PEROSH is a federation of fourteen European occupational safety and health institutes in thirteen member states. The aim of PEROSH is to share knowledge, conduct collaborative research and organise common conferences on topics related to health and safety at work.
History
The consortium was established in Rome on 7 November 2003 to foster research on important fields in OSH. In Dublin on 7 November 2008 the articles of association were revised and broadened to facilitate the collaboration within the institutes. The most important regulations imply that each partner institute bears the costs of its activities and that the partnership employs its own Manager International Affairs. He has been representing PEROSH since 2009. The partnership was renewed and extended in Paris in May 2013.
The PEROSH partners aim to improve the quality and effectiveness of European research and the EU-wide dissemination of results in the field of occupational safety and health. Therefore, PEROSH partners are committed to maintain a proactive dialogue with the EU and other national and international OSH-partners. Joint interdisciplinary research projects within PEROSH aim to create a close cooperation within the network. This saves resources, creates synergies and fosters the mutual exchange of scientific personnel. At the same time, the members of PEROSH intend to accomplish EU-research projects, also in smaller consortiums, and to pool their interest in OSH research towards European institutions.
Activities
Usually there are up to ten joint research projects with more than 80 researchers involved. These research projects address prevailing OSH topics, e. g.:
The list of ongoing and completed projects can be found on the website of PEROSH. PEROSH identifies upcoming trends and risks in the working world to precociously adjust its research activities. Exchanges of experts between the member institutes and technical seminars promote the transfer of knowledge and harmonisation. PEROSH also carries on research in the field of standardisation, especially the determination of workplace-related safety factors for protective equipment. In June 2018 the general directors of the member institutes met in Bonn on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of PEROSH. They signed the new PEROSH agreement for the period 2018-2022 and elected two new chairpersons as of January 2019.
Organisation
Two boards structure the work of PEROSH: the Steering Committee and the Scientific Steering Group. The Steering Committee consists of the general directors of the member institutes and is responsible for the strategic management of PEROSH. The SC discusses the inclusion of new members, the appointment of the chairperson and the vice-chairperson of the SC, the establishment and mandate of the SSG and working groups. They agree on the annual budget and approve the annual account of revenue and expenditures. The Scientific Steering Group consists of the research/scientific directors of the member institutes of PEROSH. The SSG meets twice a year to coordinate ongoing research projects and to determine new research topics and collaboration options. The Manager International Affairs represents PEROSH towards the bodies of the European Union. He promotes European activities in OSH, prepares joint statements to EU queries, reacts to EU requests for tender, and organises workshops and conferences. He is responsible for the homepage and publishes a newsletter on relevant OSH aspects three times a year.
