Malta welcomes Europe's leading health and safety organisation

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) was in Malta this weekend as part of an initiative to share safety, health and environment expertise with new accession countries.

IOSH is working with the Malta Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners Association (MOSHPA) and the University of Malta to bring experts together to discuss the value of occupational safety and health, and how to manage the risks associated with working in extreme temperatures.

Education Minister Louis Galea and Dr Jukka Takala, director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, addressed guests at a reception on April 20. A conference followed with presentations by IOSH Chartered Fellow Dr Vanessa L. Mayatt and other experts on thermal risk.

Nick Burraston, chair of the IOSH new accession countries initiative, said: "This was a great opportunity to exchange ideas with our colleagues in Malta. It's important that professionals in new accession countries know where to find the information and support they need to help raise health and safety standards across Europe. We'll be working closely with MOSHPA to achieve this."

IOSH is Europe's leading body for health and safety professionals, with over 30,000 members across the world and including almost 10,000 Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners (www.iosh.co.uk).

It is a non-profit organisation that sets professional standards, supports and develops members and provides authoritative advice and guidance on health and safety issues.

Its close ties with health and safety organisations in Europe, America, Canada, Australia and Asia-Pacific help it make sure that people are at the heart of business.

IOSH is formally recognised by the International Labour Organisation as an international non-governmental organisation.

IOSH acts as Secretariat to the European Network of Safety and Health Professional Organisations (ENSHPO). ENSHPO is open to professional health and safety organisations and associated bodies from the current EU member states, applicant countries, and other European countries (www.enshpo.org).

IOSH has recently set up a working party to look at ways at working with health and safety organisations in the new EU member states, such as Malta. This initiative is supported by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

The Malta Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners Association was established by deed and registered in Malta on June 19, 2000. Its purpose is to develop and maintain the practice of occupational safety and health and related environmental issues of its members with a view to ensuring the highest professional standard of competence, skill and ethical integrity in this field.

MOSHPA aims to provide practitioners with general guidance and advice, promote continued education, and collaborate with other interested professional bodies locally and internationally in the interest of safety and health in the Maltese islands.