Portuguese strategy for occupational safety and health 2008-2012 for public administration : priorites for action, progress in the implementation of the proposed measures and their impact on occupational safety outcomes

Abstract

The Portuguese Strategy for Occupational Safety and Health 2008 - 2012 highlights the need to invest in programs for prevention of occupational hazards, specifically in Public Administration. This sector has neglected the promotion of a positive safety culture, development of safety competencies and appointment of safety representatives and safety committees. There has been a growing concern in the improvement of health and safety legislation for this sector and an ongoing effort of coordination between different public organizations to ensure the implementation of health and safety legal orientations. This is an ongoing process which is often compromised by bureaucratic interaction processes. Added to this remains the difficulty in obtaining statistics on occupational accidents (updated and extended to the entire public sector). The main source of information for calculating statistics on occupational accidents is based on evidence provided by the insurers and the social security system. However, this statistical portrait is not complete because it leaves out all the civil servants who are signatories to the General Pension Fund. A duality of regimes which affects the reporting and interpretation of data. Another important measure concerns the need to ensure uniform treatment of occupational accidents in public services. This issue is reinforced in the Portuguese Strategy for OSH 2008 – 2012. Implementing these measures requires a harmonious coordination between different public services with relevant responsibilities in the area. The OSH Strategy states the need to adopt effective measures to promote better coordination of public services that have responsibility for the OSH in Public Administration. The embryonic relationship between these public organizations hinders the effectiveness in the implementation and management of OSH services. The aim of our presentation is to consider the evolution in the OSH profile of Portuguese public administration (since 2004), the progress in the implementation of key development priorities set out in the OSH Strategy 2008 – 2012 and their impact on the evolution of indicators of occupational accidents.