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News release

01 February 2011 - NR 06/11

Turkish and Dutch health and safety professionals visit the UK’s tallest building

Health and safety experts from Turkey and the Netherlands were taken to the construction site of Europe’s tallest building.

The visit to the Shard was organised by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). It was part of a three-day study trip for the delegates to learn about best practice in occupational health and safety in the UK.

As a new European Union (EU) accession country, Turkey has a number of gaps to fill between EU occupational health and safety legislation and its own as it aims to become a fully-fledged member of the EU.

Sarah Hamilton, Networks and International Director at IOSH, said: “It’s fantastic that IOSH was chosen to lead the study trip here in the UK.

“As the world’s leading organisation for occupational safety and health professionals, we have an array of knowledge to share with those who need it.

“Mace, the construction company building the Shard, has an excellent health and safety track record. Their dedication to ‘excellent’ health and safety, offers the construction industry, a flagship example of how a site should be managed.”

The Shard is being developed by Sellar, and Mace started work on the Shard back in March 2009 . The building will accommodate 595,000 square feet of office space, restaurants, bars, a hotel, apartments and a high level viewing gallery with 360 degree panoramic view of London. Designed by Renzo Piano the building has been referred to by many as a “vertical city”.

As a company, Mace prides itself for the way it looks after its workers’ health and safety.

IOSH chartered member Robin Phillips, senior environmental, safety and health consultant for Mace, said: “Mace is an organisation that values sharing best practice, and there can be no better area of work in which to do that than health and safety.

“Ensuring the safety of our workers on this prestigious development remains our top priority. We are delighted to welcome on site our friends from the Netherlands and Turkey.

“Mace is an international consultancy and construction company so it’s good to share practices and get a better understanding of other countries’ health and safety cultures as we continue to develop in other parts of the world.”

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Notes for editors:

IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety professionals. With more than 40,000 members in 85 countries, we’re the world’s biggest professional health and safety organisation.

We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of working people.

IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered charity with international NGO status.