CIS Newsletter

No. 211
April 2007

CIS Newsletter celebrates 19 years & still going strong!
Bringing news to over 140 countries in the CIS Network!

Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. News from CIS HQ - CIS Annual Meeting 2007 information
  3. 28 April 2007 - World Safety and Health Day
  4. News from around the World - Canada, Germany, Malaysia, UK and the USA
  5. News Briefs
  6. Diary of Events

Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

28 April 2007 is World Day for Safety and Health at Work! Anything you can do - even the smallest event will bring safety and health to the forefront. Don't forget to look at the web site www.ilo.org

First announcements and early preparations are now taking place for our 2007 CIS Meeting - in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 September 2007.

The Meeting will be organized jointly with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The CIS Meeting will be held at the same time as the European Agency has its meeting of focal points, some of which are also our centres.

The Meeting will be held in conjunction with the A+A 2007 Congress and Trade Show, jointly sponsored by BASI (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit), the ILO, the European Agency and other safety and health bodies. For greater details see below message from Gabor Sandi at CIS HQ.

And because of the joint meeting there will not be any Training Workshops for CIS members this year.

Remember also that the 2008 Annual CIS meeting will be in Seoul, Korea - held at the same time as XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work - Global Forum for Prevention - "Safety and Health at Work: A Societal Responsibility" to held June 29 - July 2, 2008, at the COEX Convention Center, Seoul, Korea: www.safety2008korea.org

The three organizing bodies are International Labour Organization, International Social Security Association and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.

Thanks for the publications, emails and news - these are always gratefully received and are used as soon as possible. So now we can share the information worldwide...

Publicity... tell them, tell them and tell them again... Remember >>>>

Use the CIS Logo on your web site and publications!

Thriving in 2007... Keep promoting and telling the World at large that CIS and its network exists!

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. 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.

Changed email number recently? Please let me know of any changes so that I can continually alert you to when the new edition of CIS Newsletter is available via this website

All good wishes to you, your families and your colleagues.

Sheila Pantry, OBE

85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK
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NEWS FROM CIS HQ, GENEVA

News from CIS HQ

Gabor Sandi writes

Some information on the proposed 45th annual CIS meeting:

In Düsseldorf, Germany, on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 September 2007.

The Meeting will be organized jointly with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The CIS Meeting will be held at the same time as the European Agency has its meeting of focal points, some of which are also our centres.

The Meeting will be held in conjunction with the A+A 2007 Congress and Trade Show, jointly sponsored by BASI (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit), the ILO, the European Agency and other safety and health bodies.

The Meeting will consist of two sessions:

  1. On the afternoon of Wednesday, 19 September, there will be a joint meeting involving CIS Centres and Focal Points of the European Agency for Safety and Health. This unique opportunity will bring together representatives of two very important networks of the OSH information community.
  2. On Thursday, 20 September, the whole day will be devoted to the CIS Network alone. We shall follow the traditional format of such meetings. However, European Agency Focal Point representatives and members of other OSH information networks will be welcome to participate as observers.

The Meeting will be held in English. There will be no simultaneous interpretation into other languages.

Because the CIS Meeting will be held within the Congress location, participants will be asked to pay a registration fee for the Congress. We have, however, negotiated a special price for CIS participants: €70, instead of the €140 for normal attendees. Payment of this registration fee will, naturally, enable you to participate in all Congress activities and attend the trade show.

Please note that the A+A meeting is expected to be very heavily attended, and therefore we advise you to reserve hotel accommodations as soon as possible.

The Congress organizers have made arrangements with the hotel Express by Holiday Inn Düsseldorf-Nord, for a special price of €149 per night (for single rooms, buffet breakfast included) during the period 17-20 Sept. 2007. The number of these rooms is limited. If you are interested, we recommend that you make your reservations as soon as possible (this offer ends on 11 May, in any case).

Reservations can be made (with a credit card) through the Internet site www.hiexpress.de - please make the remark BASI during the reservation process in order to benefit from the special rate.

28 April 2007 - World Day for Safety and Health at Work

The ILO's World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an annual event, held on 28th April of each year. It aims to raise awareness about how to make work safe and healthy and the need to raise the political profile of occupational safety and health.

The theme for this year's World Day for Safety and Health at Work is:

Safe and healthy workplaces - Making decent work a reality

Safe work is at the heart of the ILO's Decent Work agenda. It is essential to achieving all four of the ILO's strategic objectives. Many of the international standards created since the ILO was founded in 1919 address issues related to occupational safety and health. Work can only be decent if it is safe and healthy. Occupational safety and health falls squarely into the category of social protection. And successful social dialogue is one of the key tools in making work safe and healthy.

The ILO has recently created a new tool to contribute to achieving safe and decent work. The Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) was adopted by the most recent International Labour Conference. As a framework Convention, it is designed to provide for a coherent and systematic treatment of occupational safety and health. The Promotional Framework may also serve to promote recognition of existing Conventions.

The Office hopes to see many ratifications of this framework convention, and 28 April presents a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the new instrument and to promote its ratification.

Last year over 100 countries celebrated World Day for Safety and Health at Work. Events ranged from speeches held by leaders from government, employers' organisations and trade unions, to exhibitions focusing on safety at work, to themed coffee meetings on occupational safety and health. There were also podium discussions and workshops and extensive media coverage.

All products (reports, posters, and other promotional material) are available for downloading from the SafeDay Website in English, French and Spanish at www.ilo.org/safework/safeday.

