the work and such that it remains valid for a reasonable period of time.
See also: dangerous substances; dangerous workplaces; Framework Directive on Health and Safety; health and safety; occupational accidents and diseases; stress at work.