Accidents at work are a burden for both workers and employers, constituting a major cost for the European economy and affecting society as a whole. The most recent Eurostat statistics show that 6.9 million people aged between 15 and 64 in the EU-27 had an accident at work in the 12 months prior to the survey; of these, 72.3% resulted in sick leave of at least one day and 21.7% in sick leave of at least one month. 8.6% of workers in the EU-27 experienced a work-related health problem in the 12 months prior to the survey, with musculoskeletal diseases being the most often reported work-related problem (59%), followed by mental health problems at 13.7%.As data varies considerably across Europe, the Commission, together with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), has called for improved harmonisation of workers' safety and health standards. Despite relevant progress being made in preventing work-related problems, there is still plenty of room for improvement: risk assessment and monitoring procedures should be established in the greater context of an improved, cross-border safety management system.This international symposium will provide an invaluable opportunity to discuss how the number of occupational accidents can be reduced especially in high risk industrial work environments, and consider an effective cross-border strategy to prevent stress, depression and other work-related illnesses. The symposium will allow delegates to examine and assess the top-tier EU-funded projects tackling occupational safety and health issues in Europe and the role of trade unions in combating poor work conditions and preventing occupational hazards.