OSH professionals in European countries: an overview

Andrew Hale Chairman Certification Committee ENSHPOEmeritus professor TU Delft, Netherlands

Chairman: HASTAM, UK

Occupational Health & Safety across the borders in the EU. 11 October 2012. Copenhagen

A little history as context

First safety professionals UK inspectors of factories - machinery guarding 1844 First industry safety staff. Safety First movement (USA/UK) 1920s National safety professional associations 1940s National regulation of entry & training requirements

Is safety a profession?

Agreed & exclusive area of work (Occ health, Occ hygiene, Ergonomics, etc.) Agreed body of knowledge (competence) Regulated entry to profession and training at university level Support from system actors Code of conduct & ethics

A little more history as contextUniversity course content comparisons 1970s F, D, GB, B, NL ISSA/ENSHPO comparative studies of regulatory & qualification schemes, role & training content 1980s repeated 2011 by IOSH for EUSafe Safety professional as generalist 2 levels: manager EQF6/7,

technician EQF 4/5

Regulation and certification

European Union: Free movement of goods, people and services. National Standards as barriers to movement National certification by: Government regulation Professional association registration Third party certification (and

accreditation)

Professional progress in 40 years in 29 EU & EEA countries (EUSafe)

16 require safety professionals by law, 15 specify training by regulations ‘Good practice’ ensures expanding profession even without legal requirement University level (EQF 6/7) courses in 20 countries All countries have courses at EQF level 4/5

Country RegulatedProfession

EQF6/7 trainingspecified by law

EQF 6/7 courses

EQF 4/5 training specified by law

Austria √ √

Belgium √ √ √ √

Cyprus √ √

Czech Republic

√ √ √

Denmark

Estonia √

Finland

France √

Germany √ √ √

Greece √ √

Hungary √ √ √

Iceland

Ireland √

Italy √ √ √

Latvia √ √ √

Country RegulatedProfession

Regulated training 6/7

EQF 6/7 courses

Regulated training 4/5

Lithuania

Luxemburg √ √

Malta √

Netherlands √ √

Norway √ √

Poland √

Portugal √ √ √ √

Romania √

Slovakia √ √

Slovenia √ √ √

Spain √ √ √ √

Sweden √

Switzerland √ √ √ √

United Kingdom √