In Europe almost one worker in four (23 per cent) believes that their work represents a risk to their health, according to the first results of the European inquiry into working conditions, presented in Luxembourg on 24 November.

This figure has been falling constantly since 2000. At that time, 31 per cent of Europeans saw a link between their work and their health. This apparently positive tendency must be interpreted with caution, however, because perceptions vary strongly according to the gender, country and age of the person surveyed. For example, men are much readier to acknowledge that their work has a negative influence on their health than women (27 per cent as against 19 per cent).