CIS NEWSLETTER
No. 198
March 2006
CIS Newsletter celebrates 18 years & still going strong!
Bringing news to over 140 countries in the CIS Network!
Contents
- Editorial
- News from Geneva - CIS 2006 meeting dates
- News items from CIS HQ
- 28 April 2006 - The World Day for Safety and Health
at Work
- FOCUS - Asbestos: the iron grip of latency
- News from around the World - Bangladesh, Canada, Europe, France, India,
Latvia, Poland, Spain, UK and USA
- OSHE websites
Dear CIS Colleagues
This March 2006 edition draws attention to a number of forthcoming
events.. ... also get out your diaries and enter the dates and location of this
year's CIS Annual General Meeting
Wednesday - Friday 13-15 September 2006, Geneva, Switzerland
...And now start to make your plans to be at this year's CIS Annual
General Meeting. We should aim to move along in developing the FUTURE of the CIS
Network. Your ideas are very much needed - and if for some reason you cannot
attend the meeting - then write your ideas down and send them in for the
discussions.
Already some ideas put forward last year are starting to take place.
Some of the results the Working Parties Papers that can be seen on the www.sheilapantry.com/cis.
I urge you, however busy you are, to keep these Working Group Papers in focus.
It is important that the CIS Network flourishes ! The Network's success is Your
success.
So please make time to read the contents of this Newsletter. I know that
everyone is very busy, short of time and finance of course - but hopefully you
find the items in the CIS Newsletter are worth investing some time - if only to
scan through the items and find out what is happening in this wider OSH world of
ours.
Many thanks to you who have sent emails and news - these are always
gratefully received and are used as soon as possible.
If you are planning any publications, conferences, seminars or training
courses, then please send your details to me so that we can share your efforts
with others. Don't forget to send me your latest news! It is amazing how much
the CIS Newsletter content gets re-used around the world.
Publicity... tell them, tell them and tell them again...
There is no Press Release this month - we leave it
to you to make up your own announcing your 28 April 2006 events. Send out
your press release with your own contact details to organisations and
individuals in your country and elsewhere to start and use this ever-increasing
valuable source of information. Send out to all your contacts, journal editors,
media, universities and, educators, trainers as well as businesses!
You know I welcome ideas for inclusion in the future editions of this
Newsletter. Let me know if there are any areas you would wish to see covered in
future.
- Do you find this newsletter of any use?
- Do you use any of the content?
- If not, why not?
Are you travelling in SEPTEMBER 2006?
Could you please let CIS know email Gabor Sandi sandi@ilo.org
Annick Virot virot@ilo.org and myself sp@sheilapantry.com
with your ideas?
If you are planning any publications, conferences, seminars or training
courses, then please send your details to me so that we can share your efforts
with others. It is amazing how much the CIS Newsletter content gets re-used
around the world. Take advantage of free publicity! Remember you can see CIS
Newsletter on the web site www.sheilapantry.com/cis
where back issues are stored.
Remember >>>>
Surviving in 2006... By promotion, publicity and telling the World that CIS and
its network exists!
All good wishes to you, your families and your colleagues.
Sheila Pantry, OBE
85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK
Tel: +44 1909 771024
Fax: +44 1909 772829
Email: sp@sheilapantry.com
www.oshworld.com
www.sheilapantry.com
www.shebuyersguide.com
www.oshupdate.com
8 March 2006 - International Women's Day "Women in Sports"
In keeping with the ILO commitment to gender equality and the improvement of
working conditions for women, the International Labour Organization (ILO)
celebrates International Women's Day each year by hosting a round table
discussion and a film festival highlighting the role and/or achievements of
women in a particular field of work. In follow-up to the International Year of
Sport and Physical Education (2005), the subject of the 2006 events is
"Women in Sports".
Because gender inequalities that exist across all professions are
particularly apparent in sports, this field lends itself to the examination of
some of these issues. For instance, it is generally accepted that in
professional sports women earn far less money than men do, with the rationale
that women's sports do not attract audiences or bring in money.
The main public event will be held at the ILO on 8 March, and is a
collaborative effort by the ILO and the International Olympic Committee. At
10:00, a panel discussion will explore gender issues in the sports employment
sector. Participants include World Boxing Association light welterweight
champion Myriam Lamare. At 11:30, the IOC will present their annual "Women
and Sport" awards, given since 2000 on International Women's Day to women
or men (former athletes, coaches, administrators or journalists) or to
organizations that have made a significant contribution to the development of
women's sports in their countries.
The third annual ILO International Film Festival on Women and Work will take
place from 6 to 10 March in the Cinéma at the International Labour Office in
Geneva. The selected films offer portrayals of women athletes from around the
globe. Screenings will be open to the public and free of charge. The films will
be shown in their original language and subtitled in either English or French;
please check schedules for information on subtitles.
Further information: International Labour Office (ILO), 4 route des Morillons,
Geneva, Switzerland | Tel: +41 22 799 7912 | www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/event/women/2006/index.htm
Decent Work - Safe Work - HIV/AIDS at Work
28 April 2006 is World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a very important
day and opportunity for CIS Centres to promote their own work but also the
network of Centres working toward raising higher standards in workplaces all
over the world.
The theme for 2006 is Decent Work - Safe Work - HIV/AIDS at work.
Dr Jukka Takala says "The 2006 World Day for Safety and Health at
Work is intended to focus international attention on promoting and creating a
preventative safety and health culture at work and to help reduce the number of
work-related deaths and injuries each year. This year, as in previous years,
tripartite events will be taking place worldwide. You are invited to join us in
promoting this important day in your own country"
It is vital that as many people as possible to prepare for it wherever they
are - so hopefully this timely reminder will give you chance to promote CIS work
in your own country. If you are short of ideas then look at the Working Group
Paper 1 that many of the CIS network members contributed - see www.sheilapantry.com/cis/other/wp01.html.
There are many ways that you can make a contribution, e.g.
- Advertising,
- Promotion through press releases,
- Writing articles/information notes for the trade and technical press,
- Organizing visits to the CIS Centre for interested parties,
- Participating in seminars/conferences/exhibitions and use of a
PowerPoint Presentation containing details of the CIS aims, objectives,
logo, links with SafeWork programme, the extensive network, world map of
where all the centres are located, types of publications, newsletters, CIS
main web site pages and links etc,
- Publications, including information sheets/leaflets - free and priced.
This will also include a leaflet describing the CIS Centre and the CIS
Network.
- CD with CIS information - Safework Bookshelf CD The idea is to
disseminate the CD as widely as possible at conferences, course, training
sessions, give to visitors etc.
- CD with CIS logo that is available on the CIS website for Centres to
download and with a strong requirement for all centres to display on
their main home pages with links.
