CIS Newsletter

No. 207
December 2006

CIS Newsletter celebrates 18 years & still going strong!
Bringing news to over 140 countries in the CIS Network!

Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. News from CIS HQ and News, Proposals and Questionnaire
  3. Labour Inspection
  4. Stop violence against children in the workplace!
  5. Design your own poster
  6. News from around the world - Canada, Dubai, Finland, Germany, ILO, Singapore, UK and USA
  7. News Briefs
  8. OSHE websites to explore
  9. Diary of Events
  10. Want to know about CIS

Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

Welcome to the last CIS Newsletter of 2006 and may I extend Festive Greetings to everyone, wherever you are. In many parts of this World of ours there will be celebrations of Christmas. To everyone, may I send the warmest of good wishes to you, your colleagues and your families at this very special and happy time of the year. I hope you will enjoy the festivities.

Whilst this is usually a joyful season for families and friends we must also remember those families around the world where there will be that missing family member, who, because of very sad incidents, accidents and workplace ill health problems will not be present.

2006 and all that.....

We have had a very fast, active year for the CIS Network - it is important that we keep it flourishing, and not just communicate once a year at the CIS Annual Meeting and Workshops. So keep reminding yourselves that there is much yet to be achieved - look back at the September 2006 CIS Annual Meeting and proposals which were sent out by CIS HQ in Geneva and also reported in the CIS Newsletters. Look at the Working Party Papers that were created in 2005 - see if there are any ideas that you can take up and run with in your country. Also remember that there are many people in the network who can help you achieve your goals..... twinning with other countries has been a long-time arrangements, but perhaps in recent times and unused facility to get help from people and CIS Centres who have already achieve many goals.

Now we look forward to 2007 with all its challenges and opportunities ahead for us to help improve the knowledge of all workers through disseminating validated and authoritative information, which at all times, should be timely and presented in usable formats. And of course to the next CIS Annual Meeting - if we are lucky to be able to attend - perhaps in Bilbao at the European Agency in September 2007?

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...

I have been warning this for over a year but CIS Newsletter December 2006 is the last PRINTED edition of CIS Newsletter... times move on and most people can click onto a web site and get the latest information. So after 18 years of a printed CIS Newsletter we move entirely to the electronic world.

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Appreciation

I want to take this opportunity to thank Marc de Greef, Chief of Prevent (previously ANPAT) in Belgium for his and his staff's wonderful co-operation in printing and mailing the Green CIS Newsletter around the world for over 14 years.

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A few people have responded since the last edition, but if there is anyone else who wish to get the CIS Newsletter electronically please send as soon as possible your email number. I send an email each month to tell people when the new edition is available

Anyone who finds that they cannot received the CIS Newsletter from the web site www.sheilapantry.com/cis where back issues are stored should also let me know by fax +44 1909 772829

Also on emails ... Some of you who have changed your email number and addresses in recent months, please let CIS Headquarters know your new email/address and also let me know as well - otherwise you will not get the CIS Newsletter or other news.

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!

I did have a response or two re my Editorial "Where do professional occupational, health and safety information managers, specialists and OSH practitioners go for their information? And there are a few of us who are getting very worried about people looking at the wrong sources for OSH answers that are not authoritative and validated OSH information sources.

Remember you first heard this warning here in the CIS Newsletter!!!!!!

Remember that your News in the CIS Newsletter goes to over 140 countries and gets re-used in other magazines and websites. CIS Newsletters on the web are getting more and more used.... With many hundreds of hits per month......Publicity means..... tell them (would be customers as well as existing customers of your Information services), tell them and tell them again...

Will you be Surviving in 2007?.... perhaps you will if you make efforts in promotion, publicity and telling the World that CIS and its network exists!

Use the CIS Logo on your web site and publications!

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

Please consider the environment before printing this Newsletter

Feel free to use this notice on your own website / pages / e-news

News from CIS HQ

28 April 2007 - World Safety and Heath Day

You will have received information from CIS HQ that the 28 April 2007 theme will be

"Making Decent Work a Reality - Safe and Healthy Workplaces".

The idea behind it is to promote the new convention C. 187

More news from CIS HQ

Proposals and questionnaire survey concerning the organization of future CIS Centres meetings

Through informal discussions and feedback, we understand that some (maybe many) participants think that the Annual or Regional meetings of CIS Centres need to be more oriented to our practical needs.

CIS would like to learn the lessons of the last and of previous meetings and proposes a new arrangement for future meetings more suitable to your (and our) needs and expectations. We shall provide the basic features of the new proposal below. Please read them carefully, then spend a few minutes answering the questionnaire provided at the end. Your opinion is very important to us and we will certainly take your answers into consideration before finalizing our plans for the next meeting.

THE PROPOSAL

  1. Future CIS meetings will last three days. Two of these days will be devoted to practical work and training, the third to general discussions.
  2. Practical work and training sessions will involve smaller groups - no more than 20 people. If more than 20 people sign up for them, parallel sessions will be organized.
  3. If the need is there, parallel sessions in more than one language can be organized.
  4. Formal presentations on centres should be entirely devoted to the informational activities of these centres, with an emphasis on what is new and what is being planned. The internal organization of centres and their role in non-informational activities are not within the scope of interest of CIS.
  5. CIS will invite information presenters from a wider circle: other ILO departments, Non-governmental organizations, IALI, ISSA, labour unions, private businesses. Presentations may be made on OSH Conventions, ILO Programmes on child labour and AIDS, psychosocial issues (e.g. the SOLVE Programme).

THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Please add any suggestions and comments.

And send your reply to Email: CISCENTRES@ilo.org

CIS Declaration

Please read carefully the draft Declaration, whose text is based upon the discussions held during the 2006 Annual meeting. CIS HQ looks forward to feedback about the draft.

