More national observatories on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in agriculture are needed
Representatives from over 20 national agricultural trade unions called for better protection of the workers against musculoskeletal disorders, framework conditions for the setting-up of further observatories at national level and considerations for a European definition of musculoskeletal diseases in agriculture. The discussions took place in Eco-musée, France during 7th to 8th of June, in the presence of the social partners GEOPA-COPA and representatives of several labour national inspectorates, specialized centers and institutes.
EFFAT’s agricultural secretary Arnd SPAHN specified: “A safe and healthy working environment for agricultural workers is essential to maintaining agriculture as an attractive sector for workers, and hence for the competitiveness of the workers. We are expecting the European Commission to take into account the work that has been done by the social partners in this field. Two of our concrete proposals are: to establish at least three more European Observatories for health and safety in agriculture and initiation of a European definition on MSD.”
French adviser Jacques HAEBIG from the Agricultural Insurance Fund of Upper Rhine underlined that women are particularly hit by this disease.
The figures mentioned by the German adviser Martin HARTENBACH are alarming for the neck, back pains and lumbar vertebra problems. The Polish professors Jerzy ZAGORSKI and Tomas SARAN pointed out that the hardest impacts of the disease are being observed among the rural population where the poverty rate is high and safety rules are low.
The trade unions called as well for a better promotion of the new technologies and safety provisions, additional preventive measures to improve the knowledge on the issue in the public authorities, health services, social partners, employers and workers in order to combat the problem.
