A short history of the role and status of the safety professional in Romania

Abstract

This paper is written by a practicing safety specialist in Romania. So far as can be ascertained by the author there is no research done in Romania into the role that such a specialist and aspiring professional fulfils, and the author has no possibility of funding such research herself. Therefore, the paper is based only on an analysis of legal requirements for the role and education/training of such practitioners. These are filled out with personal observations and questions arising out of the author’s own work as a safety professionals and consultant over a period of 30 years It is offered to the special issue in that limited form as a personal view of the limited effect of reliance only on legislation as a support for the development of a professional preventive function in occupational health and safety (OHS).In Romania, being a health and safety practitioner requires formal qualifications (education, training and experience) established by government regulations. These have changed significantly even over the relatively short time since they were first established, indicating that they lack the firm basis in research and debate that could anchor them more firmly in practice. Such legally required qualifications are only one aspect in establishing a recognized OHS profession. There needs to be a supporting perception by the OHS practitioners themselves, their employers, government and the work community that they have a valuable and ethically underpinned contribution to make to danger prevention and protection. What is needed in Romania is research into the question whether those working in those jobs and their clients/employers see the possession of those jobs and qualifications as stepping stones to a profession, or simply as a way of making money.