The sixth edition of the good practices 2005 Awards will focus on the reduction of noise at work

The European Agency for safety and health at work has convened the sixth edition of the European awards for good practices. The 2005 Awards program awarded to companies or organizations who have made outstanding and innovative contributions to the prevention of risks from noise at the workplace, central theme of the awareness campaign on the safety and health which organizes every year the Agency.

They are considered examples of good practice implemented solutions to prevent or reduce risks posed by noise for safety and health of workers. All nominations must demonstrate good management, particularly the effective use of risk assessment and the implementation of the outcome, and be focused on the effective prevention of the risks faced by workers. Expected nominations of all States members of the EU. They can compete individual companies (is a particularly favourable host the participation of SMEs) or intermediary organizations, including chambers of Commerce, business and professional associations and trade unions. The area covered by the awards program is quite broad and can range from the control and elimination of shrill noise in the workplace and sound management methods used to enable effective communication in noisy environments (for example)(, by emergency services) as well as training courses and educational programmes of awareness-raising.

According to the Director of the European Agency Hans-Horst Konkolewsky "noise at work is still considered too often a necessary evil and, given that its effects can not be seen immediately, is not considered a priority issue." The fact is that the noise has a devastating impact on our health and affects not only steel plants or construction workers, but also to millions of people working in the sector services, for example in educationleisure or call centres. In addition, you can be a causal factor in accidents, contribute to the work-related stress and join other workplace hazards to cause health problems. In view of the entry into force of the transposition of the European directive on noise at the beginning of next year, it is high time to take more vigorous action to say "no to the noise". "We hope that the good practice awards competition show, for example, that the noise at work can be controlled effectively."

This is the sixth edition of this competition, whose awards are granted in the framework of the European week for safety and health at work which is organized every year. The Agency will announce to the winners in the closing event of the campaign, that this year will be held in December, in Bilbao. Prizes will represent for the award-winning recognition of European dimension to its role in the improvement of working conditions in Europe, and the selected examples will be presented in a publication of the Agency which will be distributed throughout Europe.

Be available for additional information on the awards in http://ew2005.osha.eu.int/