Please read our proposals concerning future meetings, and fill out the questionnaire with your comments regarding these proposals.

All feedback to both the Declaration and the Questionnaire should be returned by e-mail to our CIS Centres address: CISCENTRES@ilo.org

Please let us know if you want paper copies of any of the attachments we have sent you so that we can mail them to you.

We thank you for your kind collaboration.

With very best wishes,
Gábor Sándi
Head, CIS

ILO calls for strengthening labour inspection worldwide

The International Labour Office (ILO) today proposed a new series of measures (Note 1) designed to "reinvigorate", modernize and strengthen labour inspectorates worldwide, in a move to boost the implementation of labour laws on the working conditions that protect the rights of millions of workers worldwide.

The ILO stresses that good governance of workplaces is central to the promotion of sustainable economic development.

The new initiatives on labour inspection were welcomed by both worker and employer representatives at the ILO's 297th Governing Body meeting here as a means of improving competitiveness, economic growth and job creation. The new measures will contribute to preventing some of the 2.2 million annual fatal occupational accidents and the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS each year. Effective systems for labour inspection are also vital in the struggle to eliminate child labour, forced labour and discrimination in the workplace.

In the face of mounting challenges to the worldwide force of national labour inspectors, which at an estimated 120,000 is stretched thin across global workplaces, the ILO's Governing Body Committee on Employment and Social Policy proposed the new measures aimed at improving both quantity and quality of labour inspections. The moves will contribute to achieving the ILO's "Decent Work Agenda".

Measures suggested in the package to "reinvigorate" inspection services included tripartite labour inspection audits to help governments identify and remedy weaknesses in labour inspection, the development of ethical and professional codes of conduct, labour inspection fact sheets, global inspection principles, and hands-on tools for risk assessment, occupational safety and health management systems and targeted training for inspectors.

An Integrated Labour Inspection Training System (ILITS) was also endorsed to help strengthen labour inspection by coordinating administrative, procedural and technical elements from the global policy level down to the operational level in the enterprise where the quantity and quality of inspections can be significantly improved.

In many countries the numbers of workers in relation to labour inspectors exceed the benchmarks used by the ILO, says the report. The ILO is concerned if the relation exceeds one inspector per 10,000 workers in industrial market economies; one inspector per 20,000 workers in transition economies; and one inspector per 40,000 workers in less developed countries.

The ILO report says many countries are missing these benchmarks, and that there are enormous differences between countries at all levels of development. The ratios between active population and inspectors range from one inspector per 5,500 active workers in Malaysia, 8,300 workers in Latvia, to one to 45,000 in Burkina Faso, to one to 370,000 in Cambodia and one to 3,200,000 in Bangladesh.

According to the report, resources for labour inspection have been squeezed in many countries as a part of budget austerity measures. This, despite the fact that the Governing Body Committee on Employment and Social Policy found that an efficient and adequately resourced labour inspection system makes a significant contribution to economic development, social cohesion and good governance.

Labour inspection reforms underway

Several countries have, nevertheless recently moved to reinvigorate labour inspection, the report says. Brazil recruited 150 new inspectors to tackle forced labour in 2004, Turkey has trained 108 inspectors to fight child labour, and Greece has conducted training for 81 newly recruited inspectors. Spain has increased the number of inspectors from 1,500 to almost 2,000 over the last three years, while Latvia intends to recruit 39 new inspectors after January 2007.

Following the killing of two labour inspectors in France in 2005, the government just launched the new "Plan Larcher", to tackle the organisational crisis in labour inspection. This includes structural and organizational reforms, improving the quality of inspections and the recruitment of 700 new inspectors by 2010.

With 135 ratifications, ILO Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No.81) (Note 2) on labour inspection in industry and commerce is one of the ten most ratified ILO conventions to date and serves as a good international guide to secure the enforcement of the legal provisions relating to conditions of work and the protection of workers. The measures decided by the ILO Governing Body build on a survey of the application of the ILO's labour inspection standards at the June 2006 International Labour Conference.

Labour inspection is part of countries' overall labour administration system, the quality of which according to the report is vital to the effectiveness of a labour inspectorate. The ILO Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No.150), and its accompanying Recommendation (No.158) set out the overall duties of a labour administration as including labour inspection.

See a feature on labour inspection.

Note 1 - Report of the Committee on Employment and Social Policy, 297th Session of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, Geneva, November 2006; and Strategies and Practice for Labour Inspection, report of the Committee on Employment and Social Policy to the Governing Body (GB.297/ESP/3), November 2006.

Note 2 - For more information, see Labour Inspection, Report III (Part 1B), International Labour Conference, 95th Session, Geneva, 2006, ISBN 92-2-116606-6.

Universal Children's Day 20 November 2006
Stop violence against children in the workplace!

Every year, millions of children who work pay a heavy price in terms of pain and abuse for their labour. The "World Report on Violence Against Children", launched on Universal Children's Day says many of the world's more than 300 million child and adolescent workers suffer ill-treatment, physical and psychological violence, verbal or sexual abuse (Note 1). The report paints a stark picture of the nature, extent and causes of violence against children, including forms of violence in places of work ILO Online reports.

Among the settings where children are exposed to violence, the workplace should receive high priority. Targeted interventions to contact, rescue and rehabilitate children at risk of violence should be undertaken urgently in many countries, with the help of employers' organizations, trade unions and government agencies, including labour inspectorates.

The most common forms of violence against child labourers are of physical, psychological or sexual nature. According to the new UN report, the violence working children experience is often systematic and part of a collective workplace culture of physical brutality, shouting, bad language, and casual violence including sexual harassment, and in extreme cases, even rape or murder.

