The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, today announced details of a partnership between the United States and health and safety agencies throughout Ireland.
The US Department of Labour's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in Dublin and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) are collaborating on the development of an EU model of the US health and safety recognition scheme, the Voluntary Protection Programme (VPP).
OSHA has operated the Voluntary Protection Programme successfully in the United States for many years as a means of recognising companies which manage health and safety at work to a high standard.
The US experience has found that the average VPP work place has an illness and injury rate 50 per cent below industry average.
The joint Ireland North-South initiative plans to introduce the programme to Ireland by initiating a pilot scheme with eight companies. These companies all have US parent companies already participating in the scheme.
Speaking at the launch, the Tánaiste said: "The Voluntary Protection Programme encourages and enables best practice in occupational safety and health and ultimately is designed to prevent injury and save lives. The programme presents Ireland, North and South, with a model of standards and excellence in the business of health and safety."