You are encouraged to organise local activities using the materials available on the web site. There you will be able to find a downloadable (pdf) version of this year's substantive report, and the graphic files for the SafeDay poster. Ideally events should involve both management and workers. You can also contact local press and media to let them know about your event. Please also let the ILO know by sending a mail to safeday@ilo.org.

Events will be organized by all constituent bodies in all parts of the World.

ILO Governing body

If you are curious to know how the international Labour Office (ILO) Governing body works check out the following information source. The 2007 Meeting is taking place in Geneva, at the ILO Headquarters, from 8-30 March 2007.

Further information is available at: www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb298

Readers may want in particular to look at documents discussed by the Committee on Employment and Social Policy (ESP).

OSH Brief 1

Mittal Steel organized on 6 March 2007 its first Day for Safety and Health at Work throughout the organisations sites. Please see the News item prepared by CIS in this respect.

www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/oshworld/news/mittalday.htm

Note also the video available from Mittal.

OSH Brief 2

A wealth of information is available on Better Safety and Health for Suppliers on the SafeWork Website at:

www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/li_suppliers

OSH Brief 3

At its 293rd session (June 2005) the Governing Body of the ILO decided that a Tripartite Meeting on the Production of Electronic Components for the IT Industries: Changing Labour Force Requirements in a Global Economy would be held in Geneva from 16 to 18 April 2007.

The meeting could develop a number of points for discussion on the basis of a background report looking at the shift in production of IT components between industrialized, developing and emerging economies; changing skill requirements; gender; age distribution; conditions of work; labour management relations; and production in industrial zones. Safety and health issues will certainly be dealt with.

www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/sectors/mee.htm

OSH Brief 4

Decent Work Country Programmes

Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) have been established as the main vehicle for delivery of ILO support to countries.

DWCPs have two basic objectives. They promote decent work as a key component of national development strategies. At the same time they organise ILO knowledge, instruments, advocacy and cooperation at the service of tripartite constituents in a results-based framework to advance the Decent Work agenda within the fields of comparative advantage of the Organization.

Tripartism and social dialogue are central to the planning and implementation of a coherent and integrated ILO programme of assistance to constituents in member States.

Further information is available from the Decent Work Country Programme Website is available at: www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/program/dwcp

IPCS International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC)

Forthcoming IPCS International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC) Peer Review Meeting is to be held in Munich on 16-20 April 2007.

Participants will review new and revised International Chemical Safety Cards which will eventually appear on the CIS (and other) sites in several languages www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/icsc

Also to be discussed are the continued efforts to align the ICSC standard phrases with the UN Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

Brenda Dardelin
CIS HQ

REMINDER - La Enciclopedia de Salud y Seguridad en el Trabajo de la OIT en español

The 4th edition of the ILO Encyclopaedia on Occupational Health and Safety is available in Spanish on the site of CINTERFOR (Centro Interamericano de Investigación y Documentación sobre Formación Profesional) at www.cinterfor.org.uy/public/spanish/region/ampro/cinterfor/sid/servicio/enciclop/inicio.pdf as well as from the site of the ILO Subregional Office for Central America, Haiti, Panama and the Dominican Republic at http://portal.oit.or.cr/index.php?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=sst/enciclopedia/inicio.pdf&Itemid=130

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work - Young film makers respond to the call!

A short film produced by three students from the Istituto Técnico Industriale Statale "Nullo Baldini" in Ravenna, Italy was awarded the title of "Safe Start European Young Film Maker of the Year" at the Safe Start Summit held in Bilbao, Spain on 22 March 2007.

Young people in Europe were challenged to "grab their cameras and put their skills to the test" to create a short film which conveyed a message about safety and health at work through their own eyes. The competition was organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work as part of a European campaign dedicated to the safety and health of young people.

The winning film "Il gioco della vita" ("The game of life") makes a strong link between a wooden puzzle and the life of a young man who is injured in a work accident. The puzzle collapses and can be rebuilt but you can't easily rebuild a human life.

An independent Jury of experts in communications, safety and health evaluated 27 entries nominated by EU Member States. The Jury considered the films under three criteria - effectiveness of the message, treatment of the subject and the overall impression.

According to the Chairman of the European Film Jury, Peter Rimmer, "We were looking for a good storyline and compelling images that would grab our attention The Jury agreed that this five-minute film was a powerful, emotional story where the music and the gentle pace were sympathetic to the storyline. The film has no dialogue or voiceover which means that it is transferable, and can be used widely across Europe to demonstrate the consequences of paying insufficient attention to safety and health at work."

Three other films were presented with runners-up awards in the competition.

The Jury awarded a runner-up prize to students from Lycée professionnel du Nivolet in France for their film "Les risques cachés" about the dangers of dust in the workplace. "Dust kills!" was a powerful message with good opening shots and interesting camera angles to capture attention. The film has no dialogue or voiceover which means that it is transferable, and the graphics are clear and well executed.

Lack of attention to safety at work can have serious consequences for the rest of your life. This was the message from four students from Zespół Szkół im. Ignacego Łukasiewicza w Nowej Sarzynie in Poland in their film "Don't destroy dreams" ("Nie niszcz marzeń"). The film shows two boys on their first day at work. One pays attention to the safety instructions and safety notices, the other does not. He is injured in a woodcutting machine accident and loses an arm which means that he can no longer join his fiends in the break-dancing he loves.