CIS Annual Meeting and Training Workshop 13- 15 September 2006, Geneva,
Switzerland
Please put these dates in your Diary now - the CIS Annual General meeting
will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from Wednesday to Friday, 13 - 15 September
2006.
Please start and make the necessary arrangements in order to be to attend.
The Workshop on Wednesday, 13 September 2006 will be a hands-on computer with
links to some very important NEW occupational safety and health services that
you should be useful in your own services. You will have time to explore these
new services yourself.
Thursday and Friday 14 and 15 September 2006 will be the Annual General
meeting.
Remember that time is very precious at these meetings and the Network wants
to look at the FUTURE activities and what we need to do
to make the CIS Network more visible
to the world. Many steps forward have been taken in the recent few months - we
need to accelerate faster - what needs to be started and in what priority order.
For inspiration and to get you up-to-speed start
looking at the ideas in the:
CIS HQ will shortly be sending out invitations so you can start and make the
necessary arrangements in order to be to attend.
Remember that it will be the last AGM for Dr Jukka Takala who retires from
the ILO towards the end of 2006.
Time also for networking!
Dear Colleagues
The Report of the 43rd Meeting of CIS National and Collaborating Centres,
held in Orlando, Florida (USA), on 18 September 2005 has been added to the CIS
web site
We have decided not to include copies of reports submitted to CIS by Centres
* the expense of doing so has become prohibitive. We shall place scanned copies
of these reports on the CIS Web site www.ilo.org/cis
where anyone with an Internet connection can view them free of charge.
Sincerely, Gábor Sándi, Head, CIS
The ILO estimates that 100,000 people die each year from work-related
asbestos exposure. Asbestos-caused cancers will kill at least 15,000 people in
Japan in the next five years, and up to 100,000 people in France over the next
20 to 25 years. In the United States, hundreds of thousands of injury claims
have been filed since the 1970s for deaths, cancers and other health problems
related to asbestos exposure, bankrupting dozens of U.S. companies. ILO online
spoke with Jukka Takala, Director of the ILO
InFocus Programme SafeWork.
It happens every day somewhere in Europe: a building from the 1950s is
demolished. A few children on their way back from school watch the giant
bulldozer at work. The engine has already attacked the ground floor - apparently
nobody has noticed the asbestos pads...
For a short moment, huge quantities of asbestos fibres become airborne. The
fibres are very narrow and easily breathable. Their resistance to chemical
dissolution means that they will persist for a long time - perhaps indefinitely
once in the lung. Harmful effects only emerge after decades of latency.
"Broadly speaking asbestos can cause two types of damage in humans:
asbestosis, a fibrous thickening either within the alveolar structure of the
lung, or in its pleural lining, and cancers of the lungs and larynx, including
mesotheliomas, the most malignant of the work-related tumours", explains
Jukka Takala.
Although the use and production of asbestos has been forbidden in the 15 old
member States of the European Union and the new member States may follow with a
ban soon, the "iron grip of latency" explains why the issue of
asbestos contamination still ranks high on the political agenda in many
industrialized countries.
In October 2005, a French Senate report blamed the government for failing to
adequately respond to the country's asbestos contamination problem, which has,
as a result, accelerated cancer deaths attributed to asbestos.
"While 35,000 deaths can be attributed to asbestos between 1965 and
1995, another 60,000 to 100,000 deaths are expected in the next 20 to 25
years", the report says. Due to the long periods of latency typical of the
lung cancers caused by asbestos, French scientists consider the coming epidemic
to be inevitable and irreversible, and expect it to continue until 2030.
"Asbestos is one of the most, if not the most important single factor
causing work-related fatalities, and is increasingly seen as the major health
policy challenge worldwide", comments Jukka Takala.
Taking into account studies by the ILO, the Japanese Environment Ministry
recently gave a first official estimate for the numbers of deaths to be caused
by asbestos. According to Ministry officials, the number of fatalities from
mesothelioma or other lung cancers in Japan by 2010 could reach 15,600.
The Ministry will use the figure for a planned special measures law to cover
medical costs for those suffering from diseases caused by asbestos, and offer
payouts for family members of asbestos victims.
In the Western Europe, North America, Japan and Australia, an estimated
20,000 new asbestos-induced lung cancers and 10,000 new mesothelioma cases occur
each year.
Towards a worldwide asbestos ban?
The EU Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to
exposure to asbestos at work (83/477/EEC, amended in March 2003) and ILO
Convention No.162 concerning Safety in the Use of Asbestos adopted in 1986 have
halved worldwide asbestos production since the 1970s.
"Nonetheless, asbestos is still the No.1 carcinogen in the world of
work", Jukka Takala says. "Rather than being solved, the problem has
been moved. In transition and developing countries the risk is now even higher
than in the established market economies and it is certain that asbestos will
prove to be a health 'time bomb' in these countries in 20 to 30 years'
time".
In developing countries, asbestos use increased in the last three decades of
the 20th century, while the United States and other industrialized countries
were phasing out their use of the substance.
Jukka Takala refers to the ship breaking industry in Asia as a particularly
prominent example. "A ship that is being dismantled in Bangladesh or
elsewhere contains in average six tons of asbestos. Almost everything on such a
ship will get recycled, including the asbestos. There is no harm in recycling
safe products, but scrapping and repackaging asbestos from the ships without any
protection devices is unacceptable", he says.
The ILO provides various solutions to the asbestos challenge based on its
international standards (Conventions, Recommendations,
Codes of Practice). The ILO
Conventions Nos. 139, 148, 162 and 170 on occupational cancer, working
environment, safety in the use of asbestos, and safety in the use of chemicals
have received 116 ratifications by the ILO member States.
These Conventions provide solid legal and technical basis for worker
protection against harmful exposures to asbestos by prescribing comprehensive
preventive measures at national and enterprise levels. Other means of action
such as sharing knowledge and experience, dissemination of information, direct
technical assistance and technical co-operation activities are widely used by
ILO to intensify preventive efforts against asbestos-related diseases.
"We are still far away from a global ban on asbestos use and production.
27 countries have ratified ILO Convention No. 162 on safety in the use of
asbestos", says Jukka Takala, adding that among the 25 countries that have
banned asbestos are the EU15, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Croatia, Hungary,
Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia and Switzerland.
"Moving the risks elsewhere does not fit in with the aim of fair
globalization that offers opportunities for everyone. It is a big but important
challenge to expand the asbestos ban to all countries in the world. To that end,
the international community must provide knowledge and assistance to help them
cope with the necessary restructuring measures, create alternative jobs and
promote the use of asbestos substitutes around the world", concludes Jukka
Takala.