The most frequent harm to working children's well-being from the violence they experience, however, appears to be low self-esteem resulting from verbal abuse, humiliation and bullying. Such forms of psychological violence include shouting, scolding, insults, threats, obscene language, bullying, mobbing, isolation, marginalization, and repeated discriminatory treatment.

Though there is little hard data on the precise numbers of working children who suffer violence, especially for child workers in the informal economy where the majority are to be found, the evidence amounts to a shameful, hidden side to children in the workplace.

"Violence towards working children has only remained 'invisible' because the direct question is rarely put: data are systematically collected on violence against female and other workers, but child workers are ignored", explains Frans Roselaers, Director of the ILO's Department of Partnerships and Development Cooperation and member of the editorial board of the report.

Factors fuelling workplace violence

Many forces compel children into at-risk work to support their own or their families' daily existence. "It is difficult to establish categorically where work beneficial for future working life stops, and exploitation and abuse begin. In many societies, parents place greater value on children being employed in economic activities than going to school - particularly where the quality and relevance of the available schooling is low. Children in such societies and situations are induced to work by the family or the employer and tend to do as they are told", explains Roselaers.

The taking-in of children from other households to perform domestic work is a good example. In many societies, it has long been seen as a form of surrogacy, adoption or assisting a child from a less fortunate family. Today, such practices have become commercialized. In 2004, the ILO estimated that there were around 250,000 in Haiti, 200,000 in Kenya and 100,000 in Sri Lanka, for example.

Although a small proportion are boys, domestic work is normally consigned to female workers and is the largest employment category of girls under 16 years in the world. According to the report, it has increasingly become a form of unregulated employment and exploitation, even of servitude.

"The situation of child domestic workers is usually thought by their parents to be safe since the girls live in better accommodation than at home, may be expected to eat better, and are under the care of the woman of the house ... however, employment in private premises puts a young girl at considerable risk. She is at the mercy of the employer and other household members", explains Roselaers.

Consultations with child domestic workers reveal high levels of violence. In the Philippines and Peru, almost all child workers report that they have suffered maltreatment. In Fiji, eight out of 10 domestic workers reported that their employers sexually abuse them. Research in El Salvador found that two-thirds of girls in domestic service reported being beaten, insulted, denied food, fined for damages, or forced to remain out of doors.

An even more blatant example of violence against children is the sexual exploitation of children under 18, in child and adolescent pornography or sex shops. Although figures about children entering prostitution are only broad estimates, around one million children are thought to enter sexual exploitation every year. In South and East Asia, around one-third of those in sexual exploitation work are thought to be under 18.

The violence intrinsic to sexual exploitation is often compounded by exposure to additional physical or psychological violence. "According to an ILO/International Programme on the Elimination of Children Labour study in Viet Nam, 12 per cent of children in prostitution said they were subject to torture, beaten by customers or employers; also that they underwent repeated abortions, even having an abortion in the morning and receiving a customer in the afternoon. In Mongolia, 33 per cent of girls in prostitution indicated that they had been raped", says Roselaers.

The world's 5.7 million children in forced and bonded labour, including a significant proportion of victims of trafficking, are also at constant risk of violence. Though bonded labour survives elsewhere, much of the problem is concentrated in South Asia. Another risk group are children involved in trading drugs: they are often on the end of violent behaviour and exposed to risks of substance abuse and harm.

Children in unsafe working environments are also at risk. In 2004, more than 60 per cent of the world's 218 million working children were deemed to be in 'hazardous' work. This includes glass factories, mining, and plantation agriculture where health and safety regulations are often lax or non-existent, the report says.

"Violence committed against a single child is one instance of violence too many. If we acknowledge this, we can accelerate the present rate of reduction in child labour that has been achieved over the last four years, eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016 ... and stop violence against children altogether!", concludes Roselaers.

See facts and figures on violence against children at work.

Note 1 - For more information on the World Report on Violence Against Children, see www.violencestudy.org.

www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/features/06/children_day.htm

Design your own Safety Poster

If you have scanned the web and the press for a safety poster that suits all your needs without success then the UK Safety Point bespoke range could well be of interest.

For example EMCOR Rail went this route and commissioned a range of eleven striking posters to suit the organisation's health and safety needs exactly. These striking posters from the Safety Point design studio are supplied in heavy-duty encapsulation to withstand the ravages of everyday life on site or in the office.

The publisher of Safety Point safety posters, Heath Technical Services, has announced the introduction of a Bespoke Safety Poster service. As few as twenty of these Bespoke Safety posters can be produced to client's specification with typically a cartoon character and client-specified text.

Ask for a quote from Stan Allen at Heath Technical Services, 6 Sandfield Gardens, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 8AR | Tel/Fax: 0208 653 4648 | Email: stan@allen1889.freeserve.co.uk

Latest Safety Point safety poster for display screen users meets latest Regulations

Published in accordance with Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 and the amendments of 2002, this addition to the Safety Point range of safety posters from Heath Technical Services is entitled Display Screen Equipment Know How. It joins the ever-expanding range of safety posters in the extensive Safety Point range and includes eleven checkpoints for the "office" environment and ten vital checkpoints for the seating position.

Displaying this useful poster in the office environment fulfils part of a company's Duty of Care regulations and lays some responsibility for Duty of Care on all who work in an office. This means that the conventional excuse of "I did not know" can be side tracked as all the necessary information and the know-how about safety in the display screen area is on the wall for all to see and note.