Finally, two minutes of safety in the kitchen impressed the judges with its simple and direct communication as young catering trainees from CEUS, Center for Erhverv og Uddannelse Storstrøm, in Denmark showed the wrong (unsafe) and the right (safe) ways to go about their work in the film, "Right or Wrong? - How to behave in the kitchen"

The competition was open to schools and to young people under the age of 19 as individuals or working as a team.

The four videos are available to view on the Safe Start website at http://osha.europa.eu/en/campaigns/ew2006/awards/video

Contact: 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.europa.eu | http://osha.europa.eu

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Marriage may protect against work stress

Married people or those in stable partnership relationships experience less job strain, in terms of anxiety, depression and fatigue, compared to single, widowed and divorced individuals. Those who are divorced experience the highest levels of strain. The results of the research by Roxane Gervais from the Health and Safety Executive's Health and Safety Laboratory and Bob Hockey from the University of Sheffield, was presented at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference at the University of York on Thursday 22 March 2007.

The research was based on a survey of over 400 National Health Service (NHS) nursing staff who completed questionnaires measuring job strain, social support, emotional demands, physical demands, marital status and whether or not they had children. While marital status made a difference to job strain, the existence of children made no difference.

While some other research has suggested that emotional demands and physical demands at work lead to strain, this study found these factors made no difference. However, social support did help to reduce strain.

The researchers suggest that nurses as a group need support to cope adequately with the demands of their jobs and spouses may assist in fulfilling this role. The results are consistent with other studies assessing the impact on marital status on stress. In this respect work/life balance interventions may need to focus more on older single individuals and less on those with children.

The British Psychological Society | www.bps.org.uk

European Safe Start Summit concludes successful health and safety campaign

European Union (EU) policymakers, social partners and leading safety and health experts met on 22nd March 2007 at the Euskalduna Conference Centre, Bilbao, Spain, to see how to ensure that young people have a safe and healthy start to their working lives.

Five hundred delegates heard that across Europe, 18 to 24-year-olds are at least 50% more likely to be injured in the workplace than more experienced workers, and that behind the statistics are harrowing stories, of young people having to live with the consequences of accidents and damaged health for the rest of their lives, or dying when they had so much of their lives ahead of them.

The Safe Start Summit, jointly organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and the German Presidency of the European Union, was the culmination of the Safe Start campaign in 25 EU Member States as well as EFTA and candidate countries.

The Summit provided an opportunity to hear professionals, practitioners and participants speak about what has been achieved during the campaign, and how we ensure that we protect the workforce of tomorrow by taking action today.

According to Agency Director Jukka Takala, "There are some consistent and clear messages from the Safe Start campaign. The most important message is the success of learning from real-life situations by involving vocational students and young workers in carrying out real risk assessments to identify hazards and to find solutions. The solutions result in safer workplaces, and underline the importance of consulting young people about OSH because they have plenty to contribute. Another interesting point to emerge is the importance and the success of learning from peers.

"From the forthcoming report on mainstreaming OSH into the education curricula, we see that there is much activity in Member States at primary and secondary level. There are also many good examples form vocational education. But activity is much less obvious in university education. That is why the Agency has identified this for a follow-up project to be started later this year."

Safe Start featured a wide range of engaging quizzes, interactive learning materials and events, including good practice awards and a competition to find the European Young Film Maker of the Year on a health and safety theme.

The European Good Practice Awards 2006 were given to acknowledge the positive contributions made to promote the occupational safety and health of young people.

Eight winners received their awards including an awareness programme for risk prevention in schools in Spain, a passport to occupational safety skills in Finland, online and web-based initiatives in the UK, Poland and Denmark, a telephone helpline in Sweden, and a training programme for agricultural students in the Netherlands - see Annex 1. There were also 17 Commended examples from 14 different Member States - see Annex 2.

Presentations were also made to three students from the Istituto Técnico Industriale Statale "Nullo Baldini" in Ravenna, Italy for their short film "Il gioco della vita" ("The game of life") which was awarded the title of "Safe Start ... European Young Film Maker of the Year" , and to three runners-up from Denmark, France and Poland.

The campaign culminated in the European Week for Safety and Health at Work in October 2006, with a range of awareness-raising activities being organised across Europe.

A Safe Start in Italy at Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome attracted over 5000 thousand young people, their parents, employers and teachers who tested their knowledge on safety quizzes, watched safety demonstrations and films, and viewed an exhibition of work through the ages.

In addition to the annual poster competition, the Agency's Polish focal point organised a "Safe Start" Education Picnic to reach pupils, students, employees and employers.

In Greece, posters were displayed throughout the public transport network - buses, metro, tram, train and also main stations - in Athens and Thessaloniki.

In the Netherlands, a conference on the Safe Start theme was followed by a second event on noise at work which was organised as a follow-up to the European Week in 2005. A similar noise conference was organised in Germany during the Week.

Excellent websites were developed and launched in the Netherlands and Germany, and by many of the project organisers.

The Labour Inspectorate in Austria cooperated with schools across the country to make young people aware of OSH issues, and a counselling initiative devoted to the "supervision of young workers involved in dangerous work" was launched in companies.

The focal point in Lithuania participated in "Expo Aukstaitija 2006" for the first time and produced a booklet about risks and hazards on the farm in cooperation with the Labour Inspectorate of Poland.

The focal point in Finland organised a photography competition in 2006 on the theme of "Young people at work". Prizes were awarded to four works by young photographers.

