European network for workers’ health

The European network for workers’ health (ENWH) was established in 2010 by the joint meeting of the WHO Collaborating Centres (CCs) for Occupational Health and the National Focal Points on Workers’ Health (NFPs), key partners of WHO/Europe in the Regional implementation of the GPA, to support an effective and efficient implementation of the GPA in the European Region.

An umbrella for the various contributing networks, the ENWH benefits from the scientific competency of the CCs and the political competency of the NFPs. Other participating networks include sub-regional networks, such as the Baltic Sea Network on Occupational Health and Safety and the South East European Network on Workers’ Health. The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Union (EU) are ENWH’s main partners. WHO coordinates the network, initially with a leading role in management and organization, with a view to cover in the future only an advisory role.

Activities

Priority projects of the Network were identified based on a survey among meeting participants. These include: mental health at work, occupational safety of rural workers, innovative capacity building of Basic Occupational Health Services through e-Learning, national programme on elimination of asbestos-related diseases, and occupational health systems evaluation.

Next meeting

The next meeting of the ENWH is scheduled for the second week of October 2012 in Dortmund, Germany, hosted by the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin – BauA).