More Changes at the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
Finn Sheye moves to the European Food Safety Agency
Long time occupational health and safety person Finn Sheye writes...
Dear International Partners,
I would like to inform you that my contract with the European Agency for
Safety and Health at Work is ending the 28.02.2006. I will then go to work at
the European Food Safety Agency www.efsa.eu.int
in Parma Italy from 01.03 as network manager on international and European
co-operation. My email there will be finn.sheye@efsa.eu.int
I would like to thank all of you for your professional, very efficient and
always very friendly co-operation during the years I have been working with you!
I wish you all the best and I hope that the good co-operation between your
institutions and the Agency will continue!
Please send your mails to Mr. Konkolewsky (konkolewsky@osha.eu.int)
(general questions) and for more technical questions to the Agency's webmaster,
Mr. Gorka Morel (morel@osha.eu.int)
Best wishes
Finn
Finn Sheye, International Network Manager, The European Agency for Safety and
Health at Work, Gran Via 33, 48009 Bilbao, Spain | Tel: +34 94479436 | Fax: +34
944794383 | Email: sheye@osha.eu.int ----- new email: finnsheye@hotmail.com
Many CIS Members will know from Finn from our various meetings. We wish
Finn every success in his new job and thank him for all his efforts and
contributions to OSH over many years.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work says...
Grab your camera... Calling all young film and video makers!
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work invites entries for the
first 'Safe Start ... European Young Film Maker of the Year' video competition
that is part of the European Week 2006 which, under the slogan 'Safe Start!' is
dedicated to young people to ensure a safe and healthy start to their working
lives.
'Young people at work are the focus of our campaign this year as they run
a 50% higher risk of work accidents than any other age category', explains Hans-Horst
Konkolewsky, Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at
Work. 'As part of the 'Safe Start!' campaign, the Agency will promote
risk awareness and risk prevention in enterprises, schools and colleges across
Europe. Through the competition for young film makers we invite young people to
express and share their views on workplace safety'.
The video competition is open to schools and to young people under the age of
19 on 30 September 2006 working as individuals or as a team. Young people are
invited to create a short documentary, drama, TV commercial, news report, music,
animation - whatever gets the message out about safety and health at work - to
capture on film the workplace, people at work and some of the potential dangers,
risks and hazards at work. Producers are encouraged to interpret the brief as
widely as possible and not to simply think of the obvious.
Entries must be made by a teacher or by another responsible person at a
school or college in DVD format. Entries from individual young people will not
be accepted. The maximum running time is five minutes. The closing date for the
competition is 30 September 2006.
An independent Jury of experts in communications, safety and health will
evaluate all the entries, looking for compelling images and a good storyline
that will grab their attention. The Jury will consider three criteria -
effectiveness of the message, treatment of the subject and the overall
impression. The Agency will award prizes to the producers whose film images
catch the eye of the Jury. The producers - individuals or teams - of the best
three films will be awarded the title of "Safe Start ... European Young
Film Maker of the Year", and invited to an Awards Ceremony in Bilbao,
Spain, in March 2007.
The full rules of the competition and national contact details are on the
campaign's website at: http://ew2006.osha.eu.int
Good Practice Awards are part the European Week for Safety and Health at
Work, an annual campaign run by the European Agency to promote a specific
issue each year. The European Week 2006 is dedicated to young people under the
slogan 'Safe Start!'. The campaign follows a decentralised model: the Agency
coordinates campaign activities, provides information in 20 languages and via
the campaign website, organises Good Practice Awards, a Video Competition and
the Closing Event; national Focal Points in each of the 25 EU Member Sates
promote, stimulate and organise activities at national level. The dual
objectives of the Week are to increase awareness of risks and to promote good
practice solutions.
The 'Safe Start!' campaign will be officially launched on 19 June 2006
in the European Parliament, Brussels. The European Week itself will take place
from 23 - 27 October 2006. The campaign's closing event will take place
in March 2007 in Bilbao.
Updated information about Good Practice Awards 2006, the campaign as well as
national contact points are available at http://ew2006.osha.eu.int
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Gran Via 33, E-48009 Bilbao -
Spain | Tel: + 34 94 479 4360 | Fax: + 34 94 479 4383 | Email: information@osha.eu.int
| http://agency.osha.eu.int
Diary date 2006 Health & Safety Professional Development Conference
& Exhibition
Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) September 10-13, 2006 takes
place in Ottawa - The Nation's Capital.
Contact: Ms. Dani Couture, Project Coordinator, Canadian Society of Safety
Engineering (CSSE), 39 River St., Toronto ON M5A 3P1 Canada | Tel: +1
416.646.1600 ext., 25 | Fax: 416.646.9460 | Email: dcouture@associationsfirst.com
| www.csse.org
News from India
A.R. Chowdhury, General Secretary, OSHE emails ...
Please note that, the PRIA website is now functional with new address: www.oshebd.org.
Furthermore, PRIA are up-dating some of the information.
The brochure of PRIA Continuing Education's 3 months Distance Education
Programme: Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety, is sent by Dr.Shabeen
Ara, Sr.Programme Officer PRIA Continuing Education, PRIA Certificate in
Occupational Health and Safety, who writes:
Whatever sort of business you are in there is always the possibility of an
accident or damage to someone's health. All work exposes people to hazards, be
they: loads which have to be manually handled; dangerous machinery; toxic
substances; electricity; working with display screen equipment or even
psychological hazards such as stress. Safety does not come about by accident:
most accidents happen because they have not been prevented.
Even small businesses have accidents. On average the rate of fatal and
serious accidents in firms employing less than 50 people is almost double that
for firms employing one thousand. Essentially you have to ensure absence of risk
to safety and health of employees and others so far as is reasonably
practicable. You have to have a system to identify your main hazards, assess
risks and make sure that your risk control measures are adequate and they are
used and maintained and that they continue to work. You need to remember that
besides protecting people and the environment, action on health and safety can
also make a major contribution to business.
This Programme "Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety"
is designed to provide learners with basic information, resources, discussion
questions, and interactive opportunities that motivate an understanding of
Occupational Health and Safety.
The Programme is based on PRIA's almost two decades of involvement with the
subject of Occupational Health and Safety. From its beginning PRIA's work
focused on capacity building and demystifying the concepts and practices of the
issue. The methodology and case studies used in the course are on the one hand
tested in the field set up and on the other hand enriched by PRIA's networking
with experts and practitioners.
WHO CAN TAKE THIS COURSE
The course is designed for safety officers working in the industry, trade
union activists who have involvement for the health and safety of the workers.
