Labour Shortages Now a Structural Risk to Workplace Safety, EU-OSHA Warns

The agency’s findings suggest that an ageing workforce, rapid technological change and the green transition are reshaping labour markets in ways that intensify staffing gaps across nearly all sectors.

While healthcare, ICT and skilled trades remain the most visibly affected, EU-OSHA notes that few industries are untouched. And the consequences extend far beyond unfilled vacancies.

When teams shrink, the remaining workers often face heavier workloads, faster work pace, longer hours and more irregular schedules. These pressures heighten exposure to musculoskeletal strain, accidents and psychosocial stress – conditions that can push even more workers out of the labour market.

EU-OSHA describes this as a “tightening feedback loop”: shortages worsen safety and health conditions, and deteriorating conditions make it harder to recruit and retain staff. Poor occupational safety and health (OSH) performance becomes not just a symptom of labour scarcity, but a driver of it. Organisations that invest in strong OSH systems—clear procedures, ergonomic design, predictable schedules, supportive management—tend to retain workers more effectively and attract new ones even in competitive labour markets.

Prevention, the agency argues, is no longer just a compliance obligation; it is a competitive advantage.

The analysis outlines several channels through which OSH can strengthen labour supply. Safer workplaces reduce early exits due to injury or illness. Better working conditions improve the appeal of sectors struggling to recruit. Jobs designed for older workers and proper rehabilitation help people stay in work longer. At the same time, clear safety training helps new workers become productive faster without increasing the risk of accidents.

EU-OSHA also warns that poorly designed responses to shortages can backfire. Accelerated recruitment, compressed training or excessive overtime may ease short-term pressure but often increase long-term risks to workers and productivity.

To avoid this, the agency calls for OSH considerations to be embedded directly into labour shortage strategies at company, sector and policy levels.

For workplace safety professionals, this means explicitly accounting for understaffing, fatigue and time pressure in risk assessments. It also requires maintaining robust onboarding systems, ensuring training is not skipped, and monitoring psychosocial risks such as stress and burnout. Indicators like overtime levels or sickness absence can serve as early warning signs of overload.

Worker representatives, EU-OSHA notes, play a crucial role in ensuring that chronic understaffing does not erode protections. Treating persistent shortages as a safety hazard, safeguarding the voluntary nature of extra work and protecting the right to refuse unsafe tasks are highlighted as essential. Tight labour markets also give representatives leverage to push for improvements in job quality that support retention.

Employers, meanwhile, are encouraged to compete not only on wages but on overall job quality. Predictable hours, ergonomic workplaces, clear career pathways and consistent safety practices are all cited as key retention tools. Even under staffing pressure, safety checks, equipment maintenance and supervision must be preserved. An open safety culture—where workers feel able to report risks—is described as indispensable.

At policy level, EU-OSHA urges national governments and EU institutions to integrate OSH indicators, such as injury rates or burnout levels, into labour shortage strategies with clear targets.

Investments in labour inspectorates, training systems and data collection should explicitly consider their impact on workforce participation and productivity. Public procurement and social dialogue are identified as important levers for spreading good practice.

Labour inspectorates are encouraged to focus enforcement where shortages are most acute, ensuring that working time rules, training requirements and safety procedures are not eroded under pressure. Better use of data and closer cooperation with social partners are seen as essential for identifying systemic risks early.

In short, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work views workplace safety as an economic strategy: improving safety helps retain workers, attract new talent, and boost productivity, especially in times of labour shortages.

ELA report – Key highlights for manufacturing

• Skilled trades are at the centre of labour shortages in manufacturing, with roles like welders, machinists and machine operators consistently hard to fill. According to the European Labour Authority, these shortages have remained unchanged for years, pointing to a structural problem.
• Demand for skilled workers remains high despite digitalisation and the green transition, meaning the need for experienced workers on the shop floor is not going away.
• Labour shortages increase pressure on existing staff, who often have to take on more tasks, run multiple machines or work longer hours—raising safety risks in already demanding and hazardous environments.
• Improving job quality is essential: better training, safer workplaces and clear career paths can help attract and retain workers, while a lack of improvements will likely keep shortages in place long term.
(Labour shortages and surpluses in Europe 2024, ELA)

Text: Nina Garlo-Melkas