Is the crisis affecting the companies’ commitment on the OSH issues? (The workers’ perceptions)

Vale, Cláudia; Loureiro, Isabel F.; Rodrigues, Matilde A.; Azevedo, Rui

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/26022

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Authors

Vale, Cláudia

Loureiro, Isabel F.

Rodrigues, Matilde A.

Azevedo, Rui

Abstract(s)

Portugal is undergoing an economic crisis affecting the European Union since 2007. The financial unsustainability of the country required foreign aid and austerity measures have been implemented. In consequence, it is expected more financial difficulties to the companies at different levels, particularly in issues related with safety. In this context, Leahy et al . (2012) pointed out that, due to the crises, companies have to adjust their priorities regarding the investments namely, on the Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) issues. Even though OSH is now one of the most important and most highly developed aspects of EU’s policy on employment and social affairs, Kompier (2006) e Papadopoulos et al . (2010) confirmed that in the past few years, the work environment have suffered significantly changes. The most important ones are the workload, the schedule and worker flexibility, the extension of working hours for the weekend, the inconsistent schedules, the precarious work (Kompier 2006; Papadopoulos et al ., 2010). These changes are responsible for some effects on the workers’ wellbeing, take as example the exposure to the psychosocial risks and stress at work. Nowadays organizations need to be increasingly more competitive, in part due to the financial crises we are facing, but also due to the emergence of new competitors. In Portugal the most affected dimension was the Small and Medium enterprises (SME). This factor has a negative impact in the economic competitiveness as this type of companies is responsible for the employment of two millions people. It is authors’ believes that the effects of an economic crisis on safety and health are a challenging topic nevertheless, studies in this area, can stress new strategies to then OSH issues.

Keywords

Small and Medium Enterprise Safety

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/26022

Citation

Vale, C., Loureiro, I. F., Rodrigues, M. A., & Azevedo, R. (2014). Is the crisis affecting the companies’ commitment on the OSH issues? (The workers’ perceptions). ICEH14 /3rd International Congress of Environmental Health: Proceedings Book, 1, 196–197.