To communicate the campaign message in Denmark, students were given a short talk with a few figures and then a Danish rap group played the campaign song, a selection of their own numbers and some freestyle rapping.

Everywhere the animated video film "Napo in Safe Start" was a huge success.

For further information about the Safe Start campaign see: http://osha.europa.eu/en/campaigns/ew2006

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.europa.eu | http://osha.europa.eu

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Founding of the PERC gives hope to European workers

The Pan-European Regional Council (PERC) of the ITUC has been set up at a Founding Assembly in Rome, Italy, fifty years after Treaty of Rome which started processes of European integration was signed. The creation of the PERC is a result of a resolution adopted at the ITUC Founding Congress last November in Vienna. In line with the PERC Constitution, John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), will serve as its General Secretary while Mikhail Shmakov, President of FNPR Russia, has been elected as the President of the Council.

According to the Constitution adopted, the PERC will work to promote the strategies, priorities and policies of the ITUC and will seek to contribute to social development, the consolidation of democracy and to respect for human and workers' rights in the region. Promotion of trade union action, and representation of workers' interests through the strengthening of the trade union movement and support for bilateral and multilateral cooperation, will be central objectives of the Council.

In order to promote social dialogue, decent work and the European social model across the entire continent, the PERC will cooperate closely with the ETUC. The PERC consists of 87 national centers affiliated to the ITUC representing more than 85 million members on the continent, from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

"The PERC will work to promote and sustain workers' rights and decent social standards throughout the continent, at a time when globalisation is posing ever new challenges to trade unions everywhere", declared Guy Ryder, ITUC General Secretary during the founding ceremony this morning. "It will strengthen and solidify the trade union presence in all the countries involved" he added.

"This is a new, exciting start for European trade unionism across the whole continent of Europe. PERC will soon make its presence felt" said John Monks, ETUC General Secretary:

"Fundamental workers rights are violated not only in Russia, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova, but also in Western Europe, Baltic countries and in the Balkans. That is why PERC is putting protection and promotion of workers' trade union rights among its highest priorities" said Mikhail Shmakov, President of FNPR Russia.

Founded on November 1 2006, the ITUC represents 168 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has 304 national affiliates. www.ituc-csi.org

WorkLife2007 - Call for Abstracts - Deadline Extended!

WorkLife 2007 will be held on September 10 - 11, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Abstracts must be received by April 30, 2007

On-line Submission at www.worklife2007.com

You are invited to submit an abstract for presentation at the WorkLife 2007 National Symposium. The Symposium will provide researchers, policymakers, practitioners, academics, employers, and labor leaders an opportunity to share their experiences with integrated and coordinated health protection and promotion programs. These worksite programs must address health risk by combining attention to both the individual workers and the environments in which they work. The conference planning committee is accepting abstracts on research and design, evaluation, and implementation of such worksite programs.

View the preliminary symposium agenda online for more information about each session.

Abstract Guidelines

Participants may present current research; describe effective workplace programs, practices and policies; present approaches to program evaluation; or propose new conceptual frameworks or models. Please direct your presentation to a broad audience of stakeholders: practitioners, educators, policy makers, and researchers of diverse interests and disciplines. Potential topics include: best and promising practices (e.g., case studies: how to initiate, integrate, and evaluate integrated programs); economic analyses and issues; needs of specific employee or employer groups (e.g., mobile workers, concerns of small businesses); research aimed at work life that improves health, well being, and the ability to work; and stimulating and managing organizational change.

Your abstract must address the following points, which will be rated in the selection process:

Abstract Submission

Abstracts must be submitted via the Internet at the following web address: www.worklife2007.com

Please limit the body of the abstract to 500 words or less. Include a title, author(s), organizational affiliation(s), and preference for poster or oral presentation. The abstracts of work selected for presentation will be included in the materials distributed to all meeting participants.

Selection

Approximately 20 abstracts will be selected for 10 minute oral presentations in a series of concurrent sessions at the conference. At least 60 abstracts will be selected for poster presentation. All oral presenters will be asked to submit a PowerPoint Presentation (no slides or overheads please) by August 10, 2007. Approximately 350 participants are expected.

Limited travel funds may be available for selected presenters.

The deadline for receipt of abstracts is April 30, 2007 and notices of acceptance will be sent by June 1, 2007. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Dori Reissman | Email: DReissman@cdc.gov

Please do not send abstracts directly to Dr. Reissman, use the online submission form at www.worklife2007.com

The Framework Directive on Safety and Health at Work and its implementation in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises - International Symposium in Prague 21 - 23 November 2007

The ISSA Prevention Sections Iron and Metal, Electricity and Machine and System Safety are jointly organising in cooperation with the Czech Ministry for Social Affairs and Labour an International Symposium in Prague, from 21-23 November 2007.

The topic of the Symposium is:

"The Framework Directive on Safety and Health at Work and its Implementation in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises" and the working languages are German, English and Czech.

Contact for further information: Dominique Dressler, Allgemeine Unfallversicherungsanstalt - AUVA, Internationale Beziehungen und Kongresswesen, Adalbert-Stifter-Strasse 65, 1200 Wien, Austria | Tel: +43 1 33 111-558 | Fax: +43 1 33 111-469 | www.auva.at

OSH Brief

LATEST ISSUE - INFO IRSST (Electronic newsletter from the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail)
see www.irsst.qc.ca/media/documents/en/InfoIrsst/Archives/InfoIRSST_v05n03.htm

Pleasant reading !