Members of statutory safety committees, civil society organisation activists
interested in taking up the occupational/environmental health issues and medical
doctors working in the industry, environmentalists, media persons and all those
who are interested in the subject. The minimum required qualification is 10+2 or
its equivalent in any subject.
ABOUT THE COURSE
Course Contents: Seven Units are offered during the session:
Introduction to occupational health and safety, sector specific occupational
health and safety issues, socio-economic aspects of OHS, basics of diagnostic
and first aid techniques, OHS laws and legislations in India, preventive
techniques and workers participation through participatory methods.
Mode of Delivery: The course is offered in a Distance Education Mode,
making learning accessible through part time study, outside working hours.
Distance delivery includes print materials, immediate and engaged communication
through bulletin board.
Duration: The Course is for 3 months duration and the session for 2006
begins from February 6th 2006.
Medium of Instruction: The Course will be delivered in English
language.
Credits and Evaluation: It is a 4-credit course and involves 120
study-hours. Evaluation will be based on written assignments in the form of
reflection papers, small essays and project work.
COURSE FEE
The Course fee is Rs.5000/- or 150 US $ payable in one installment. The fee
is to be sent in Demand Draft drawn in favor of "Society for Participatory
Research in Asia", payable at New Delhi.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE & CONTACT DETAILS
The last date for registration is Friday, January 20th, 2006 (first come
first serve basis). Registration forms may be downloaded from the website, or
e-mail education@pria.org to obtain the
same.
Prevent what you can't cure
The idea is to bring about a system where the industries produce chemicals
that can be manufactured, transported, used and disposed of safely.
1/4 of active textile workers have lung problems
For further information and other inquiries, contact: Ms. Martha Farrell,
Director, PRIA Continuing Education, PRIA, 42, Tughlakabad Institutional Area,
New Delhi - 110062 | Tel: +91(11) 29956908, 29960931/32/33 | Email: education@pria.org
| www.pria.org
News from the USA
AIHA schedules Nanotechnology Symposium for May conference
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) will hold a day-long
seminar on May 13, 2006, on issues relating to the control of potential
workplace exposures in processes where nanomaterials are produced or used.
The seminar will be part of the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and
Exposition, May 13-18, 2006, in Chicago, IL. For more information, visit the
AIHA Web site at www.aiha.org/Content/CE/aihce/aihce-nano.htm
Fire Response Preparedness for Underground Mines
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006-105 deals with the preparedness of miners
to respond to underground fires. It is intended to aid the mining industry in
understanding the various roles of emergency responders and the training
techniques used to increase their skill levels.
The report also presents a technology overview to assist in effective
response to mine fires and can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pubreference/2006-105.htm
AIHce 2006 and VENT 2006
The American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce) and Ventilation
2006-the 8th International Conference on Ventilation will be held
concurrently May 13-18, 2006 in Chicago, IL. AIHce 2006 will feature
weekend symposia on nanotechnology and infectious disease, late-breaking
sessions on hurricane response and recovery, and expert panel sessions on
nanotechnology, confined spaces and hexavalent chromium.
Additionally, participants attending AIHce 2006 will have access to Ventilation
2006 at no additional cost. Ventilation 2006 will serve as a forum
for exchanging latest developments in ventilation-related emission and exposure
controls.
NIOSH is a co-sponsor of Ventilation 2006. More information on both
conferences can be found at www.aiha.org/Content/CE/aihce/aihce.htm
Decontaminating chemical protective clothing and equipment subject of new
document from AIHA
Pengfei Gao, of the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory,
is the lead author of Guidelines for the Decontamination of Chemical
Protective Clothing and Equipment, recently published by the American
Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Dr. Gao is a member of AIHA's Protective
Clothing and Equipment Committee. The guidelines offer methodologies for
decontaminating chemical protective clothing (CPC) and equipment, including the
most current practices for regulatory compliance, decontamination work plans,
waste management, hazard and risk assessments, CPC reuse, quality assurance, and
training. Dr. Gao's participation provided a means for NIOSH's research and
expertise on protective clothing and equipment to be incorporated into the
guidelines. The views and policies expressed in the guidelines do not
necessarily reflect the views or policies of NIOSH. Ordering information can be
found on the AIHA Web site, www.aiha.org.
News from the Foundation
The Foundation's work programme 2006: Accent on job creation, mobility,
better working conditions and work-life balance in 2006
Access to good quality jobs for all workers is a central policy concern in
the European Union. The Foundation's 2006 work programme will focus on this
priority issue, while also dealing with the related issues of employment
creation and retention, mobility of workers and their families, working time
arrangements and work-life balance. Key tasks for 2006 include contribution to
the 2006 European Year of Workers' Mobility, and presenting findings from the
fourth European Working Conditions Survey, and the Company Survey on Working
Time and Work-life Balance. Finally, in November 2006, the Foundation will host
the third Foundation Forum, entitled 'Competitive Europe, Social Europe -
partners or rivals?'.
'The Foundation is in a strong position to contribute to the improvement of
living and working conditions for all Europeans,' affirms Jorma Karppinen,
Director of the Foundation, the Dublin-based EU agency. 'We have identified
themes for our 2006 work programme that increasingly affect our lives in the
competitive global environment. The results of our work will feed into the
debate and provide policymakers with information that could ultimately lead to
an enhanced quality of life for all European citizens.'
The Foundation will continue to provide data through its monitoring
instruments and surveys, which have proved very effective in building a picture
of life in the 25 Member States, as well as in Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and
Turkey. Initial findings will be presented from the 2005 European Working
Conditions Survey, with further analyses being carried out on selected topics.
Findings from the Company Survey on Working Time will be released in the first
quarter of the year. At the same time, preparations for the second European
Quality of Life Survey will get underway. In addition to weekly news releases
from the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) website, EIRO will
feature an industrial relations profile of each Member State. The Industrial
Relations Annual Report will present a comparison between current developments
in Europe and its major competing economies. The European Monitoring Centre on
Change (EMCC) will publish its first annual report on restructuring in Europe.
Information from the monitoring activities will be supplemented by in-depth
studies of 'what works'. An in-depth study of temporary agency work from the
point of view of industrial relations will be published at the beginning of the
year. The Foundation will then unveil a major study and database on Employment
initiatives for the Ageing workforce. Other studies will look at employment
opportunities in childcare, the 'attractive workplace' as a way for companies to
contribute to the Lisbon strategy, and strengthening the capacity for social
dialogue in the new Member States.
The Foundation will use a number of thematic campaigns - on mobility,
work-life balance and quality of work - to diffuse its message in 2006. The
newly launched twice-yearly magazine, Foundation Focus, will devote the two
issues for 2006 to the ageing workforce and equal opportunities. A new
policy-oriented publication, Foundation Findings, will be launched in the
spring. As 2005 saw a huge increase - by one third - in the number of web user
sessions to the Eurofound website, the planned integration of the Foundation's
separate web activities in 2006 under one common 'Eurofound' banner should make
the site even more user-friendly.
