KANBrief 4/25
How can standardisation, testing and certification keep pace with the challenges to safety presented by the green transition and the profound digital changes in the world of work? Experts from throughout Europe will meet in May 2026 at the EUROSHNET Conference to report on topical developments and discuss strategies for practical solutions.
The 9th European conference on standardization, testing and certification in the field of occupational safety and health will be held in Helsinki on 27 and 28 May 2026. Under the motto “Digital and green innovations – Shaping the future of occupational safety and health”, the European EUROSHNET network invites experts from across Europe to discuss strategies for safe working environments and the responsible use of digital technologies.
The conference will highlight how technological innovations and climate change are changing the demands upon occupational safety and health. Standardisation, testing and certification must play an active role in shaping these changes. The conference’s opening session will focus on the recent developments in European legislation and the important role that standards play in making new technologies and green innovations safe.
Another session will be devoted to sustainability and climate change and the wide-ranging effects of these topics on occupational safety and health. Practical examples will show what impact new strategies for protection and new legislation have in the field. One major challenge, for example, is finding adequate replacements for certain test gases that are being banned owing to their harmful effects on the climate.
The digital and green transformation is undoubtedly also influencing the field of personal protective equipment. AI-assisted smart PPE, and inclusive design that takes all potential user groups into account, will play an increasingly significant role in the future in the technical design of equipment, and also in its testing and ultimately its use in the field.
Another focus of the conference will lie on digitalisation and the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace. What are the impacts of the EU Cybersecurity Act, and what role does and will artificial intelligence play in the workplace, now and in the future? Particular attention will be paid to the interface between AI, machines and cybersecurity. The topics covered will include functional safety vulnerabilities in external attack scenarios, and the new requirements of the EU Machinery Regulation. In a panel discussion, representatives of users, manufacturers and testing bodies will discuss the possibilities and limitations of functional safety and the use of AI.
At the close of the event, representatives of workers, manufacturers, standards bodies and experts in European law will discuss what position Europe and its legislation hold in the global structure, and how Europe can safeguard its influence in international standardisation activity in the long term.
Conference participants registering by 31 January 2026 will benefit from the early bird price of € 290. Participation is open to anyone involved in occupational safety and health, standardisation, testing and certification: from occupational safety and health institutions to manufacturers, testing laboratories, public authorities and the social partners.
All participants are invited to submit poster proposals relating to current and future challenges, opportunities and changes in the spheres of standardisation, testing and certification. The deadline for submission is 17 April 2026. The Poster Minute Madness on the first day of the conference offers authors the opportunity to present their posters to the audience in a one-minute pitch.
Details on the programme, registration and the poster session