Events

An upcoming training seminar during European Week for Safety and Health at Work will explore the critical aspects of health and safety in the workplace, with a particular focus on the EU Healthy Workplaces 2023-2025 campaign, “Safe and healthy work in the digital age”. Our national focal point Hellenic Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, will provide a series of engaging presentations and hands-on activities. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of occupational safety and health (OSH) principles, as well as the innovative tools available for conducting risk assessments in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

A key part of the seminar will focus on the ongoing European campaign addressing the intersection of workplace safety and the digital age. The presenters will cover the scope, objectives, and content of the campaign, examining both the opportunities and challenges posed by new digital technologies and smart systems. Particular attention will be paid to two pressing issues: the risks associated with sedentary work, which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, and the mental health challenges posed by work-related psychosocial risks. Both topics are increasingly relevant in today’s technology-driven work environments and will be examined through the lens of OSH strategies designed to mitigate these risks.

After a brief intermission, the seminar will continue with an introduction to the OiRA (Online Interactive Risk Assessment) programme and its tools. These digital resources, which have been developed at the national level, offer practical applications for risk assessments across various industries, including chemical engineering. The students, many of whom are expected to pursue careers as engineers, will benefit from learning how to implement these tools in their future workplaces.

A hands-on workshop will follow, allowing participants to engage with an OiRA tool and conduct a practical risk assessment study, with a particular focus on chemical hazards and risks. The interactive nature of this session will ensure that attendees leave with a strong grasp of how to apply these assessments in real-world settings. There will also be discussions about the ongoing collaboration between the Physical Chemistry Laboratory and the Greek Focal Point, with a special focus on the development of new OiRA tools. These tools, which have been the subject of student diploma projects, include resources tailored to niche sectors such as masticha production and microbreweries.

The seminar will be further enriched by the inclusion of episodes from the Napo series, a popular educational resource that creatively highlights various aspects of workplace safety. These videos will provide a light-hearted yet informative supplement to the day's discussions, emphasising the importance of conducting thorough risk assessments using the OiRA tools.

Speakers

• Dr. Ioannis Konstantakopoulos, PhD, Mining & Metallurgy Engineer, member of the Management Board of EU-OSHA and Head of the Department of the National Focal Point & OSH Promotion Policies (National Focal Point of EU-OSHA), Hellenic Ministry of Labour and Social Security - Directorate for Safety & Health at Work. 
• Dr. Georgios Gourzoulidis, PhD, Medical Physicist. Department of the Center for OSH Research and OSH Measurements for the Determination of the Detrimental OSH Factors. Directorate for Health and Safety at Work. Hellenic Ministry of Labour and Social Security. EUROFOUND Management Board member representing Greece.