Unless the health and safety culture is nurtured and promoted, the EU “will come down on us like a ton of bricks,” said Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea.

Speaking yesterday at the Occupational Health and Safety Good Practice Awards held at the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) offices in Pietà, Dr Galea said health and safety (H&S) are being given more importance, especially since the EU is insisting that all member states should guarantee a high standard in this field.

Dr Galea said he was not satisfied with the low rate of participation in the awards – only seven entries having been submitted. This was, he said, indicative of the reluctance of some enterprises to embrace the practice of good H&S, as they perceive it as an added expense. All EU member states have to guarantee a high standard of H&S and those who disagree, said Dr Galea, can always set up shop in a third world country.

The minister said laws do help provide an adequate level of H&S, but there is a need for extensive education, similar to that regarding the environment. Children and young adults today, he said, are more environment-conscious as a result of the introduction of environment-related subjects at school. A similar process is being introduced with regard to H&S where, from a young age, students are taught the importance of working in a safe environment.

OHSA chairperson Roberta Messina said the authority has been promoting H&S in primary schools through the character Napo, for the past three years. She added that between January and September, over 2,000 students in 22 schools have been reached by the campaign.

The adjudication panel consisted of Vince Attard, Jesmond Bonello, Rosanne Galea and chairman Paul Brejza. The award was given to the HSBC (Malta) plc for its risk assessments for counter staff in banks.