All, In the UK we have the HSE and the Environment Agency. Can any one help me with what they have in France. Do they have an HSE equivalent? Do they have any legislation that is similar to the HASAW and the Management Regs? Many thanks.

......and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), and Northern Ireland Environment Agency ;)................... In France there is the National Research and Safety Institute (INRS) which is the HSE equivalent, and the ADEME: the French Environment and Energy Management Agency - a quick google search will get you more details.

The "Inspecteur de travail" controls working conditions particular in relation to legislation. Also covers such things as union relations and can/will prosecute. in fact they are fundamentally legislation based. The "Caisse National d'Assurance Maladie" (CNAM) monitors working conditions, particularly health related. They are mainly consultative and generally good, practical people. They also sponsor some safety initiatives for, for example, manufacuring sites. The "Direction Régionale d'Industrie, de Recherche et de l'Environnement" (DRIRE) takes care of most environmental matters. A big job that generates lots of paper work if you need a permit. INRS, "Institute National de Recherche Sécurité" does what it says on the tin - research new/better ways of improving safety, reducing risks. Very competent, publishes some very useful practical guides.And a glossy monthly magazine which is ok. Government sponsored and has good input to legislators. Fun Fun Fun Merv

Hi Kieran, I have never found any organisation similar to iosh or any of the others so well known in the uk. There was a move for a national qualification of "préventeur" (I used it as my cb call-sign for a while)(I was much younger then) but I never heard anything more about it. You can get a decent HSE degree at a number of universities but it is rare to find anyone with that or any other qualification actually working for a living. I think that are seen as rivals to the above mentioned I de T and CNAM people. Which are all government jobs. And apart from the monthly from INRS there is no worthwhile publication. A few PPE supplier-sponsored mags but that's all I know of. BBS is really only just (last 5-10 years or so) getting known in France. I do sometimes come across the competition (Dupont or BST) but they tend to go for the multinationals. Methinks. They are easier targets. I chaired a national BBS conference in Paris but few of the speakers had the same concept of BBS as me. They tended to confuse it with ergonomics. Or threatening people who did not behave. This said, we have been quite successful in some quite large companies and a few international ones too. It's not all bad Best regards Merv