%0 Journal Article %T From national to European frameworks for understanding the role of occupational health and safety (OHS) specialists %J Safety science %D 2019 %A Hale, Andrew %V 115 %N %P 435-445 %X An important phase in the development of a new profession is the process of comparison of the tasks, education, training, certification and regulation of its proponents across different countries, to understand whether there are sufficient commonalities to call it a recognised international profession. This paper traces in particular the processes and results of comparisons of OHS specialists' roles, functions and knowledge and skills requirements. The work was conducted under the auspices of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the European Network of Safety and Health Professional Organisations (ENSHPO and its precursors). The paper starts with a historical review of European collaboration in this field and a description of the ways in which relevant data were collected and analysed to provide insights into the role and functions of OHS specialists in Europe. The paper describes how these insights were captured into the criteria for professionalisation and a voluntary certification process at a pan-European level.

Language: en

%G en %I Elsevier Publishing %@ 0925-7535 %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2019.01.011