Scoping study for a foresight on new and emerging occupational safety and health (OSH) risks and challenges

This report, published by the European Agency for Safety & Health at Work (EU-OSHA), describes the methodology and findings of a scoping study carried out by IES, examining emerging trends and areas of future concern in OSH and their potential for a future large-scale foresight study.

A literature review, telephone interviews, online surveys and a consultation of expert opinion were carried out to identify and assess the suitability of these topics for study.

Topics were ranked in terms of importance based on factors such as frequency of mention, the scale of the issue, priority given by stakeholders and likelihood of occurrence.

Topics identified for further consideration were impact of ICT on OSH, trends in human resources management and the impact of the financial crisis on OSH.