Safety and health at work are key fundamental rights, enshrined in the European Union’s Treaty of Fundamental Rights and in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the Framework Directive on Occupational Safety and Health at Work.
The Framework Directive lays down the main principles to encourage improvements for the safety and health of workers at work, in particular on:
- the prevention of risks, the protection of safety and health, the assessment of risks, the elimination of risks and accident factors;
- informing, consulting and ensuring balanced participation and training of workers and their representatives.
It guarantees minimum safety and health requirements throughout the European Union while Member States are allowed to maintain or establish more stringent measures.