Preventive measures and general prevention principles

Preventive measures

Examples of preventive measures that can contribute to ensure that the impact on the psychosocial environment of workers are fully responsible with due regard to health and safety:

1. Responsible planning and organisation of the work.
2. Adequate and appropriate training and instruction in carrying out the work.
3. Effective supervision of the work.
4. Proper design of the work site.
5. Correct use of technical aids that must be suitable for, or adapted to the work.
6. Possibility for support in the work, including managerial and collegial support.
7. Possibility of influence in relation to the work to be performed.

General prevention principles

(Cf. article 6, part 2 of Council Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers). The general prevention principles are:

1. Prevention of risks.
2. Evaluation of risks that cannot be prevented.
3. Combating risks at source.
4. Adapting work to the worker, particularly with regard to workplace design and choice of equipment, working and production methods, especially with regard to limiting monotonous work and work in a constant rhythm and to reduce the effects of such work on health.
5. Regard to technical developments.
6. Replacement of anything hazardous with something that is non- or less hazardous.
7. Planning prevention to make it a cohesive part of the whole, within which prevention covers techniques, organising work, working conditions, social relationships and the effects of factors in the working environment.
8. The adoption of measures for collective protection rather than for individual protection.
9. Appropriate instruction of workers.