"Health at work is one of main issues raised by social community law. The labour contract is the sole one which by its nature, is a threat to physical integrity, to health and in certain situations, to the life of one of the parties. The role of law is establishing social limits to freedom to undertake and provide for workers incentives by workers allowing working conditions control. It is not a coincidence that from the XIX century, health at work became a priority in the process of setting labour law as an autonomous legal branch to develop different principles from those of Civil law. Since the incorporation of the European Union, health at work has been one of trade union movement's priorities. The purpose was to avoid the creation of a wide European market that would prevent workers competition, based in worsening working conditions. Trade union intervention has had limited influence in this issue during first twenty years of the history of the Community. It was strengthened thanks to the advance of workers struggle in all European countries, especially at the end of the 1960s, and during the 1970s. There was an increase in militancy of the trade union strategy, when they became aware of health dimension conflict at work, and greater reticence to accept occupational risk monetization. It was particularly the so called «Italian worker's model» that exercised deep influence in all European countries and drove union organizations to give more value to working conditions and claims to increase controls of work organization. ...”

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