Occupational Health and Safety Strategy and Legal Challenges in the Digital Transformation Era - Focusing on the EU and EU-OSHA discussions -

The EU and the European Agency for Occupational Safety and Health (EU-OSHA) are discussing and proposing a strategy to anticipate and prepare for the impact of digital technologies on occupational safety and health. The European Strategic Framework for Occupational Safety and Health proposes new measures for remote work and digital platform labor, as well as non-legislative initiatives related to the changing mental health of workers. EU-OSHA's priorities include anticipating the changes brought about by digitalization, conducting research, and raising awareness. From this, it draws legal challenges, including modernizing occupational health and safety legislation and preparing for psychosocial risks. Specific legislative measures include the AI Act. A review of the significance and limitations of the EU's strategy to address digital transformation, including the enactment of the AI Act, consultations on remote work and digital platform work, and attention to the psychosocial risks of digitalization, shows that occupational safety and health requires a broad-based consultative process involving technology providers, employers, and workers, as well as supporting legal measures. The EU's Strategic Framework for Occupational Safety and Health and the legal discussions based on it are an attempt to take a human-centered approach to the changes in the industrial environment brought about by new digital technologies. This perspective, which prioritizes the core needs and interests of humans over technological advancements and benefits, is necessary for understanding the digital transformation era, building consensus on effective policies and legislation, and achieving a just transition.