European Risk Assessment Tool for the Live Performance Sector: OIRA II Project

Through their joint project-based work since 2012, the European social partners in the Live Performance sector (Pearle* for the employers and FIM, FIA and UNI-MEI for the unions) have successfully developed and completed an OIRA tool for the sector.

The production and finalisation of the OIRA tool was a very ambitious undertaking given the complexity of the productions and workplaces in the sector and the resulting massive range of risks to be taken into consideration. The European Social partners initially conceived of the OIRA tool as having a particular use in the context of touring by SMEs, serving as a useful bridge, where national approaches to risk assessment may differ, due to specific regulations at national, regional and even local level. The aim was to make the expertise available in this area easily accessible and user-friendly in a format that will be of direct use to employers and workers in the sector who wish to develop their practice in this area. However, it is the view of the social partners, that some further work is needed to make it more adapted to this kind of direct user. Furthermore, greater dissemination of the tool is needed. They have therefore successfully applied to the European Commission for a second round of funding.

The primary aims of the follow-up project are:

-        Firstly: to refine and review the OIRA tool so that it is more responsive to the needs of direct users

-        Secondly: to promote it and maximize its visibility and use in the sector across Europe.

The project will run until the end of 2016. The initial review process will commence as of March and will aim to take better account of the needs of users. Being confronted with the full scope of the tool may be off-putting to smaller users, whose needs and expertise it may far exceed. Further consideration of profiling and channeling users is needed if this practical use of the tool is to be possible. This review process would also be a general opportunity to revisit and review the contents of the tool together with an independent prevention expert.

The second phase of the project which will run throughout 2016 will be dedicated to generating visibility of the OIRA tool, through a number of parallel promotion initiatives, including actively bringing the tool to the attention of educational and sectoral associations , promoting the tool in the dedicated sectoral press and holding an event on best practice approaches to health and safety in the sector, including showcasing the OIRA tool.

More information on the project and a full work programme is available on request from the FIA secretariat.