Jacques Millette, Communications Director, IRSST, 505, De Maisonneuve blvd. West, Montréal (Québec), Canada H3A 3C2 | www.irsst.qc.ca | communications@irsst.qc.ca

News from the UK

Secretary of State announces review of working nation's health

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon John Hutton MP, announced on 27 March 2007 at the IOSH 07 Conference in Telford that he is commissioning, with Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, Secretary of State for Health, a joint review of the health of Britain's working age population.

Mr Hutton said that he would like this to become an "annual report" to provide a real evidence base to help refine the approach the government takes to improving the health of the workforce. He also hopes that this new approach will help provide maximum value for the Health Work and Well Being Strategy.

Mr Hutton also announced a new partnership between IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): "I'd like to ask IOSH to work with Bill Gunnyeon, my department's Chief Medical Adviser, to consider how to maximise the contribution that health and safety practitioners can make. Ensuring that government provides them with the right support and encouraging a real cross-cutting partnership between all those with an interest in public and occupational health."

He explained "We can't seem to escape from the media headlines with the latest thinking on the impact of certain foods and diets on our health. The public appear to have an insatiable appetite for such information. By contrast issues around work and health often draw very negative media coverage. I believe we have to find a way to change this negative perception."

Mr Hutton concluded: "Health and safety practitioners have a crucial role to play in mentoring and supporting those joining or rejoining the workforce. IOSH is playing a critical role in leading from the front. The first stage of the IOSH toolkit for work-related stress and musculoskeletal disorders being launched today is another important step forward in giving health and safety practitioners easy access to the information and guidance that will help them play a greater role in tackling illness and absence caused by occupational health issues."

IOSH President Lisa Fowlie, welcoming the new partnership, said: "the health of the working age population has been a neglected topic for a considerable amount of time.

Unfortunately, there are currently only a few thousand specialist occupational health doctors and nurses in the UK, which we believe is woefully inadequate to deal with the potential numbers who may return to work or join the workforce. However, with a little extra training, an additional 10,000 health and safety practitioners could play an increased and vital role in facilitating and supporting safe returns to work and long-term retention."

She added, "We look forward to working with the DWP on the Health, Work and Well Being Strategy. We're positive about our relationship with government and know that working together we can make a real difference as we seek to improve the health of the working age population."

IOSH is Europe's leading body for health and safety professionals. IOSH has nearly 30,000 members worldwide, including more than 10,000 Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners. The Institution was founded in 1945 and is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that sets professional standards, supports and develops members and provides authoritative advice and guidance on health and safety issues. IOSH is formally recognised by the ILO as an international non-governmental organisation.

Contact: Paul Marston, 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

Iran: ITUC and ETUC Protest Against Repression of Women

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and its European counterpart the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) have addressed a strong protest to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadjinejad over the mass arrests of Iranian women demanding equal rights. 33 were arrested and imprisoned during a peaceful demonstration against the trial of 5 others accused of having held an "illegal demonstration" on 12 June 2006. While most of the women were subsequently released, and ordered not to participate in events to mark International Women's Day, it is believed that 3 others remain in prison. Two of the detained women, who have multiple sclerosis, had reportedly been refused medical treatment by prison authorities. Several women journalists have also been arrested to prevent them travelling to India to attend an international training course. A further peaceful gathering calling for women's rights, in Tehran on March 8, was violently dispersed by security forces, and at least 8 of the women arrested.

"Women in Iran face grave and systematic discrimination and violations of fundamental rights", said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder. "It is shameful that the Iranian authorities are not only perpetuating and deepening this discrimination, but that they also chose to take such repressive action to silence legitimate and peaceful protest on March 8, the very day that equality for women is the focus of world attention", he added.

Meanwhile, the Education International has also protested to the Iranian regime over the arrest and detention, at an undisclosed location, of two senior officials of the Teachers' Trade Association of Iran on 7 March, and the arrest of a further 20 education union leaders. The teachers were involved in protests for decent living wages and improved living conditions (see http://ei-ie.org/en/news/show.php?id=396&theme=statusofteachers&country=iran).

Founded on November 1 2006, the ITUC represents 168 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has 304 national affiliates.

www.ituc-csi.org

ILO-WTO Joint Report: A Step Towards Sensible Global Policy

World trade union body the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) ITUC has welcomed the publication of the first-ever joint study by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), "Trade and Employment: Challenges for Policy Research", as an unprecedented step forward towards achieving genuine coherence in the way the world's major institutions work together.

"The findings in this research study justify many of the long-standing positions of the world trade union movement," stated ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder. "It points the finger at many of the major problems faced by workers and their trade unions, such as employers threatening to transfer production around the world to keep wages low; the potentially negative effects of trade on income distribution; and the inadequacy of social safety nets and active labour market policies such as education and training in many countries around the world."

The study neglects however to tackle other serious problems such as the impact of trade on women workers, many of whom are missing out on the potential benefits of global trade due to discrimination at work, and the plight of workers in many of the world's 5,000 export processing zones where unions are effectively outlawed. Possibly the major omission from the report is analysis of the effect of China's policy of suppressing workers' rights, and thus wages, both on China's workforce and on those developing countries whose economies face ruin by unfair competition from China based on its low wage policy. The fundamental issue of whether trade can in some cases lead to reduced national output and growth, hence jeopardising any positive benefits for employment, was also largely unexplored in the study.