The programme of work can be downloaded from www.eurofound.eu.int/publications/htmlfiles/ef0539.htm
For further information, contact Måns Mårtensson, Press Officer | Email: mma@eurofound.eu.int
| Tel: +353-1-204 3124 | Mobile +353-876-593 507
NOTE: This press release is available in 21 EU languages on www.eurofound.eu.int/press/releases/2006/060118.htm
Available in: Ceština, Dansk, Deutsch, Eesti, Ellinika, English, Español,
Français, Italiano, Latviešu, Lietuviu, Magyar, Nederlands, Polski, Português,
Slovencina, Slovenšcina, Suomi, Svenska
Good practice awards ensure safe start for young people
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work invites nominations for
the seventh European Good Practice Awards in occupational health and safety
The 2006 award scheme will recognise companies or organisations, including
schools, colleges and training providers, that have made outstanding and
innovative contributions to ensure that young people make a safe start in their
working lives, and that risk awareness and prevention is promoted in
enterprises, schools and colleges.
The awards are part of the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2006,
which is dedicated to young people to ensure a safe and healthy start to their
working lives.
'Accidents at work are a serious threat to EU's 58 million young people.
According to Eurostat data, the risk of work accidents is at least 50% higher
among those aged 18-24 years than in any other age category', explains Hans-Horst
Konkolewsky, Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at
Work. 'Through our 'Safe Start!' campaign and the Good Practice Awards
competition the Agency will promote risk awareness and risk prevention in
enterprises, schools and across Europe.'
Good practice examples are implemented solutions to promote the effective
management of the occupational safety and health of young people in the
workplace, and prevention measures to reduce the incidence of accidents and ill
health amongst young workers. All entries should therefore show good management
practice, particularly the effective use of risk assessment and implementation
of its findings, and should be focused on the successful prevention of risks to
young people.
Good practice examples are invited from all EU Member States. They can be
submitted by individual enterprises or by intermediary organisations such as
chambers of commerce, trade and professional organisations, trade unions, and by
the education community including schools, colleges, education authorities and
training providers.
The Agency will announce the winners at the campaign's closing event in March
2007 in Bilbao. The awards will provide the winners with European recognition
for their role in improving working conditions in Europe, and the awarded
examples will be presented in an Agency booklet to be distributed across Europe.
Further information about the awards and national contact details are
available online at http://ew2006.osha.eu.int
Good Practice Awards are part the European Week for Safety and Health at
Work, an annual campaign run by the European Agency to promote a specific
issue each year. The European Week 2006 is dedicated to young people under the
slogan 'Safe Start!'. The campaign follows a decentralised model: the
Agency coordinates campaign activities, provides information in 20 languages and
via the campaign website, organises Good Practice Awards, a Video Competition
and the Closing Event; national Focal Points in each of the 25 EU Member Sates
promote, stimulate and organise activities at national level. The dual
objectives of the Week are to increase awareness of risks and to promote good
practice solutions.
The 'Safe Start!' campaign will be officially launched on 19 June 2006
in the European Parliament, Brussels. The European Week itself will take place
from 23 - 27 October 2006. The campaign's closing event will take place
in March 2007 in Bilbao.
Updated information about Good Practice Awards 2006, the campaign as well as
national contact points are available at http://ew2006.osha.eu.int.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Gran Via 33, E-48009 Bilbao -
Spain | Tel: + 34 94 479 4360 | Fax: + 34 94 479 4383 | Email: information@osha.eu.int
| http://agency.osha.eu.int
Toxic warship Clemenceau returns to France, but health and safety blight
remains
The decision on 15 February 2006 by French President Jacques Chirac to recall
the toxic warship Clemenceau back to France underlines the depth of the crisis
in the global ship-breaking industry. The aircraft carrier, containing tonnes of
asbestos and many other hazardous substances, was due to have been broken at the
Alang ship-breaking yard in India, however decisions by Indian and French
judicial authorities led to the French government's change of course.
"This case shows just how serious the lack of decent global standards is
in ship-breaking", said Marcello Malentacchi, General Secretary of the
International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), adding that "thousands of
workers in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and elsewhere face daily exploitation and
exposure to life-threatening hazards due to the inability of the international
system to establish and enforce standards".
The IMF and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has been
sharply critical of the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) blocking of
a process involving the IMO, the International Labour Organisation and the Basel
Convention to harmonise shipbreaking guidelines. The IMO's stance at a December
2005 meeting on harmonisation is believed by the IMF to have set progress back
by as much as five years.
"There have been grave doubts as to whether the the Alang facility is
properly equipped to handle the asbestos and other toxic substances in the
Clemenceau, but this one ship is just the tip of the iceberg. Thousands of
workers at Alang and similar yards in a number of countries depend on ship
breaking for their livelihoods, and to date little if anything has been done to
ensure that they are able to earn a decent living in safe and hygienic
workplaces", said ICFTU General Secretary Guy Ryder. "Governments,
international agencies and in particular the global ship breaking industry have
a responsibility to sort out this mess", he added.
A substantial proportion of the workers at the Alang yard are paid less than
US$1 per day, and the great majority are employed on a daily or sometimes
monthly basis. Local trade unions are working with the workers, many of whom are
migrants from other parts of India, to help them organise to improve the working
conditions and increase their incomes, however resistance from employers and
lack of enforcement of labour laws makes this particularly difficult.
The IMF will be continuing its support to the local trade unions in their
efforts to organise the workers and is, with the ICFTU, the ITF and other Global
Unions partners, step up pressure on governments, international agencies and the
companies involved, to bring the world ship-breaking industry up to acceptable
employment, health, safety and environmental standards.
The ICFTU represents 155 million workers in 236 affiliated organisations in
154 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a member of Global Unions: www.global-unions.org
For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2 224
0232 or +32 476 621 018.
News from the USA
ROADWAY SAFETY - A Road Construction Industry Consortium Program
Scott Schneider of the Laborers' Health & Safety Fund of North America
writes with the news of The Roadway Safety Awareness Program that provides an
overview of common hazards in highway and road construction and simple
prevention measures. It is designed for use by supervisory personnel with some
safety and health experience or by safety and health personnel to orient new
workers as they arrive on the jobsite. The program contents are available in
English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
This program is not intended as a compliance guide. It is
intended to help your company produce the worker awareness needed to achieve
best practices. It is not a substitute for an OSHA 10 hour course or more
in-depth training. It is a labor-management safety reminder.
