Second European survey of enterprises on new and emerging risks (ESENER-2) : overview report : managing safety and health at work

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)'s second European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER-2) draws on the responses from almost 50,000 establishments across all size classes and activity sectors in 36 countries about the way safety and health risks are managed at their workplaces, with a focus also on psychosocial risks, such as work-related stress, violence and harassment. This survey builds on the findings of ESENER-1 and helps fill an important information gap on health and safety at work, as it complements the available data on work-related accidents and ill-health that have been available for many years through surveys directed at workers and through reporting systems. Having first-hand knowledge about the way health and safety risks are managed in practice is essential for the design of effective interventions. European workplaces are subject to an increasing pace of change in economic and social conditions, which poses new challenges. There is a need for more efficient and targeted use of resources, and this could affect prevention strategies and staffing levels. Consequently, it is particularly important to have an in-depth understanding of the factors that encourage action and of those that deter it, as well as establishments' needs for support and expertise. In this regard, EU-OSHA's role is to provide information that contributes to the formulation and implementation of measures aiming to improve the protection of workers' health and safety. ESENER-2 is set to play an essential role in helping the Agency to fulfil this through the overview of the results in this report and through the in-depth follow-up studies and independent research that will take place in the coming years.