Posted By hiller Hi I want to work in Italy and am doing my dip 4 in jan, has anyone got any helpful hints on how I can get my foot in the door. thanks jen

Posted By Kenneth Patrick Any information on how salaries compare UK vs Italy for SH&E managers?

Posted By Alan Haynes Life for a non-Italian working in Italy can be 'interesting'. Their employment laws are complicated [a minefield], and often ignored by Italians but rigorously applied to non Italians. You could look at http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/ which has some discussion on working in Italy Health and Safety in Italy [for Italians] seems to bear no relation to what we do over here. As an example, some time ago I supplied a load of detail on Workplace Assessments etc to a friend who managed the typing pool in a smallish company [12 typists in the pool] The typists were complaining of headaches, bad backs etc. My friend implemented changes and the problems disappeared - when I asked her why they didn't have the info over there, she said that her Director said that the rules on things like workplace assessments only apply to Foreign companies in Italy, not to Italian ones. [Obviously this is incorrect - but it sums up their attitudes to, and enforcement of H&S legislation] Also - look at their work-sites - some are horrendous [especially the smaller ones] - no hard hats, safety boots, COSHH, etc - plenty of vino drunk at lunchtime. In case you're wondering - I love the place and the people - go there often, and sometime think their attitude to Life has a lot going for it.

Posted By TBC Talking of H&S abroad. I've been to Albania - H&S you couldn't even begin to wonder where to start. I've seen numerous building sites (most not finished) and taken the photos. You could fill a library.