This material was produced under grant number 46C1-HT21 from the Occupational
Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It was developed
by the joint efforts of Laborers Health and Safety Fund of North America (LHSFNA),
American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA),
National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA),
and International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE).
Produced for the consortium by FOF Communications.
The new version of the training program for road workers (V. 8) can now be
downloaded from this website http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/program_download.
The new version includes both Spanish and Portuguese voice files and materials
and can also be used in metric or English units. It also includes several new
bells and whistles.
About
Roadway Safety Version 8.0
Register
to Download
If you have trouble downloading this program off the web, you can request a
copy of the program on CDROM.
If you are a contractor who is signatory with the Laborers Union or a member
of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), contact: Scott
Schneider, schneider@lhsfna.org
If you are a contractor who is a member of the National Asphalt Pavement
Association, contact: Una Connolly, uconnolly@hotmix.org
If you are a contractor who is a member of the American Road and
Transportation Association, contact: Brad Sant, bsant@artba.org
If you are a member of the Operating Engineers International Union (IUOE) or
a contractor who is signatory with the Operating Engineers International Union (IUOE),
contact: Emmett Russell, erussell@iuoe.org
If you do not fit any of the above categories and still cannot download the
program from the web, contact Stew Burkhammer at the OSHA Directorate of
Construction for a copy at email: Burkhammer.Stew@dol.gov
Roadway Safety Version 8.0 contains the following new enhancements:
- A new demonstration on heat and cold stress.
- A new module on Safe Driving to and from the workplace.
- A metric units tool that allows switching between English and Metric
measures at any time in the program.
- Portuguese language is now included along with English and Spanish. Users
can switch among any of the three languages at anytime while using the
program.
- Portuguese toolbox talks and student book print files in addition to
English and Spanish.
- Spoken Spanish and Portuguese playback. When in Spanish or Portuguese, you
may have the words on the screens spoken.
- Standards display option to display OSHA, NIOSH, and other relevant
standards or recommendations associated with teaching points.
- Revised and updated instructor manual.
- Separate downloads of spoken language files to reduce program download
size and time.
Death Of David Jenkins, UK RoSPA Product Safety Adviser
David Jenkins, Product Safety Adviser for the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents in the UK, and a well-known consumer champion has died,
aged 64.
Dr Jenkins of Edgbaston, Birmingham, joined RoSPA nearly 20 years ago. He was
previously Principal Trading Standards Officer with special responsibility for
consumer safety with West Midlands County Council - the largest enforcement
department in the UK.
Only a few days before his death it was announced that the European Union
is to ban the sale of cigarette lighters that are not child resistant -
something he had campaigned for over many years. That decision alone is likely
to save 20 lives and 1,200 fires a year across the EU caused by children playing
with cheap lighters.
His other successes included factory-fitted plugs on electrical goods and
the need for fire-safe furniture. He also played a part in improvements in
firework, gas and electrical safety.
Educated at Brecon Grammar School, Mid-Wales, he was articled to the Chief
Inspector of Weights and Measures for the county and had a Masters Degree in
Engineering at the University of Birmingham.
He was RoSPA's representative on the British Electrotechnical Approvals
Board, the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting
and the Council for Registered Gas Installers, as well as being involved with
the British Standards Institution technical committees.
He was a Fellow of the Trading Standards Institute and past chairman of
Consumer Safety International.
He lectured widely on consumer safety and was often called as an expert
witness in consumer safety cases. A former editor of Product Safety Enforcement
News, he was author of the report Enforcing Product Safety Laws in the EEC.
Janice Cave, RoSPA Acting Director of Safety Policy, said: "Consumers
throughout the UK and Europe have a much to thank him for. His dedication to
safety led to many changes which have helped to save lives and prevent injuries.
He will be greatly missed by everyone at RoSPA."
BOOK - Stress at Work Management and Prevention, by Jeremy Stranks
In this jargon-free guide, Jeremy Stranks explains what stress is and what
causes it, how people respond to stress and cope with it, how stress can be
evaluated and managed and what employers' legal responsibilities are.
Gives practical advice on how to implement a stress management system. Helps
employers avoid expensive court cases brought by employees or enforcement
officers Work-related stress and resulting sickness absence costs the UK economy
about £3.7 billion every year (HSE research.
Written for managers, HR professionals and safety reps, the emphasis of this
book is strongly on practical advice and solutions. The author provides simple
tools to measure and assess stress and shows how to deal with a range of
stress-creating workplace situations, such as bullying, harassment and violence
at work. The book also details how to implement a stress management system that
complies with the new HSE Management Standards to avoid civil claims and
criminal sanctions by the enforcement agencies.
End of chapter key points draw out the implications of the preceding text for
the employer and an executive summary shows the main aspects that senior
management have to be aware of. In addition, the book contains forms and
templates to help with managing stress. These are also available for download on
the companion website
http://books.elsevier.com/companions/0750665424
Stress at Work will also be a valuable reference for students on the
following courses as part of modules concerned with Human Factors: NEBOSH
Certificate and Diploma courses, MSc courses in Occupational Health and Safety
Management, IOSH Managing Safely, British Safety Council diploma and NVQ level 3
and 4 courses in Occupational Safety and Health.
Stress at Work Management and Prevention
Jeremy Stranks MSc, FCIEH, FIOSH, RSP, Managing Consultant
Safety and Hygiene Consultants, U.K.
ISBN: 0-7506-6542-4. Book/Paperback. 256 pages. Butterworth-Heinemann
Publication Date: 15 March 2005 Price: £19.99 http://books.elsevier.com
BOOK - Cultural ergonomics, by Michael Kaplan
In work environments world-wide, whether simple or complex, the ways in which
people think, do their jobs, and interface with other human beings grow out of
their experiences in the groups of which they are or have been a part. How these
influences affect their performance and human interfacing in work environments
throughout the world is the subject of cultural ergonomics.
In this volume, distinguished scientists explore these cultural influences in
relation to significant current concerns of ergonomics and human factors. These
include scientific-philosophical considerations, aircraft safety, maritime
safety, cross-national training, effective use of the world-wide web,
multinational decision making, third- world industrial development,
implementation of technology transfer, and the functioning of multicultural
teams.
Contents:
- Introduction: Adding a Cultural Dimension to Human Factors
- National and Cultural Variables in Ergonomics.
- Designing for Multicultural Web Interfaces.
- Need for Cultural Calibration in Design of Oil and Gas Facilities.
- 'A Frenchman, a German, and an Englishman...': Training Teams Across
Cultures.
- Cognition in Natural Settings: The Cultural Lens Model.
- Culture and Aviation Safety: an International Perspective.
- The Role of National Culture in the Safety of Nuclear Power Plants.