These eye catching safety wall posters are available from Stan Allen at Heath Technical Services, 6 Sandfield Gardens, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 8AR | Tel/Fax: 0208 653 4648 | Email: stan@allen1889.freeserve.co.uk

News from Singapore

International Advisory Panel for Workplace Safety and Health

The Singapore Ministry of Manpower has recently formed a six-member International Advisory Panel (IAP) for Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) to advise on Singapore's strategies to halve the workplace fatality rate by 2015. The Panel comprises renowned Workplace Safety and Health experts with wide-ranging regulatory and industry experience.

The IAP's inaugural meeting took place from 31 October to 2 November 2006. During the meeting, IAP members visited worksites and held discussions with government organisations and close to 200 industry stakeholders from the WSH Advisory Committee and companies from all sectors.

This inaugural meeting focused on two areas:

The IAP has strongly endorsed Singapore's WSH framework and strategies. It has also unveiled a report with ten key recommendations to improve Singapore's WSH performance.

To read the full report, please refer to the press release at www.mom.gov.sg

Contact: Alan Chong, Manager, IT Solutioning, Occupational Safety & Health Division. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore | Tel: (65) 63171429 | Fax (65) 63171446 | www.mom.gov.sg

Singapore's
Vision: A Great Workforce. A Great Workplace.
Values: People-Centredness; Professionalism; Teamwork; Passion for Progress.

Make my Day..... Send some News - Your Editor

Special Award

Lifetime honour for Trevor Kletz for keeping industry sensibly safe

A professor who has dedicated his career to helping prevent accidents in some of the UK's most high risk workplaces has had his work honoured.

Professor Trevor Kletz OBE (84), who lives in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, was awarded the IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Sypol, for his work in industrial process safety and loss prevention at the Midland Hotel in Manchester on 15 November. The award is the highest accolade given by IOSH.

Among Prof Kletz's achievements has been discovering solutions to the causes of some of the worst industrial disasters of modern times - including the release of toxic vapour at Bhopal in India, which killed over 2,000 people, and the fire and explosion at Piper Alpha, which claimed 167 lives. He has also argued that nuclear power stations can be designed in a safer way that prevents meltdowns, using lessons learned from the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl disasters.

Prof Kletz said: "I couldn't have done what I've done without the help of a great deal of people. There's a great deal of camaraderie, and I regularly shared information with other companies, like BP and Shell, as we all want to keep people safe.

"I feel greatly honoured to receive this award, and I thank IOSH for presenting me with it. It may seem something of a cliché to say this, but those of us who achieve things like I have, do so because we have stood on the shoulders of giants."

Prof Kletz added: "It's also worth mentioning that my experience shows how your career can grow in ways you don't expect. I did a degree in chemistry, but I've never touched a test tube since I left university!"

Neil Budworth, President of IOSH, said: "Prof Kletz's work has helped keep countless numbers of people safe in their workplaces. His appointment at ICI followed a number of serious fires and explosions which made the company realise safety needed some expert input. Without his pioneering work, persistence and passion, many of these accidents could still be happening today, killing and maiming thousands of people each year.

"Prof Kletz is a great thinker whose approach to safety is way ahead of its time. He was calling for a 'common sense' approach to safety from very early on his career, and that's something that the health and safety profession has only begun to adopt in the last few years. His influence on our profession over the years cannot be overstated."

Lawrence Waterman, the Chairman of sponsors Sypol, added: "The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises those who have furthered the status and practice of occupational health and safety, leading to substantial improvements in the health and safety of working people.

"There can be little argument that Prof Kletz's contribution over the years has been immense. His work helped many people understand that removing a hazard altogether is better than trying to control it. The real brilliance of his work is that it is so simple - and that's what good health and safety ultimately is."

Born in Darlington, Prof Kletz was educated and grew up in Cheshire. He graduated from Liverpool University with a degree in chemistry and joined Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in 1944, spending 38 years working there in research, production management and as safety adviser to the Petrochemicals Division in Billingham, County Durham, before retiring from ICI in 1982.

In 1978, Prof Kletz was appointed an industrial professor at Loughborough University and after retiring from ICI, joined the university full time. In 1986 he became a visiting fellow and is still a visiting professor to Loughborough and Texas A&M Universities.

A prolific writer, Prof Kletz has written 11 books and over a hundred papers on his specialist subject of loss prevention and process safety. He was awarded the OBE in 1997, and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), and the Royal Society of Chemistry. In July this year, he was also made an honorary doctor of technology by Loughborough University.

Contact: Paul Marston, Media Officer, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 1NN, UK | Tel: +44 (0)116 257 3100 | Fax:+44 (0)116 257 9141 | www.iosh.co.uk

News from the UK

Nanotechnology: Next Big Thing, or Much Ado About Nothing?

More Research Key to Healthy and Safe Nanotech Workers

In less than a decade, nanotechnology is predicted to result in $2.6 trillion in manufactured goods annually. Already, there are over 300 manufacturer-identified nanotechnology-based consumer products on the market—ranging from computer chips to automobile parts and from clothing to cosmetics and dietary supplements (see: www.nanotechproject.org/consumerproducts). By 2015, over 2 million workers will be making these and other nanotechnology products.

But little is known about potential risks in many areas of nanotechnology—and funding for risk-focused research is a small fraction of what is being spent on nanotechnology commercial applications. Greater resources and attention are needed now in order to ensure safe nano-workplaces today and in the future.

That is the conclusion of Andrew Maynard, Chief Science Advisor of the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, in a new article, "Nanotechnology: The Next Big Thing, or Much Ado about Nothing?" in BOHS's journal, Annals of Occupational Hygiene. His article will appear in print in January 2007 and currently is freely available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/mel071. It is based on his Warner Lecture, delivered as the opening lecture at this year's BOHS Annual Conference.

