EP approves report on workplace safety

Today the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament approved an Opinion report about personal protective equipment, intended to increase safety at work.

The Head of PN Delegation and EPP Group's rapporteur David Casa said, "Accidents in workplaces often happen either because the appropriate protective equipment is not used or it is not used correctly or regrettably it is not used at all."

"This Opinion report feeds into the main report which will then, if approved, create a new EU law that will be tighter than the previous one. This new law will make it easier for competent authorities to enforce safety rules in workplaces.

The current legislation is not very clear and may lead to misinterpretation, and as a result misapplication of this legislation. By making this new law clearer, I am sure that we will succeed in what we set out to achieve, that is to increase safety at work.

We deemed it necessary to stress the need for transparent ongoing monitoring of implementation of the regulation with penalties for anyone who contravenes it.  

We will continue engaging stakeholders based-in-Malta as this legislation makes its way through the final hurdles of the legislative process," concluded Casa.