- Culture, Context, and Performance.
- Method for the Design of Intercultural Man-Machine Systems in the Area of
Product Automation.
- The role of National Culture in Enhancing Training Effectiveness.
- Ergonomics to Meet the Needs of Developing Countries.
- A New Activity for the United Nations in the Service of Economic
Development: Specifying Requirements of Technology Transfers in Given
Geographical and Anthropological Locations.
There are lists of further reading after each chapter.
Readership: Students and professors interested in human factors,
engineering psychology, applied experimental psychology, industrial and
organizational psychology, ergonomics, cognitive science, and industrial
engineering.
Cultural ergonomics, edited by Michael Kaplan
Volume 4 - Advances in Human Performance and Cognitive Engineering Research
Elsevier, 2004. ISBN 07623 1049-9. 384 pages. www.elsevier.com
US NIOSH Researchers Develop Interactive Web Page for Calculating Skin
Permeation
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Researchers Adam Fedorowicz and Fred Frasch of the NIOSH Health Effects
Laboratory Division have developed a new interactive Web page that allows users,
such as scientists evaluating potential risk of adverse effects from chemicals
that may enter the body through the skin, to measure the capacity of a chemical
to be absorbed through the skin www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/skin/skinpermcalc.html.
US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Pesticide-related illness and injury surveillance: a how to guide for
States Based programs
Surveillance data can be used to identify new emerging pesticide problems,
estimate the magnitude of pesticide poisoning, and evaluate intervention and
prevention efforts. This publication covers the actions etc to be taken.
To NIOSH's knowledge this is the most comprehensive instruction guide for
pesticide-related illness and injury surveillance. The goal is to assist the
efforts of partners to identify pesticide poisoning risk factors.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Pesticide-related illness and injury surveillance: a how to guide for States
Based programs
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2006-102. October 2005. 272 pages. www.cdc.gov/niosh
To receive a copy contact NIOSH, Publications Dissemnination, 4676 Columbia
Parkway, Cincinnati OH 45226 - 1998, USA | Tel: +1 800 356 4674 | Fax: +1 513
333 8573 | Email: pubstaft@cdc.gov
Korea and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work pool their
expertise on occupational safety and health
Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA) and the European
Agency for Safety and Health at Work in Bilbao (Spain) launched on 7 February
2006 a new joint OSH website.
The site follows the structure and presentation of the Agency's website
network and represents a significant contribution to the creation of a global
portal to workplace safety and health information. As well as linking directly
to EU information, the site is a rich source of Korean OSH information.
'I sincerely hope that the joint website will serve as a steppingstone
toward contributing to the exchange of information and know-how between OSH
experts in Europe and Korea in preventing industrial accident', said Park
Kil-Sang, President of Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA).
The Director of the European Agency, Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, added: 'The
Agency's online network already includes health and safety organisations from
Australia, Canada, USA and Japan. With our new partner from Korea, the network
will serve even better the needs of international OSH community by helping it
face the challenges of globalisation.'
The EU-Korea website is available at: http://kr.osha.eu.int
The Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA) was
established as a public professional organization financed by the government
subsidies in order to prevent accidents and diseases at workplaces.
The Agency's website acts as a gateway to an ever-increasing amount of
safety and health information for people with an interest in safety and health
at work such as workers, employers, practitioners and experts. Starting at the
Agency's home page http://osha.eu.int easily
navigated links connect to 25 national web sites maintained by the Agency's
Focal Points, three EFTA countries, two Candidate countries and two
international organisations plus five trade partners.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Gran Via 33, E-48009 Bilbao -
Spain | Tel: + 34 94 479 4360 | Fax: + 34 94 479 4383 | Email: information@osha.eu.int
| http://agency.osha.eu.int
News from Canada
Employees who lack recognition are four times more likely to experience
high level of occupational stress
Tools to facilitate employee recognition now available online
Surveys conducted in recent years by Dr. Jean-Pierre Brun, the Chair in
Occupational Health and Safety Management at Université Laval, Canada found
that:
- 25% to 41% of the individuals surveyed report a significant lack of
employee recognition.
- 67% of the individuals who state that they receive little recognition at
work show signs of a high level of psychological distress, compared with 33%
of the individuals who state that they receive adequate recognition.
- Employees who receive little recognition are four times more likely to
experience a high level of psychological distress.
New management approaches strongly emphasize employee recognition as an
effective means to inspire employees and managers. However, while this is the
subject of much talk, in reality, recognition is not widely practised. To
address this problem in a practical way, the Chair in Occupational Health and
Safety Management at Université Laval is launching a kit and Web site on
employee recognition.
The kit, simply called "Employee Recognition," was developed under
the supervision of Jean-Pierre Brun, Professor in the Management Department at
Université Laval and Director of the Chair. His goal is to promote awareness
among managers and employees of the positive impacts of recognition and to
provide them with the tools to introduce recognition practices into their
workplaces. The kit is made up of the following three sections: awareness tools,
implementation tools and suggested recognition activities.
Contact: Jean-Pierre Brun Email: Jean-Pierre.Brun@fsa.ulaval.ca
https://secure.intellogix.com/ulaval/CGSST/Catalogue.action?selPageSize=5&txtCategoryID=90
As one of the first reference tools to deal with this issue, the kit is
available in English or French. Managers, unions and workers can use this
tool to learn more about this issue and establish a recognition program in their
workplace. We have a variety of fun suggestions to get you thinking and help you
recognize employees in your organization. Have a look at our 101 ways to
recognize http://cgsst.fsa.ulaval.ca/reconnaissance/stock/eng/doc146-358.pdf
your co-workers, employees, customers, and managers.
The Web site, online purchasing and some of the kit's contents can be
accessed at the following address http://cgsst.fsa.ulaval.ca/reconnaissance/eng
For more information: Jean-Pierre Brun, Dr., Titulaire/Director, Chaire en
gestion de la santé et de la sécurité du travail, Chair in Occupational
Health and Safety Management, Faculté des sciences de l'administration,
Université Laval,, Québec (Québec) Canada G1K 7P4 | Tél: (418) 656-2405 |
Fax: (418) 656-7028 | Adjointe: Christiane Blais (418) 656-5213 | Site Web Site:
http://cgsst.fsa.ulaval.ca
News from the USA
The February issue of LIFELINES ONLINE (Vol. II, No. 9) is available at the
LHSFNA website. A selection from the headlines include:
- Past, Present, Future of First Responder Safety under Scrutiny
- Waist-to-Hip Ratio Measures Health Risks
- Wanna Quit? Better Get Fit
- New Posters Augment Hearing Conservation Efforts
View the stories and access the website www.lhsfna.org.
