The Current Experience and Training of Romanian Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Professionals

Cornelia Bohalteanu

doi:10.13189/ujm.2016.040201

Abstract

The study is about history of health and safety legislation in Romania, about European tools, empowerment procedures, organisations and association in the field. It`s an overview about European tools to allow people free movements all around European Union (EU). The study presents tools which identifies the fundamental skills, the most important abilities and knowledge that people would need to be recognised, in order to allow free movements all around European employment market. The study is about possibilities to be voluntary recognised as a health and safety professionals across EU and why not, around the world. It`s a brief list of ways of transfer and recognition of learning experiences in Europe, including vocational education and training, for a better understanding of qualifications from different EU countries. The research presents ENSHPO (The European Network of Safety & Health Professional Organisations) and EUSAFE (European project) voluntary certification procedures for occupational health and safety professionals (OHS) and where the Romanian practitioners are placed, if their qualifications could be recognised through Europe. The research presents the necessary characteristics for a well developed profession, as mentioned by Ferguson & Ramsay [1] and also presents IOSH, the most valuable health and safety professional association and the necessary steps for Romanian OHS practitioners to build a strong association. IOSH is the model of a profession and Romanian practitioners could learn to become Charted Members. The European Union single market - as well as the increasing number of companies operating across Europe that are applying a consistent set of safety and health standards to their work sites - has created a great need for safety and health managers with credentials that are recognised at a Pan-European level. The absence of a harmonised, agreed system for the mutual recognition of safety & health qualifications at a European level creates uncertainty about professional competence across countries within Europe and may create problems for multinational companies in the effective use of their safety and health expertise. It also forms a barrier for safety and health professionals wishing to offer their services across the EU. Knowing their training level is necessary to determine the training needs of OHS practitioners, now that Romania has joined the EU in order to allow free movement of the work force. Knowing where to start and what needs to be improved, will allow the Romanian practitioners to be just as good and compete with their European colleagues. The study will show which of the Romanian empowerment procedures was better, with or without examinations and if this examination procedures make them better ones. The research is part of a study that aims to thoroughly analyze the transformation in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) field in Romania following the major political, economic, social and cultural transformations that are necessary in the context of Romania`s accession to the European Union. The research evaluates the current experience and training needs of Romanian OHS professionals. A review of the changes in the legislation and qualification requirements in Romania will be presented and placed into the context of European legislation and standards.

Highlights

In the past 25 years, Romania has gone through major political, economic, social and cultural transformations, all necessary in the context of Romanias accession to the European Union in 2007
The age of the participants shows that the ones more interested in this research are of more than 50 years old, a few of which are women, with about 20 years of experience in health and safety, many of them have a university degree and plenty of occupational health and safety professionals (OHS) courses, a third of them are in this field before 1996 prior to Law no.90/1996, a third of them are full time OHS practitioners and more than a half have their own consultancy company
continual professional development (CPD) could be achieved through inclusion in one or more of the options below and they indicated most important subject to study. These results shows that Romanian OHS practitioners are interested in CPD and have clear ideas about what would be needed for developing their knowledge and agreed granting credits for participation in conferences and workshops

Summary

Introduction

In the past 25 years, Romania has gone through major political, economic, social and cultural transformations, all necessary in the context of Romanias accession to the European Union in 2007. This research is a small part from a bigger study whose aims is to thoroughly analyze the transformation in health and safety field and present the current experience and training needs of Romanian OHS professionals, to help professionals to obtain answers about their daily practices, that are best answered through systematic investigation, or the research process’ DePoy & Gitlin [2]. The purpose of the research is to understand the meanings, experiences of Romanian professionals through a naturalistic design, where the scope is exploration, understanding and description DePoy & Gitlin [2]. Ferguson & Ramsay [1] reviewed the characteristics of a well-developed profession and this research will evaluate training and career development, will discuss future steps that may be necessary

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Conclusion