"Because nanotechnology is a way of doing or making things rather than a discrete technology, there will never be a one-solution-fits-all approach for nanotechnology and nanomaterials workplace safety," states Maynard. "That is why the federal government needs to invest a minimum of $100 million over two years in targeted risk research in order to begin to fill in our occupational safety knowledge gaps and to lay a strong, science-based foundation for safe nanotechnology workplaces."

According to previous analyses done by Maynard, despite investing more than $1 billion annually on nanotechnology research, current US government spending on highly relevant nanotechnology risk research is only $11 million per year.

In the short term, because of incomplete information, Maynard stresses the need to supplement good hygiene practices in the workplace with nano-specific knowledge. While initiatives such as the ORC Worldwide™ Nanotechnology Consensus Workplace Safety Guidelines, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) "Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology," and the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) "Review of Safety Practices in the Nanotechnology Industry," provide invaluable resources for working as safely as possible with engineered nanomaterials, Maynard believes we still have a long way to go.

Until more research is available, Maynard proposes developing a "control banding" approach to nanotechnology workplace risk—a course of action that is between inaction and banning all nanomaterials as hazardous. This could involve selecting appropriate control approaches based on a nanomaterial "impact index" centred on composition-based hazard, and perturbations associated with their nanostructure—like particle size, shape, surface area and activity, and bulk-size hazard—and on an "exposure index" representing the amount of material used and its "dustiness." "This is still very much at the conceptual stage," says Maynard. "But unconventional problems need unconventional solutions, and these in turn will require a serious investment in relevant nanotechnology risk research."

"The presence of engineered nanomaterials in the workplace today poses an immediate challenge to how occupational safety and health is managed," maintains Maynard. "So far, we have a number of 'red flags' that indicate some might present a new or unusual health hazard—like recent research done with rodents suggesting that nanometer-diameter particles are capable of being transported from the nasal region of the respiratory tract to the brain, and circumventing the blood-brain barrier."

"While it is by no means certain that this particle size-dependent exposure route is significant in humans," notes Maynard, "we cannot avoid the fact that there is an overwhelming level of uncertainty over which nanomaterials and nanotechnologies present a potential risk, and why they do. In the long-run, safe nanotechnologies will not become a reality unless these uncertainties are addressed systemically, and this means conducting adequate strategic research."

Background Information

About Andrew Maynard
British born, Andrew Maynard is an internationally recognised leader in the fields of aerosol characterisation and the implications of nanotechnology to human health and the environment. Dr. Maynard joined the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2000. He was instrumental in developing NIOSH's nanotechnology research program. In 2005, he joined the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars as Chief Science Advisor for their Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Dr. Maynard received his Ph.D. in ultrafine aerosol analysis in the UK, at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge.

About Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the ability to measure, see, manipulate and manufacture things usually between 1 and 100 nanometers. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter; a human hair is roughly 100,000 nanometers wide.

The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies is an initiative launched by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and The Pew Charitable Trusts in 2005. It is dedicated to helping business, government and the public anticipate and manage possible health and environmental implications of nanotechnology. For more information about the project, log on to www.nanotechproject.org.

About BOHS

Occupational hygiene is about eliminating or controlling health hazards in the workplace (NOT about washing hands properly!), and the primary objective of the profession is to protect the long-term health and well-being of those at work. The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) is the definitive voice of occupational hygiene and has strong alliances with other health and safety organisations, the HSE, trade unions and business.

BOHS was formed in 1953 and its aim is simple: to help to reduce work-related ill-health. With members from within industry, health, education and research, it is by far the biggest hygiene society in Europe, and has been strengthened by its merger in April 2003 with the British Institute of Occupational Hygienists. The Faculty of Occupational Hygiene within BOHS plays a vital role in developing and maintaining the professional standards of hygienists, and is recognised internationally as a major professional examination and qualification body.

Contact Anthea Page, Communications Officer, BOHS, 5/6 Melbourne Court, Millennium Way, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8LZ, UK | Email: anthea@bohs.org | Tel: +44 (0)1332 250701

News from Finland

NoFS 2007 - Nordic Research Conference on Safety
13 - 15 June 2007, Tampere, Finland

The theme in 2007 will be 'Enabling safety - toward new paradigms'. The inspiration for this theme was a new book, entitled Resilience Engineering, by Erik Hollnagel.

With questions concerning the scientific programme please contact: nofs2007@ttl.fi

Chairperson
Tuula Räsänen
Professor
Jorma Saari
Secretary
Riikka Ruotsala

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel. +358 30 4741 | E-mail: firstname.lastname@ttl.fi

Practical arrangements

With questions concerning practical arrangement please contact: TAVI Congress Bureau, Noora Bergroth, Papinkatu 21, FI-33200 Tampere, Finland | Tel. +358 3 233 0450 | Fax +358 3 233 0444 | E-mail: NoFS@tavicon.fi

www.ttl.fi

News from Canada

E-Course from CCOHS Supports Safe and Timely Return of Injured Workers to Work

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has developed an e-course, Return to Work: The Basics, that provides a practical overview of strategies and solutions to help support the safe and timely return to work of injured workers.

When a person sustains a workplace injury or illness, it is important for the employer and the injured worker to try to minimize the impact by focusing on getting the worker back to safe and productive work.

Returning to daily work and life activities can actually help an injured worker's recovery and reduce the probability of long-term disability. Research shows that the longer an employee is off work due to injury or illness, the less likely they are to return to work.

The one hour e-course provides managers, supervisors and human resources professionals with an overview of the basics on return to work strategies and program implementation.

Courses from CCOHS are reviewed by expert representatives from labour, employers and government to ensure the content and approach are unbiased and credible. Course participants are able to contact CCOHS subject specialists to ask specific questions that may arise. There are quizzes throughout and a certificate of completion is issued upon passing the exam.

