Education and training in occupational hygiene in Europe: an example of Anglo-Hellenic co-operation.

Abstract

The paper reports a programme of international co-operation in occupational hygiene education and training. Through a number of initiatives the European Commission encourages exchanges within higher education and between higher education and industry across member states. The present programme was initiated through involvement with one of these schemes, namely ERASMUS. Although occupational health and safety is a very small part of higher education, as a subject it does pose a number of interesting problems for the European Community. Furthermore, the European dimension of occupational health is something that those involved in the profession cannot afford to ignore. The implication of directives, the harmonization of standards, the comparability of regulation, control and professional practice are all issues that are raised in such a cross-European programme. The paper specifically reports the results of five comprehensive occupational hygiene surveys carried out with the co-operation of major Greek industries. Although the findings of the surveys are themselves interesting and are discussed in the text, the main aim of the paper is to place the findings within the context of the European development of higher education and training in occupational health and safety, and to comment on a number of issues that emerged during the work that are relevant to the wider European perspective.