ADDRESS BY MR. NOEL TREACY T.D., MINISTER FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND COMMERCE AT THE OPENING OF THE NATIONAL FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY 18TH NOVEMBER 1998, 10.00 A.M.

I am very pleased to have been asked to come here, this morning, to officially open your workshop, the theme of which, I see as linking two key strands in Ireland's economic success - the safety of our workforce and the benefits to be gained from both new technologies and advances.

The question of health and safety in the workplace, is the business of everyone involved, within a workplace. The modern workplace is becoming both increasingly complex and efficient, in the face of global competitiveness. This in turn means, that the best and most productive workplaces are those, that are properly designed and managed to allow workers, accomplish their tasks efficiently and safely. Safety, like cost efficiency, must be incorporated, into the design of the workplace, from the very beginning and must not be simply "fitted in", at a later stage. All elements of the workplace must be considered - and this includes the very furniture and equipment, that people use on a constant basis.

Ireland has been to the forefront in attracting both new technologies and industries and this has been one of the distinguishing features, of the 'Celtic tiger'. However, it must still be remembered, that while new technology can be, in general, more efficient and safer, than older technologies, there is still a need for vigilance. Indeed safety, like cost control or marketing, or any other aspect of the business process, is not something, which is 'solved', or which can be discarded, when some new plateau of achievement is reached.

Good preparation and planning, is the key to managing health and safety and the correct management of health and safety, is the key to preventing and reducing occupational injuries and fatalities. Continual risk assessment and evaluation is vitally essential, in order to properly manage health and safety and this applies in equal measure, to both new and old technology.

Visual Display Units are an all-pervasive part of the modern workplace. They are also probably the first piece of office equipment since the telephone, to reach so many workers in so many different sectors of activity. Yet this technology is of relatively recent vintage, although it is now hard to recall the initial trepidation, that very many office-workers would have felt, when this technology was first introduced.

VDU's are such an integral and essential part of our working lives, that it would be foolish to ignore the health and safety aspects, associated with their usage. As part of the workplace, they must be managed. Any unchecked problems arising from the incorrect usage of VDU's, will cause serious long-term problems for employees and, by extension, for employers.

Traditionally, office workers would not be regarded as a high-risk sector and therefore workplace health and safety, is probably regarded by most office workers in an abstract way. However, real and measurable risks - such as eyestrain and upper limb pain and discomfort - do exist for office workers, where there has been poor organisation and management, of Visual Display Screen work.

Stress is also becoming increasingly recognised, as a workplace hazard. There is constant pressure of time and expectation on people, and where expectations are unreal or unmatched to ability, stress can become a serious problem for some people. Quite frankly, a VDU is no longer a fancy typewriter - whole businesses can now be operated and run from a workstation, particularly in the financial services sector, and with increased pressure to achieve; the temptation for many workers is to sit continuously in front of a screen, without adequate control or breaks, thus contributing greatly, to increased levels of workplace stress. Stress can also have measurable long-term effects on a worker, and must therefore be regarded as a health and safety issue.

The 1989 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, and all associated secondary legislation, exists because we as a society recognise that workers, have a contribution to make to society and have a right to go about their work, without risk to either their short-term or long-term personal health and safety.

As our national workforce moves into higher quality work with its increasing emphasis on the skills and creativity of our workers, it becomes more important, than ever that employers, and employees, look closely at health issues. Occupational ill-health has sometimes been described as 'accidents in slow motion'. For this reason, it is essential that appropriate standards be set, and adhered to, in order to protect workers health, in this regard. Dr. P.J. Claffey, Deputy Chief Inspector, of the Health and Safety Authority will bring you through the enforcement and advisory role of the Authority, in greater detail, later this morning, and I do not want to duplicate or anticipate, what he is going to say to you. However, I would like to emphasise, that compliance with all health and safety legislation, including the VDU regulations, is not an option, but an obligation for everybody.

What I also want to emphasise is, that fulfilment of this obligation, is not simply for the benefit of the State, or the Health and Safety Authority, it is for the benefit of those most directly involved, that is, the employer and the employee. True, there is an overall cost to the State, as a result of occupational injuries and fatalities, but there are even greater and more direct costs to an employer and an employee. Ill-health can seriously affect and impede the life of a worker, and can cost an employer, through absence from work, reduced productivity and potential compensation claims.

Another important aspect of the VDU Regulations, is the provision of detailed standards, defining the safety and other requirements for the workstation furniture. I note with interest, that this subject will be addressed in detail, in the final paper, at today's Workshop.

The Office of Science and Technology, for which I have Ministerial responsibility within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; works very closely with the National Standards Authority of Ireland - the NSAI - in their work of acquiring Irish involvement, in the major standardisation programme, which is underway in the EU, as part of the "Single Market Strategy". Largely, this concerns the development of common European Standards, which are being published in support of a wide range of EU Directives, such as the subject, to be discussed here today.

Through the NSAI, furniture manufacturers, suppliers and specifiers, can find out details of the progress of the work being done, in the European Standards Organisation, known as CEN.

I understand the experts for all the European countries, including Ireland, have all been working on furniture standards, in the CEN Technical Committee 207 for almost ten years, and they have formed a special sub-group, on office furniture, which has brought the specific standard on office chairs, to a very advanced stage. I am pleased to note, that your speaker today on this subject, Mr. Seamus Dolan, has been designated by NSAI, to represent Ireland on this technical group.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you all that the NSAI, is the repository of a vast amount of information, on the new European Standards - and they can provide both information on the work in progress, and direct access to technical committees, on subjects of direct importance to Irish interests.

Ireland is often described as a small country, on the periphery of Europe, but this description, belies our impressive economic advances, which have put us in a position of being able to compete equally on all levels, with the rest of our Community partners. However, products and services, coming out of Ireland and onto the global market, will only be as good as our workers can produce. We know that skilled Irish workers can equal the best in the world, but only, if they are present at work and are able to work, to their full potential. The wise employer makes every effort to look after the health of his or her workforce. To do otherwise is not only in breach of Irish law, but is also poor business judgement and economic futility.

Thank you sincerely for inviting me to speak to you all here to-day and I wish you all every success, with your very important deliberations.