Pricing and registration information is available on the CCOHS website: www.ccohs.ca/products/courses/return_to_work

More about the benefits of e-learning: www.ccohs.ca/products/courses/e-benefits.html

Contact: CCOHS Client Services | Phone: 1-905-570-8094 (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time) | Toll-free: 1-800-668-4284 (Canada and USA) | E-mail: clientservices@ccohs.ca

IAPA management system receives ISO certification

IAPA's (Industrial Accident Prevention Association) quality management system has been certified to ISO 9001:2000 for the design and delivery of its public and in-plant training services. IAPA is the first workplace health and safety association to go through and successfully complete the ISO 9001:2000 certification process.

"Achieving ISO certification is fundamental to IAPA's ability to build and strengthen relationships with manufacturing-based firms that fall within our membership. Many of today's major manufacturing organizations require ISO certified suppliers in order to guarantee that they are then working with a quality service provider." says Maureen Shaw, President and CEO, IAPA. "Furthermore, in our work as a workplace health and safety solutions provider, we stress how essential it is for a company to strive for quality and excellence in its operations. By attaining ISO certification, IAPA is holding itself accountable to the same standards that we ask many of our clients to evaluate their own operations against."

There are eight quality management principles in the ISO 9001:2000 standard, which specify activities that need to be considered when implementing a quality management system: customer focus, leadership, involvement of people, process approach, system approach to management, continual improvement, factual approach to decision making, and mutually beneficial supplier relationships. In order to receive ISO 9001:2000 certification, IAPA was required to demonstrate and document how each section of activity was applied to its operations.

ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of 157 countries, on the basis of one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system. A non-governmental organization, many of ISO's member institutes are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. Other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnerships of industry associations.

Since 2001, IAPA has undertaken a systematic approach towards continuous improvement, making significant gains in the quality, effectiveness, and productivity of its operations. IAPA's ISO 9001:2000 certification is the latest accomplishment in the organization's journey to workplace excellence. Other recent achievements include being awarded the National Quality Institute's Progressive Excellence Program Level III for Quality Certificate and being recognized as one of the best organizations in Canada as a 2006 Canada Awards for Excellence Quality Award recipient.

IAPA is a not-for-profit, member driven organization operating in Ontario since 1917. Representing more than 50,000 member firms and in excess of 1.5 million Ontario workers, IAPA is Canada's leading workplace health and safety organization. The association is focused on providing industry-leading training, consulting, educational products, and informational services that meet members' needs and the needs of those in their communities. IAPA is a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre in occupational health, and an International Labour Organization - CIS Collaborating Centre.

For more information on IAPA's products, programs, and services, call 1-800-406-IAPA (4272), or visit its website at www.iapa.ca

Contact: Zuzka Hora, Manager, Information Centre Team, Industrial Accident Prevention Association, 5110 Creekbank Road, Suite 300, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 0A1, CANADA | Tel: 905-614-4272 ext 2385 or 1-800-406-4272 ext 2385 | Fax: 905-219-0009 | Fax: 1-800-316-4272 | Email: zhora@iapa.ca | www.iapa.ca

News from Canada

Accreditation for Ontario Workplaces

For several years, IAPA has been heavily involved in the development of the WSIB's accreditation program - an initiative that will result in a WSIB sponsored program that companies could use to market superior health and safety achievements, an opportunity to potentially reward high performing firms, and most importantly, contribute to the reduction of lost-time injuries in the workplace. Accreditation is progressing, with a pilot of the program expected for fall 2007 and complete implementation anticipated in 2008.

Accreditation, simply put, is the recognition of occupational health and safety (OHS) policies, programs, management, and practices (including outcomes) in workplaces that meet an accepted OHS standard. The actual accreditation standard will be based on recognized programs and practices known to be associated with successful health and safety outcomes. Furthermore, in the long-term, accreditation will motivate good workplace programs and practices and embed recognizable health and safety accomplishments as a prerequisite for doing business in Ontario. Progression to application for accreditation would be a logical next step for firms graduating from the Safety Group program. IAPA's first group of Safety Group graduates will be ready for accreditation at the end of 2008.

The process that has brought the idea of accreditation to the point of being a year away from implementation has been lengthy, with representatives from IAPA's Synergration, Field Operations, and Strategic Alliances departments participating at various stages in the program's development. IAPA was heavily involved in drafting the foundation for this program, participating in the creation of the accreditation structure and process standards, the auditor training standard, and the overall rationale for accreditation. In addition, representatives from IAPA took part in preparing a proposal to WSIB with recommendations on how to proceed with accreditation implementation, following meetings of the stakeholder accreditation working committee.

As to how IAPA's role in the accreditation program will develop, there are three areas of involvement open to the association. While it is yet to be determined to what extent the association's services will be required, IAPA may be playing a role in one or more of the following: as accreditation auditors, as trainers of auditors, and/or as consultants preparing firms for accreditation.

Stakeholder consultations are scheduled to take place in early 2007 and the WSIB's Project Director of Accreditation Implementation, Paul Casey, is expected to present an update on the program at IAPA's Health & Safety Canada 2007.

News from the USA

Dear Colleague:

The November issue of LIFELINES ONLINE (Vol. III, No. 6) is available at the LHSFNA website. These are the headlines:

To view the stories click www.lhsfna.org.

Also, please note that back issues of LIFELINES ONLINE - as well as our 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.

As always, we look forward to your feedback and comments on our website and LIFELINES ONLINE.

Steve Clark, Communications Manager, Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, 905 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA

News from the USA

Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies and Research Needs
NIOSH has released a summary document from the November 2004 conference, "Partnering in Workplace Violence Prevention: Translating Research to Practice." The report, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006-144, provides a useful framework on the current state of workplace violence research, prevention and communication activities in the U.S. The report can be accessed at www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2006-144.

