Mur Lura
HSE help for Malta’s occupational health and safety services
pr1905
17/12/2001
17/12/2001
| For the first time technical assistance will be provided for Malta's | occupational health and safety services by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), after a successful bid for European funding. |
| The project, which will be funded by the European | Union for 12 months, is a joint venture between HSE and Ireland's Health and Safety Authority. Work has already started on making the necessary administrative arrangements. The project will provide assistance to the government of Malta on practical aspects of European health and safety law, and will also help raise awareness of hazards and risks in the workplace. |
| Kate Timms, HSE’s Deputy Director General, said: | "This successful bid represents a recognition of the expertise that HSE can provide to applicant countries. We are looking forward to working with Malta’s Occupational Health and Safety Authority and its chief executive, Dr Mark Gauci." Frank Cunneen, Chairman of Ireland's Health and Safety Authority, said: "I am delighted to work with the HSE on this important project". |
| Howard Pearce, British High Commissioner in Malta, | said: "I am very pleased that the United Kingdom and Ireland have been successful in bidding for this project. They will be able to build on the contacts that the High Commission has established with the Maltese Health and Safety Authority. Both countries have a long and successful track record in health and safety, and I am sure that all concerned will benefit and learn from the work." |
| Dr Mark Gauci, Chief Executive Officer of the Maltese | Health and Safety Authority, said: "As the national organisation responsible for health and safety, we recognize the benefits possible when health and safety are promoted and safeguarded at places of work. We also realize the mammoth task involved, and that we can never have all the resources required to achieve this on our own. |
| We thus appreciate the importance of ensuring that | employers and workers understand the hazards and risks that they face every day, and we welcome the help that this project represents. I am looking forward to working with our British and Irish colleagues and learning from their experience." |
| Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy, | Lawrence Gonzi, highlighted the fact that this twinning agreement represented a contribution of 700,000 Euros by the European Commission towards Malta as part of the Pre-Accession Funds. Dr Gonzi remarked: "This shows a veritable commitment by the Commission to assist the Maltese Government to set up the Occupational Health and Safety Authority." The Social Policy Minister added that this augured well for the coming days, when the covenant between the HSE and Occupational Health and Safety Authority is to be drawn up. It will include a detailed plan of the deliverables across a twelve-month period. |
Background Note
| 1. The EU’s twinning programme assists applicant | countries to the European Union to establish an effective, efficient and sustainable administration to guarantee the implementation of Community legislation. It provides funding for secondments for administrative and organisational support. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority have successfully bid, in competition with other Member States, to provide technical assistance to Malta’s occupational health and safety services. |
| 2. HSE’s representative on the project is Stuart | Bullock. He has worked with HSE for 16 years, is a law graduate, and a Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. He has held a number of posts in HSE and is currently Head of the Policy Branch responsible for Work Equipment and Machinery Safety. He has had previous experience of working on twinning projects and in 1992/3 was an adviser to the Ministries of Labour of the Czech and Slovak Ministries of Labour. |
| 3. Enquiries about Ireland's involvement in the | project should be made to: Frank Cunneen, Chairman, Health and Safety Authority, 10 Hogan Place, Dublin 2, Tel: 00 353 1614 7108. |
| 4. The UK supports enlargement for both political and | economic reasons - the benefits it can bring to UK trade and prosperity. Assisting applicant states to implement Community health and safety legislation helps assure proper standards across an enlarged Union and provides for a level playing field for UK business. |
Public Enquiries:
Ministry for Social Policy Malta – Alan Camilleri (Communications Co-ordinator)
HSE's InfoLine, tel: 08701 545500,
HSE Information Services, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly, CF83 3GG.
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