"Nonetheless, this paper heralds an important start in ILO-WTO cooperation, as called for in the recommendations of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation," concluded Ryder. "It shows that these two institutions need to do much more work together, to enable trade to lead to higher living standards for all rather than undermining decent work. Those governments which have been selling their own citizens short by refusing to recognise the obvious link between trade and labour standards should read this report, and learn its lessons".

Summary and Initial Commentary on "Trade and Employment: Challenges for Policy Research" - Joint ILO-WTO:

www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ILO-WTO_paper_summary_and_comments_-_final.pdf

The European Commission has launched a new five-year strategy for Safety and Health at work: It aims at cutting by a quarter work-related illness and accidents across the EU

The new European Strategy will cover the period of 2007 to 2012 and pursue the positive trends of the previous Community Strategy 2002-2006 which is already bearing fruit. Over the period 2002-2004, the rate of fatal accidents at work in the EU-15 has fallen by 17% while the rate of workplace accidents leading to absences of more than three days has fallen by 20%.

As promoted in the previous Community strategy evaluation, a particular emphasis is placed on partnership at European and national levels to achieve good results in safety and health.

Main challenges concerning health and safety at work

In spite of the progress achieved, the latest results of the fourth European survey of working conditions show that many workers in Europe continue to perceive that their jobs pose a threat to their health or safety:

Moreover, occupational hazards are not being reduced in a uniform way:

Objectives of the Community strategy 2007-2012

The European Commission has set itself an ambitious overall objective: to reduce by 25% the total incidence rate of accidents at work per 100 000 workers in the EU 27 for the period 2007-2012.

In order to achieve this goal, the following main instruments are proposed:

  1. guarantee the proper implementation of EU legislation;
  2. support SMEs in the implementation of the legislation in force;
  3. adapt the legal framework to changes in the workplace and simplify it, particularly in view of SMEs;
  4. promote the development and implementation of national strategies;
  5. encourage changes in the behaviour of workers and encourage their employers to adopt health-focused approaches;
  6. finalise the methods for identifying and evaluating new potential risks;
  7. improve the tracking of progress;
  8. promote health and safety at international level.

http://osha.europa.eu/new_eustrategy

ILO welcomes EU decision to step up fight against HIV/AIDS

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has just welcomed a declaration by Ministers of Health from the European Union (EU) on HIV/AIDS, saying it contains provisions that give greater recognition to the role of the workplace in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The "Bremen Declaration on Responsibility and Partnership - Together Against HIV/AIDS" was adopted by Ministers of Health from the European Union and 16 non-EU countries at a Conference organized by the German government in Bremen, Germany on 11-12 March 2007.

The new Declaration commits signatories to consider new initiatives for fighting AIDS in the European context, including discrimination and the protection of rights, confidentiality and the reintegration in the labour market of HIV-positive workers on antiretroviral treatment.

In recognizing the role of the workplace in the fight against the pandemic, the Declaration invites governments, employers and workers to ensure non-discriminatory policies for people living with HIV and care and support for those affected.

The ILO's presentation to the Conference showed how its work is based on the Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. The value of the Code was also explicitly recognized in the Declaration.

"This blueprint for workplace action is internationally recognized and globally applicable - employers and trade unions in industrialized countries increasingly recognize the value of HIV/AIDS policies and use the ILO code as a point of reference", says Dr. Sophia Kisting, Director of the ILO's Programme on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work, who attended the meeting.

"The ILO's approach is to mainstream HIV/AIDS in its Decent Work Country Programmes, at the same time as collaborating with fellow cosponsors of UNAIDS in implementation. Since 2002, the ILO and the German development agency GTZ have a partnership programme to support ILO constituents in Eastern Europe and Africa to implement workplace policies and programmes through capacity building, socio-economic research, exchange of good practices, and support of Public-Private Partnerships", she adds.

HIV/AIDS has cost more than 1 million jobs in the worst-hit countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America but is also a growing challenge for Europe despite its lower prevalence rates. According to UNAIDS, an estimated 270, 000 people in Europe were newly infected with HIV in 2006, bringing to 1.7 million the number of people living with HIV - a twentyfold increase in less than a decade.

For more information on the Conference in Bremen: www.bmg.bund.de/cln_040/nn_1030704/DE/Themenschwerpunkte/Internationales/EU-Ratspraesidentschaft/Konferenzen/bremen-12-3.html

NIOSH Malaysia Conference and Exhibition on Occupational Safety and Health: COSH 2007 20 - 22 August 2007

Organized by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Malaysia. COSH is an annual event organized by NIOSH in its aim to discuss current issues and challenges in occupational safety and health.

This is the 10th conference held and the response received from the industries and organizations locally as well as from overseas for these past few years have been very encouraging. As part of the conference, an oral (slide) and poster presentation session will be organised. We are glad to invite OSH researchers, locally and overseas to submit scientific papers for COSH 2007.

Theme:
OSH-Reinforcing the Commitment
Date:
20 - 22 August 2007
Venue:
Genting International Convention Centre, Malaysia
Phone:
+603 8769 2195 (Ms. Ruzita Shariff)
Fax:
+603 8926 5900
Email:
ruzita@niosh.com.my
Web:
www.niosh.com.my

Contact: Ms. Ruzita Shariff, Information Services, Communication & Technology Unit (ISCTU), National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) Malaysia, Lot 1, Jalan 15/1, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia | Tel: +603-8769 2195 | Fax: +603-8926 5900

FOCUS: Malaysia's National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

The NIOSH performance in recent years, in terms of activity as well as income has been excellent. In accordance to the new corporate mission, which was introduced in 2002, NIOSH has worked to fulfill its mission to be the industrial preferred partner in improving the occupational safety and health (OSH) in Malaysia.