"2007 National Safety Congress and Expo" Call for Presentations
The National Safety Council is soliciting abstracts for the "2007 National Safety Congress and Expo" to be held in Chicago, October 12-19, 2007. The submission deadline is January 12, 2007. Information on the call for presentations is available at www.eshow2000.com/nsc

"2007 AOHP Conference" Call for Speakers
The Association of Occupational Health Professionals has issued a call for speakers for the "2007 AOHP Conference" to be held in Savannah, GA, September 26-29, 2007. The submission deadline is November 17, 2006. More information on the call for speakers is available on the AOHP Web site, www.aohp.org.

Special Issue of American Journal of Industrial Medicine Focuses on Effects of Long Work Hours
The November issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine features a special section on various aspects of research on long work hours, health, and safety. This collection of articles is a response to the "2004 Long Work Hour Conference," sponsored by NIOSH and the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Article abstracts are available through the journal's Web site, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajim.v49:11/issuetoc#group2

Nanotechnology update

NIOSH, NIH, and EPA Jointly Announce Funding Opportunity
NIOSH joined with the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to solicit grant applications for research that will explore interactions between engineered nanomaterials and bodily systems. Grant applications are now being accepted under the announcement: Manufactured Nanomaterials: Physico-chemical Principles of Biocompatibility and Toxicity (R01). The deadline for letters of intent is December 13, 2006. For more information, visit http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-06-008.html.

NIOSH & ISO Nanotech Standards Development
NIOSH continues to be actively involved with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 229 on nanotechnologies. NIOSH is contributing technical input to the development of proposals for international occupational safety and health standards in nanotechnology, which will be presented at the next plenary session in Seoul, South Korea, on December 4-7, 2006. For more information about NIOSH participation in nanotechnology standardization development, contact Dr. Vladimir Murashov at VMurashov@cdc.gov.

Registration for Nanotechnology Conference Now Open
Registrations are being accepted now for the "International Conference on Nanotechnology Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety: Research to Practice," which will be held December 4-7, 2006, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The conference is co-sponsored by NIOSH, the University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This conference is centered on the impact of nanotechnology on occupational and environmental health and safety from two perspectives: (1) promotion and protection of individual safety and health along the life cycle of nano-based products and (2) use of emerging technology in prevention, detection and treatment of occupational and environmental diseases. Further information is available in the conference announcement at www.uc.edu/noehs/conference_program.asp.

Occupational Health Surveillance for Nanotechnology Workers
A new NIOSH guidance document, "Occupational Health Surveillance for Nanotechnology Workers," is expected to be posted in November on the NIOSH Nanotechnology topic page. This document will provide a framework for consideration of the issues pertaining to occupational health surveillance for nanotechnology. Watch the topic page at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech and the next issue of eNews for more details.

NIOSH Participates in EPA Risk Management Practices Meeting
NIOSH scientists Dr. Charles Geraci and Dr. Vladimir Murashov were among the invited government representatives who participated in a diverse peer panel at an October 19-20 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) public meeting on risk management practices for nanoscale materials. To focus the public meeting, EPA used a discussion paper that cited NIOSH's interim document, "Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology," as the primary reference for proposed EPA recommendations on workplace-related issues under a stewardship program for nanoscale materials. www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews/enewsV4N7.html#v

Three new mining publications now available
NIOSH released the following mining publications:

Make my Day..... Send some News - Your Editor

News Briefs

CANADA

Latest IRSST Report

The Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute Robert-Sauvé (IRSST), are keen to update readers on the research the Institute has carried out or funded, and the 2005 Activity Report presents concrete examples of the many research projects.

Highlighted is IRSST's 25th anniversary, the 2005 Activity report reveals the many ways in which it strives to fulfill its mission. The Report summarizes the main activities of the Institute, and includes a list of the year's scientific publications.

To find out more... IT TAKES ONLY A CLICK TO ACCESS INFO IRSST www.irsst.qc.ca. IRSST's site is regularly updated and is a mine of information on all of the activities and programmes. Some 750 publications resulting from IRSST work are also available to be downloaded free of charge.

Contact: Jacques Millette, Directeur des Communications, IRSST, 505 Boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest, Montreal, Quebec H3A 3C2, Canada | Email: millette.jacques@irsst.qc.ca | www.irsst.qc.ca

DUBAI

Health & Safety Conference, titled "Achieving Health & Safety Best Practices in Construction" which will be taking place on the following dates:

www.construction-hse.com for complete information on the event.

Contact: Sanjay Zaveri, IQPC Middle East, P.O. Box 502397, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Knowledge Village, Block 16, 3rd Floor | Tel: +971-4-360-2814 | Fax: +971-4-363-1925 | Website: www.iqpc.ae

GERMANY

The latest edition of KANBRIEF no.3/06 presents the New Approach that the European Commission is preparing that includes the treatment of occupational health and safety issues in service standards. This edition of Kanbrief also includes news about the new EUROSHNET forum area, accessible to all; Details of formal objections to PPE standards and also the ISO guidance document on "social responsibility"

The study KANBRIEF is available on the web www.kan.de

KANBRIEF is published quarterly contact: DR. Ing Joachim Lambert, Alte Heerstr.111. D-53757 Sankt Augustin, Germany | Tel: +49 (0) 2241 231 3463 | Fax: +49 (0) 2241 231 3464 | Email: info@kan.de | www.kan.de

OSHE Websites to explore

If you have a favourite website please send details to your Editor. Many other websites collected in the Country and Subject indexes in www.oshworld.com.

