国际英语新闻:EU new health campaign targets stress at work

BRUSSELS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Monday launched a new healthy workplaces campaign with the aim of protecting the health and safety of workers.

Themed "managing stress and psychosocial risks at work," the campaign addresses one of the most significant challenges in respect of health and safety at work, according to the EU's statement.

The move will provide workers and employers with simple and practical tools to deal with psychosocial risks and will raise awareness of the positive effects of prevention in this field.

Stress is the second most frequently reported work-related health problem. In Europe, stress is believed to be the cause of more than half of all lost working days, the statement said.

Workers affected by stress find it difficult to concentrate, make more mistakes and are subject to more frequent accidents at work. Prolonged psychological pressure may result in serious health problems such as cardiovascular or musculoskeletal diseases.

Addressing stress and psychosocial risks is included in the forthcoming EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-2020, due to be presented in June, Laszlo Andor, the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion said.