Workplace health: the government wants to strengthen prevention for young people, mental health and gender-based violence

"This major occupational health plan will be released in early June," Mr. Farandou announced to the press after this trip.

A workplace health plan renewed every five years

Implemented since 2004, occupational health plans are developed with social partners to define key actions for preventing occupational risks in companies. The upcoming 2026-2030 plan will constitute the fifth component of this national strategy dedicated to employee health and safety.

The minister specified that this new program "will place particular emphasis on three subjects: firstly on young people", by encouraging companies to integrate "a specific chapter for welcoming newcomers in their single risk prevention document".

Young workers are particularly vulnerable to workplace accidents

The integration of young employees and new arrivals is becoming a major prevention issue. According to data from the French National Health Insurance, recently recruited employees are more exposed to workplace accidents.

In France, 764 people died in 2024 as a result of workplace accidents in the private sector, excluding the self-employed and public sector workers. This figure is rising despite an overall decrease in the number of workplace accidents.

According to the Health Insurance, "more than 20% of deaths occurring in the year following taking up a position" concern employees newly arrived in the company.

"We need to pay particular attention to those who are entering the world of work for the first time," whether they are interns, apprentices, temporary workers or new employees, insisted Jean-Pierre Farandou.

This problem was recently illustrated by a tragedy in the Gard region: in April, a 15-year-old student died after being crushed by a forklift during a second-year observation internship in a construction company.

Mental health in the workplace is among the government's priorities

The second key focus of the upcoming workplace health plan is employee mental health. Faced with the rise in psychosocial risks, the government aims to strengthen employers' vigilance on these issues.

"Companies must also pay attention to this new form of health risk," said the Minister of Labour.

Burnout, chronic stress, work overload and professional isolation are now among the growing concerns of companies and prevention stakeholders.

A section dedicated to sexual and gender-based violence in the workplace

The government also intends to make the fight against sexual and gender-based violence a central focus of the future 2026-2030 plan.

The text will be geared in particular towards "sexual and gender-based violence against women in general (...) to completely eradicate these unwanted behaviors in companies," said Mr. Farandou.

This approach is part of a broader context of strengthening policies to prevent discrimination and violence at work, while many companies are developing internal reporting and awareness-raising mechanisms.

A specific plan is also planned for the civil service

In parallel with the future plan dedicated to the private sector, the government is also working on a new "occupational health" plan specific to the civil service.

The details of this system should be revealed in the coming months.

Image illustrating the article via Depositphotos.com.