Labour inspection, as well as enforcement practices and policies, are crucial for guaranteeing occupational health and safety (OSH) compliance and outcomes (EU-OSHA, 2024a). However, there is a lack of comprehensive analyses regarding: i) the diverse practices used for labour inspection and OSH prevention, and their respective impacts (EU-OSHA, 2021); ii) the challenges and opportunities encountered by labour inspectors and OSH actors in light of the unique characteristics of their work and the specific geographical areas they cover; and iii) the overarching challenges that arise for these professionals due to demographic and technological changes. With regard to the megatrends observed in the world of work, the Senior Labour Inspectors’ Committee (SLIC, 2020) has been emphasising that the cumulate impact of technological transformation, new ways of working, demographic and climate change, and globalisation affects organisations, job design and working conditions, calling for an appropriate approach from the labour inspectorate. An in-depth and detailed analysis of the work environments and the experience of the OSH actors are necessary to ensure that regulatory compliance aligns with the actual conditions of the new work environments. Following this perspective, this research in Portugal is part of a series of national studies discussing the Labour Inspectorate and prevention services in supporting OSH compliance, presenting inspection methods and OSH prevention practices used. Specifically, sections 1.1 and 1.2 present the study’s overall objectives and an outline of Portugal’s OSH legal framework, while section 2 depicts the methodological framework and research aims that supported each task’s development. Following this, section 3 delves into a more detailed description of the Portuguese Labour Inspectorate, describing its structure, organisation and role, and presenting some indicators of their action. Similarly, section 4 describes the prevention services in the country and also the different forms of organisation of OSH services, taking into account the applicable legal framework. These sections both stem from the literature review and data provided directly by the Portuguese Authority for Working Conditions (Autoridade para as Condições do Trabalho – ACT), while also presenting the participants of the qualitative fieldwork data collection phase and incorporating some of its findings. Section 5 contains a summary of each of the seven case studies developed, numbered and categorised according to the subject they are framed within. The presentation and discussion of the research outcomes from both phases are presented in section 6 for both the role of the Labour Inspectorate and the role of prevention services, highlighting the main insights and challenges found for monitoring action and supporting compliance in the country, framing them within the country’s characteristics (e.g. type of economic structure). Section 7 concludes with a set of policy pointers aimed at social partners, researchers and policymakers to improve the practicality and relevance of the research findings.

--

International project anual report