Sergio G. Saseta: Preventive services must continue to adapt to a changing labour market
The labour market is highly dynamic, and prevention services must continue to maintain the adaptability they have shown so far, explains the Head of Communications at the Business Confederation of External Prevention Services.
It also addresses the challenges of health and safety at work, the need for more specialised professionals and the role of new technologies in prevention.
What are the challenges for health and safety at work?
One of the main challenges we are currently facing is the reform of the LPRL (Law on Occupational Risk Prevention) and RD 39/1997 (Prevention Services Regulations) at the Social Dialogue Table. We must be able to achieve a consensual, realistic and coherent text that is technically applicable, effective and efficient. The new regulation has to be the result of a real diagnosis and not based on pressure or opinion.
Moreover, we must continue to be as adaptable as we have been so far. The labour market is highly dynamic, and prevention services must maintain the organisational resilience we have always demonstrated. Companies must fully embrace occupational risk prevention (ORP) across all levels of their hierarchy, and workers must be aware of the importance of training, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), preventive planning and more.
Is there a lack of specialised professionals?
Yes, the shortage of health professionals and specialists has been evident for many years. In the diagnosis, mainly of the lack of specialists in occupational medicine and nursing, there seems to be a consensus between the administration and the social partners, but not concerning solutions. Active policies are needed to ensure that the health surveillance of workers is maintained through the quality of the service and, at the same time, to provide legal certainty for both in-house and external prevention services. In our view, this would involve multidisciplinary teams under the direction of a specialist in occupational medicine and nursing.
What is the role of new technologies in prevention?
New technologies are a disruptive factor in every social and professional sphere and, therefore, in occupational risk prevention (ORP) as well—especially given its cross-cutting nature, it couldn’t be any other way. Artificial intelligence (AI) is and will be an essential tool to support health and safety systems in companies, both on the technical side and in health surveillance. There are many tools currently being created with AI that are of great help to PRL professionals and this dynamic is only going to increase and improve.