The European Agency for Safety
and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)
chose the World Day for Safety and
Health at Work (28 April) for the
launch of its Healthy Workplaces
Campaign for 2010/11, promoting
safe maintenance across Europe.

In some European countries as
many as 20% of all workplace
accidents are connected with
maintenance and in a number of
sectors more than half of all
accidents are maintenance-related.

Maintenance is essential to
prevent workplace risks, but it is
itself a high risk activity for the
workers that carry it out. It is
estimated that in Europe 10 to15%
of fatal accidents at work can be
attributed to maintenance operations.

According to the HSE, early
analysis of the most recent two years’
data indicates that more than 25 to
30% of fatal accidents in the
manufacturing industries are caused
by maintenance activities.

Judith Hackitt, HSE’s Chair, says:
“HSE encourages everyone to get
involved in this two-year campaign.

We know that maintenance can be
one of the most dangerous activities
people do at work and it is important
that it is managed properly.”