SINGAPORE

Singapore Occupational Safety & Health Division, Ministry of Manpower   SINGAPORE
www.mom.gov.sg
Singapore Occupational Safety & Health Division, Ministry of Manpower's website has been given a new look along with several improvements, including improved layout, better navigation, clear and concise content and a better search function.

UK

British Pyrotechnists Association (BPA) and CBI Explosive Industry Group (EIG)   UK
www.fireworksafety.co.uk/bpaeig.htm
British Pyrotechnists Association (BPA) and CBI Explosive Industry Group (EIG) together represent the majority of established firework manufactures and importers in the UK, the larger companies belong to both organisations. The two bodies are similar but distinct, and both provide a focus for dissemination of information. The BPA and EIG have jointly produced the guide "Firework safety Handbook". Copies are available from either organisation, and an electronic version is available here in PDF (Acrobat) format.

Diabetes UK; Diabetes at work   UK
www.diabetes.org.uk
Diabetes UK is the largest organisation in the UK working for people with diabetes. Information, guidance and advice to help people manage their diabetes and take steps toward reducing risks for related complications, such as heart disease.

Explosive Industry Group, CBI   UK
www.fireworksafety.co.uk
These pages have been prepared by the Explosive Industry Group of the CBI to help users of fireworks have a safe and enjoyable celebration . You will also find information for teachers and enforcers on this site.

Health and Safety Executive: Warehousing industry   UK
www.hse.gov.uk/warehousing
Health and Safety Executive advice for the warehousing industry - guidance and advice, including a list of free leaflets.

USA

Diabetes at Work   USA
www.diabetesatwork.org
Diabetes at Work can help businesses and managed care companies to assess the impact of diabetes in the workplace, and provide intuitive information to help employees manage their diabetes and take steps toward reducing risks for related complications, such as heart disease.

Make my Day..... Send some News - Your Editor

Diary of Events

If you have a seminar, conference or exhibition that you would like to promote - please send details to your Editor. Also look in www.oshworld.com/diary.html

7-9 February 2007 - European Tradeshow on Work Ergonomics and Wellness Solutions
Thurn & Taxis Brussels Belgium
Contact: www.ergonoma.com

8 February 2007 - FABIG Technical Meeting - Defence in depth: prevention of escalation of fires and explosions
Hilton Aberdeen Treetops, Aberdeen, UK
Contact: Julia Hodge, FABIG, UK | Tel: +44 (0)1344 636546 | Email: fabig@steel-sci.com | www.fabig.com

16-18 April 2007 - Health and Safety Canada 2007: IAPA Conference and Trade Show
Metro Toronto Conference Centre, Toronto, Canada
Contact: Michael Dyet, Centre for Health and Safety Innovation (CHSI), 5110 Creekbank Road, Mississauga, ON L4W OA1, Canada | Tel: 00 1 905 614 42720 | Fax: 00 1 905 614 1414 | Email: mdyet@iapa.ca | www.iapa.ca

18-20 April 2007 - IALI (International Association of Labour Inspection) Conference
Metro Toronto Conference Centre, Toronto, Canada
Contact: Michael Dyet, Centre for Health and Safety Innovation (CHSI), 5110 Creekbank Road, Mississauga, ON L4W OA1, Canada | Tel: 00 1 905 614 42720 | Fax: 00 1 905 614 1414 | Email: mdyet@iapa.ca | www.iapa.ca

23-25 April 2007 - Petrosafe2007
National Safety Council - Kerala Chapter, in technical collaboration with Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation, India
Contact: Sri. K. M. Amanulla, Organising Secretary, Petrosafe 2007, Productivity House, Kalamassery, Eranakulam PIN 683104, Kerala, India | Tel: +91 484 2541060 | Email: kma@petrosafe2007.com or amanulla.km@gmail.com

26-27 April 2007 - Electricity Industry Safety, Health & Environment Management Conference 2007
Beau Sejour Leisure and Conference Centre, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands
Contact: Neal Grant, Press and Public Relations Officer, Energy Networks, 18 Stanhope Place, Marble Arch, London W2 2HH, UK | Email: neal.grant@energynetworks.org | Tel: +44 (0)207 706 5115 | Mobile 07725 372758 | www.energynetworks.org/spring/she/SHEconference_2007.asp

28 April 2007 - ILO World Day of Safety and Health: "Making Decent Work a Reality - Safe and Healthy Workplaces"
The idea behind it is to promote the new convention C187 Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 see www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/convdisp1.htm

22-24 May 2007 - RoSPA Safety and Health at Work Congress and Expo
National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK
Contact: Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK | Tel: +44 (0)121 248 2000 | www.rospa.com

29-31 May 2007 - International Conference on Healthy Air - Better Work 2007
Organised by Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Helsinki, Finland
Contact: Ms. Solveig Borg, WORKAIR 2007 Secretariat, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250, Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 2900 | Fax: +350 9 241 3804 | Email: orkair2007@ttl.fi | www.ttl.fi

29 May - 1 June 2007 - WasteTech 2007 - Show and Conference
Moscow, Russia
Contact: Sergey Malygin, SIBICO International Ltd., PO Box 173, Moscow, 107078, Russia | Tel/Fax: +7 (495) 101 4621, 782 1013 | Email: waste-tech@sibico.com | www.waste-tech.ru

Want to know about CIS? Work Smarter not Harder!

If you wish to write about CIS Activities in your country and short of information on the range of CIS activities then you will find lots of very useful information, facts and figures in the report Report of the Director-General. Second Supplementary Report: Activities of the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) in 2004-05.

Read it and "cut and paste" the details into your own report or newsletter.
You will be impressed at the range of activities. I think the 2006-2007 activities will be even more impressive!

www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb295/pdf/gb-16-2.pdf.

Make my Day..... Send some News - Your Editor

Don't forget to send your Questionnaire form back to CIS HQ