After years of collaboration and preparation, the Online Interactive Risk Assessment for Higher Education and Research Institutions (OiRA for HER) tool has been launched! This innovative tool is the result of cooperation between the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE), the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), and the European Agency for Safety & Health at Work (EU-OSHA) experts. This achievement highlights the collaborative effort that began in 2017 and continued with two years of focused development to create a version specifically addressing the safety needs of HER institutions.
What is OiRA for HER?
OiRA for HER is the first EU-level risk assessment tool designed specifically for universities and smaller research institutions. It offers an easy-to-use platform to identify risks, develop action plans, and create safer environments for staff and researchers. By simplifying the process, OiRA empowers institutions to proactively manage safety, ensuring a culture of health and security in higher education and research settings.
OiRA launch webinar
The official launch webinar on November 7 brought together participants from 24 countries, both within and outside Europe. Early adopters shared their positive experiences, highlighting how OiRA for HER helped them to evaluate their safety and health management. As one participant noted, the tool “empowers you to identify risk hazards and take immediate, structured action to address them,” while another highlighted its educational value, saying, “One of the big advantages of the OiRA tool is that it educates people on OSH”.
Why use OiRA?
With its accessible, user-friendly design, OiRA for HER is suitable for users with no prior OSH experience. The tool is free and tailored to the needs of the HER sector. The tool can be, and should be, adapted to meet specific national requirements, ensuring its relevance across diverse contexts.
Curious to learn more? You can find a clear overview of the OiRA for HER tool in the infographics or go straight to the OiRA for HER tool and experience it first-hand.