NIOSH's training activity performance has increased to 48 percent compared to 2004 in which as many as 1,624 courses have been conducted. A new programme for contractors was introduced, which registered 41,128 participants. The information dissemination activity has increased from 54 external exhibitions in 2004 to 61 exhibitions in 2005. The consultation and research development has also showed an increased in terms of the number of projects carried out.

The year 2005 has also marked NIOSH's remarkable success in organizing major event of 8th Conference and Exhibition in Occupational Safety and Health (COSH2005) as more than 1,000 participants have joined the conference, which included foreign participants and speakers. Their willingness to share their knowledge and expertise in curbing workplace accidents and ill health in their country is hoped to increase the level of occupational safety and health awareness in Malaysia.

In addition, NIOSH have started to introduce and market its product and services to the industries and new ventures, especially government agencies, agriculture industry and industries involving chemical use. These efforts have enable NIOSH to be known among the industries other than manufacturing, construction, oil and gas as well as heavy industries. This advancement has placed NIOSH as the main reference center for information and services in relation to OSH in Malaysia.

NIOSH has also been extremely active in the Training Area. The training activities are broadly classified into 3 main groups namely implementation of training programme, development & revision of training module, and monitoring and evaluation of training activities.

Consultation

Consultation is one of NIOSH's core activities in the effort of elevating OSH in the workplace. As the preferred partner in industries, NIOSH continuously emphasizes on the quality of the consultation services provided to meet the clients' request. The consultation services are divided into four services categories. They are OSH Solutions, Legal Compliance, Laboratory Services and Customised Training.

Research

In general, NIOSH research activities can be divided into three categories, namely:

  1. Research projects using external sources / research grants from government and private sector;
  2. Supervision research projects for students in higher learning institutions; and
  3. Article writing for journal publication.

The research activities focused on OSH aspects at the workplace. Among the relevant issues include stress at the workplace, exposure to chemical substances, physical working capacity, workplace physical assessment and OSH in the logging industries.

Beginning 2005, each unit/ divisions in NIOSH are required to conduct at least one research project to encourage the staffs' involvement in the research activities.

NIOSH Internal Research Papers

  1. Working at Height: Accidents Related to Fall of Person from Height in the Construction Industries
  2. Kajian Kes di Malaysia: Kejadian Kemalangan di Ruang Terkurung dan Status
  3. Occupational Safety and Health Condition in a Call Centre at NIOSH
  4. Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Surveillance in Occupational Medicine Center, NIOSH, Malaysia
  5. A study on the Effect of Visual Fatigue Among Manual Visual Inspection Workers in an Electronic Industry
  6. Occupational vibration Exposure to Whole-body Vibration in Various Type of Industry in Malaysia
  7. Study on Dust Exposure Among the Metal Industry Workers in Kemaman
  8. Study on Indoor Air Quality Level at NIOSH Building Environment
  9. The Needs of NIOSH OSH Higher Education Program
  10. Keberkesanan Program Latihan Dikalangan orang Dewasa Dalam Bidang Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan
  11. Tahap Keberkesanan Perkhidmatan Hostel NIOSH
  12. Keberkesanan Objektif dan Kaedah Perlaksanaan Peperiksaan Pegawai Keselamatan dan Kesihatan (SHO) dalam melahirkan SHO yang berkualiti dan berketrampilan di Negeri Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
  13. A Study on the Use of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Information for Decision Making by Safety and Health Officer
  14. Keberkesanan Implementasi Program NSP-IPA
  15. Contractor Safety Passport System (CSPS): Keberkesan Perlaksanaan Di Sektor Industri
  16. The effectiveness of NPSP Program to Minimize Accident Rate Among Petrochemical Industries Contractors in Kerteh
  17. Finding Customer's OSH services needs and Customers Satisfaction level in Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang.

Information gained from these studies and research findings benefits NIOSH in the efforts to increase the quality of information services especially to the industries and the public as a whole.

Information Dissemination and Services

Information dissemination is one of the functions in NIOSH which has become in demand by the industries. Indirectly it indicates the increasing level of awareness in OSH among employers, employees and higher learning institutions in Malaysia. This function is carried out by the Information Services, Communication and Technology Unit. The infrastructure development and the information technology softwares are among the main elements of disseminating information to the industries as well as the public as whole.

External Exhibition

NIOSH conducts two types of external exhibition activity. NIOSH either organises its own external exhibitions or NIOSH attends to external exhibition organises by industries. The exhibition is aimed at disseminating information on OSH to industries as well as the public and to introduce products and services by NIOSH.

Library and Information Services

The library collection continues to grow. NIOSH library have also received free printed matters contributed by various agencies locally as well as internationally. These are in the forms of annual reports, monthly bulletins and newsletters.

The library to ensure the efficiency of feedback when handling reference queries, each one is recorded into the Reference Enquiry Management System (REMS) and feedback is provided within 24 hours.