Also, please note that back issues of LIFELINES ONLINE - as well as the print
magazine, LIFELINES - are posted for online viewing. The LIFELINES
ONLINE archive and LIFELINES
archive are fully searchable, so you can find the articles that relate to
your topic of interest.
Steve Clark, Communications Manager, Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of
North America, 905 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006
News from Canada
Accident investigation e-course shows how to get to the root causes
This new e-course, Accident Investigation, from the Canadian Centre
for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) presents an introduction and
practical approach to investigating workplace accidents. The purpose of an
investigation is to find the root causes and correct them to prevent similar
events from happening in the future.
The course outlines the steps to take to develop an accident investigation
policy/procedure, conduct a thorough investigation by gathering evidence,
interviewing witnesses, and analyzing the facts, and to make effective
recommendations for action to prevent similar occurrences.
This course is essential for health and safety committee members,
supervisors, and managers. It is also beneficial to health and safety
professionals or anyone else who may have responsibilities for a workplace
investigation or for implementing changes resulting from an investigation.
E-learning courses from CCOHS are unique in that they provide the user with
course content that is:
- Credible - developed by CCOHS subject specialists
- Accurate, current and written in clear language - reviewed by other CCOHS
subject specialists to ensure quality standards are met
- Unbiased - reviewed externally by representatives of government, employers
and labour
- Available in English and French
Learners can ask a CCOHS instructor specific questions that may not have been
answered by the course. This e-course, with quizzes throughout and an exam to
measure learning, takes about 50-60 minutes to complete. After the learner
passes the exam they are issued a certificate of completion.
The course can be purchased for one user or, if four or more people are to be
trained, a multi-user license offers a savings. Special introductory pricing is
available until April 10, 2006.
The French version of the course, L'Enquête d'accident will be
available in the spring.
Registration and pricing information is available on the CCOHS website: www.ccohs.ca/products/courses/accident_investigations
For further information contact: Eleanor Irwin, Manager - Marketing,
Sales and Communications, CCOHS | Tel: 905.572.2981 X4408 | Email: eleanori@ccohs.ca
The following may be of interest to OSHE information seekers, if you have
a favourite website please let me know... Also look at www.oshworld.com
- see the links under country and also under subject.
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (OSHE)
Foundation BANGLADESH
www.oshebd.org/main.html
Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (OSHE) Foundation
established in December 2003 as a specialized OSH centre at national level by
workers initiative. The mission of the OSHE Foundation is to assist the workers
organizations in different industrial sector defend their rights on safety and
health issue, contribute towards sustainable environmental development, increase
safety awareness among workers and promote safety culture and put into practice
at work places. The goal is to deliver effective support and services to workers
on OSH issues through the participation oriented safety improvement approach.
National OSH Resource Centre in labour market, the OSHE Foundation is
continuously developing itself to serve as a specialized key resource center on
OSH issues in labour market and society.
FRANCE
Groupement de l'Institution Prévention de la Sécurité sociale pour
l'Europe (Eurogip) FRANCE
www.eurogip.fr
Groupement de l'Institution Prévention de la Sécurité sociale pour l'Europe (Eurogip)
Public interest grouping (groupement d'intérêt public) formed in 1991 by the
National Health Insurance Fund for Employees (CNAMTS)
and the National Research and Safety Institute (INRS)
with its mandate renewed in 2001.
LATVIA
Latvia State Labour Inspectorate (SLI) LATVIA
www.vdi.gov.lv
The Latvia State Labour Inspectorate (SLI) is a state administrative and
supervisory institution. Its activity is determined by the "State Labour
Inspectorate Law". The following persons and institutions are subjected to
the supervision and control of the SLI: entrepreneurs, the state and municipal
institutions, religious and nongovernmental organizations, employers and their
representatives according to the mandate and responsibilities delivered to them,
dangerous equipment and their owners, as well as workplaces and other places at
the enterprises available for the employees during their work process. The main
task of SLI is to take measures to ensure effective implementation of State
policy in the field of labour legal relations, labour protection and the
technical supervision of dangerous equipment. Site contains history, structure,
contacts, news, news releases, events, legislation, publications, statistics
etc.
POLAND
National Labour Inspectorate of Poland POLAND
www.pip.gov.pl/html/en/html/index.htm
The National Labour Inspectorate of Poland, subordinate to the Sejm (the Lower
Chamber of Polish Parliament), is a body for supervision and inspection of the
observance of labour law, in particular occupational safety and health
regulations and rules. The range of its activities and powers is specified in
the Act on the National Labour Inspectorate of 6 March, 1981 (Journal of Laws of
2001, No 124, item 1362). Supervision over the National Labour Inspectorate - in
the scope defined by the above-mentioned Act - is executed by the Labour
Protection Council, appointed by the Speaker of the Sejm. The National Labour
Inspectorate is managed by the Chief
Labour Inspector, appointed by the Speaker of the Sejm, with the assistance
of the deputies.
The National Labour Inspectorate of Poland is formed by the Chief Labour
Inspectorate, 16 district labour inspectorates, together with labour inspectors
acting within the territorial competence of district offices. Each of the
district labour inspectorates covers the area of one province with its
competence. The NLI's structure also includes 42 sub-district offices. The
National Labour Inspectorate runs its own training facility - the NLI's
Training Centre in Wrocław, named after Prof. Jan Rosner.
SPAIN
Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e Higiene en el Trabajo SPAIN
www.mtas.es/insht/en/index_en.htm
Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e Higiene en el Trabajo (INSHT) web site in
English and Spanish has information on documentation. regulations,
organisations. training, statistics, studies and research, laboratories and
quality control and links of interest.
UK
Institute of Occupational Medicine UK
www.iom-world.org
The Institute of Occupational Medicine is the premier independent UK centre for
research, consultancy and training in occupational and environmental health,
hygiene and safety. Carries out world class research, analysis, solutions and
strategic advice for industry, governments, groups and individuals across the
globe.
USA
Better Hearing Institute USA
www.betterhearing.org
The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is a not-for-profit corporation that educates
the public about the neglected problem of hearing loss and what can be done
about it. Founded in 1973, it works to erase the stigma and end the
embarrassment that prevents millions of people from seeking help for hearing
loss, show the negative consequences of untreated hearing loss for millions of
Americans, and promotes treatment and demonstrate that this is a national
problem that can be solved.
Make my day...
Send Your news to your Editor: sp@sheilapantry.com
Diary of Events
If you have details of any conferences, seminars, training courses and
events then please send to your Editor. You can also check and please use any of
the data in www.oshworld.com/diary.html
Don't forget
13-15 September 2006 - CIS Annual Meeting 2006 and Training Workshop, Geneva
See also details of various events in this edition!
|
