Working group on Small and Medium Size Businesses
Chair: Christa Schweng EU
Cochair: Rosslyn Fontaine US
Scribe: Dennis O'Brien US
Issues
- Legislation
- Motivating safety and health through the awareness of the economic impact
- Ready-made instruments for small business
- Sources of compliance assistance
Common Characteristics
- Both US and EU value small business and provide certain exemptions for compliance and special consideration in developing new regulations
- SMEs are NOT just miniature versions of large businesses
Differences
- Cultures
- Languages
- Unemployment/employment rates
- Workers' compensation/occupational accident insurance
Sources of Assistance
- Government
- Labor unions
- Employer Associations
- Educational institutions
- Advisory boards (national/international)
- Insurance companies
- Suppliers
- News media
- Associations of OSH professionals
- Other Sources
Ready made instruments
(Unique to SMEs)
- Training/Internet/Risk Assessment/Brochures
- Business Breakfasts
- Direct Contacts (on-site consultation - labor inspectors, insurers, health & safety representatives)
Raising Awareness
Selling OSH Requirements to SMEs
- OSH is good business
- Basic requirements: (expected by all workers)
- Physical working conditions
- Wages, job security, management relations - Worker motivators
- Sense of community
- Need for Appreciation
- Individual growth
Productivity increases as these needs are met
Key Points
- Lack of time for managers results in an attention deficit among managers of small businesses
- Few instruments strictly addressed to small businesses - US & EU language problem
- Health and Safety needs to be part of the educational curriculum
- EU has documented risk assessment requirements - US has not
- Integration of OSH into business philosophy
- Employee participation is essential for health and safety
- Networking
- Hazardous activities may be outsourced to small businesses
- Contractors need to encourage small businesses in good OSH practice
- Is there a need for harmonization of equipment features, especially in agriculture and construction?
- Vulnerable workers
Proposed Action Items
- Create special links to sites for ready made SME information on the joint EU/US web site
- EU Handbook of OSH Risk Assessments
- Could this be made available in different languages on the web? - OSHA: make OSH publications available in different languages on the web
- More research needed among SME to determine motivating factors for employers
- US: study the EU tripartite approach to OSH issues regarding SMEs