OSH Shop

After almost three years of operation, the OSH Shop services showed an excellent performance. The OSH Shop services have achieved its target of providing alternative OSH products to the public which include employees, employers, course participants, students and OSH practitioners to support training activities and OSH awareness programmes in the workplace. The sales materials consist of books, video tapes, VCD, poster, souvenirs, personal protective equipment and etc. are sold here to enable clients to buy at a one stop shop.

Publication

Material publication is one of the activities under the information dissemination in NIOSH. NIOSH has published:

  1. NIOSH FYI: Monthly publication which contains articles, latest information, book review and web sites, safety tips and other aspects in relation to OSH; and
  2. Basic Information Serial: A series of basic information published in Bahasa Malaysia which contains the summary of basic guidelines and information on specific OSH related issues.

Effort was also put in to publish the periodical journal entitled Journal of Occupational Safety and Health which serves as a platform for the experts in OSH to share the knowledge and information.

NIOSH Web Site

The NIOSH web site provides extensive useful and essential information for all OSH practitioners. Among the information provided in the web site include latest news in OSH, safety guidelines at the workplace as well as announcements on events in relation to OSH conducted by various organisations in Malaysia.

The NIOSH Forum is a channel where OSH practitioners use to communicate and exchange opinions and information on-line and efficiently

Video and Multimedia Production

The NIOSH multimedia laboratory is equipped with two computers for video editing specification; where as the other computer has the specification of audio editing. The multimedia laboratory is also equipped with several VHS, VCD and DVD player as well as the BETA tape player. The laboratory also keeps the digital and photo camera as well as the digital video camera for the purpose of recording activities such as training, consultation services, research services and OSH information dissemination services.

ASEAN OSHNET Secretariat activities

ASEAN OSHNet (ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network) was officially formed in 2000 through a memorandum of understanding among the ASEAN countries. NIOSH representing Malaysia has officially undertaken the secretarial job from Indonesia beginning July 2004 to June 2007. The main objective of this secretariat is to cultivate the cooperation between the OSH centers among the ASEAN countries.

NIOSH has a vast array of services - to read more about their activities visit the web site

For more information contact: Ms. Ruzita Shariff, Information Services, Communication & Technology Unit (ISCTU), National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) Malaysia, Lot 1, Jalan 15/1, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia | Tel: +603-8769 2195 | Fax: +603-8926 5900

Diary of Events

April 2007 onwards

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

19-21 April 2007 - 2nd Nanotoxicology Conference 'Progress and Future Perspectives
San Servolo, Venice, Italy
Contact: www.informaworld.com/nanotoxconference

24-25 April 2007 - Spring Conference 2007 The Sound of Sustainabiity - Going for Gold - organised by the Building Acoustics Group
De Vere University Arms, Cambridge
Contact: Linda Canty, Institute of Acoutics, 77A St. Peter's Street, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 3BN, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1727 848195 | Email: Linda. canty@ioa.org.uk | For the programme and to register www.ioa.org.uk/events

3-6 June 2007 - Noise Control'07: X1V International conference on noise control
Elblag, Poland
Contact: Organizing Committee, CIOP-PIB, Warszawa | Tel: +48 22 623 46 90 | Fax: + 48 22 623 46 54 | Email: dobie@ciop.pl | www.ciop.pl/noise_07

19 June 2007 - New Noise and Vibration at Work Regulations
Birmingham, UK
Contact: EBIS, The Coach House, Harestone Hill, Caterham, Surrey CR3 6DH, UK | Tel: + 44 (0)1883 345754 | Fax: +44 (0)1883 330906 | Email: bookings@ebis-hse.com | www.ebis-hse.com

20 June 2007 - New Noise and Vibration at Work Regulations
Leeds, UK
Contact: EBIS, The Coach House, Harestone Hill, Caterham, Surrey CR3 6DH, UK | Tel: + 44 (0)1883 345754 | Fax: +44 (0)1883 330906 | Email: bookings@ebis-hse.com | www.ebis-hse.com

27 June 2007 - New Noise and Vibration at Work Regulations
London, UK
Contact: EBIS, The Coach House, Harestone Hill, Caterham, Surrey CR3 6DH, UK | Tel: + 44 (0)1883 345754 | Fax: +44 (0)1883 330906 | Email: bookings@ebis-hse.com | www.ebis-hse.com

20-22 August 2007 - Malaysia 10th National Conference of Occupational Safety & Health (COSH2007) - OSH Reinforcing the Commitment
Genting Highlands, Malaysia
Contact: Mohd Hussin Bin Abd Salam, Info. Service, Comm & Tech Unit, National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) Malaysia | Tel: +603-87692100 Ext. 2200 | Fax: +603-89265900 | Email: mohd.hussin@niosh.com.my | www.niosh.com.my/cosh2007

10-11 September 2007 - WorkLife 2007: Protecting and Promoting Worker Health A National Symposium
Hyatt Regency, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Contact: www.worklife2007.com

21-23 November 2007 - Fire India 2007 exhibition and conference
Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, India
Contact: Mayur Lalit, Services International B 9, A-Block, Local Shopping Complex Naraina Vihar, New Delhi 110028, India | Tel: +91 11 25770411 / 0212 | Cell: +91 9312 393 789 | Fax: +9111 25778876 | Email: fire@servintonline.com | www.fire-india.com

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

World Day for Safety and Health at Work organized by the International Labour Office (ILO) on 28 April 2007

Making Decent Work a Reality - Safe and Healthy Workplaces

Block these dates in your diary: visit A+A Dusseldorf, Germany on 18-21 September 2007

www.aplusa-online.de