Practical Resources - Publications

Risk assessment is the basis for occupational safety and health, and the key to proper risk assessment is choosing an approach that is standardised and easy to use. Just ask the French! France is home to one third of all small and micro companies currently using EU-OSHA’s Online interactive Risk Assessment (OiRA) tool. Before trying the platform, they did not use any systematic risk assessment system or they relied on paper-based tools. From the study of 40 companies in France, the report presents a set of recommendations on how to best approach and support companies for better use of OiRA. In addition to the full report there is also a summary available here.

This case study highlights the ambitious implementation of the Cypriot promotional strategy by the Cypriot OiRA Partner and its strategic partners during the last few years. It shows the success story of Cyprus in raising awareness of the importance of conducting a risks assessment in a quick and reliable way. The promotional measures for the 11 Oira tools tailored for various activity sectors in Cyprus can serve as an example for promotion of OiRA tools in other Member States.

This case study presents the latest developments and promotional activities implemented within the French OiRA approach.

The article gives and an overview on how OiRA is reflected in national OSH strategies and legislation.

This case study looks at how a multinational car manufacturer has successfully adapted EU-OSHA’s OiRA software to support coordinated, company-wide risk assessment. Although the software was originally created with micro and small enterprises in mind, this example demonstrates OiRA’s versatility. It explores the challenges that the company faced initially, what has been achieved and the opportunities that implementing the software has created — including cost savings, promoting worker involvement and the potential to roll out the software in several languages. The case study also highlights how this company’s approach to tailoring the OiRA software is transferable, offering potential other multinationals.

This case study highlights partnerships, clear communication and incentives as key factors for a successful development and implementation of the tools for the French road transport and restaurant sectors.

What if micro-enterprises were to take their first step in risk prevention via the internet? This is what several European Union Member States are hoping as they develop online interactive tools to help assess occupational risks. Although such tools have many benefits, their design must follow certain fundamental principles to ensure their effectiveness.