Editorial
Is regulation the best way for success in the OSHE World?
November 2002
Sheila Pantry, OBE
Despite the large amount of quality information that is available in
the world, the accident, fatality and ill health figures keep arriving.
Recently released International Labour Office (ILO) figures report 2
million Work-related fatalities annually through work-related accidents
and diseases. For every fatal work-related disease there are about 100
other illnesses causing absence from work. The biggest killer in the
workplace is cancer, causing roughly 640,000 or 32 per cent of deaths,
followed by circulatory diseases at 23 per cent, then accidents at 19
per cent and communicable diseases at 17 per cent. So is tighter
regulation such as that seen in the UK this last few days the only
answer?
This month's FOCUS article is on the latest
developments in Asbestos in the UK where there is much activity with new
regulations coming into force.
Remember to look at the Products and Services on this web site and
see what is new and updated, such as Environment
Plus which has attracted users not only from the UK but around the
world. The guidance, advice, and the information in the legislation will
help all those achieve a more environmentally safer and healthier
workplace and surroundings. There is an ever increasing range of full
text information now in Environment Plus. See for yourself and take a
free 30 trial - either via the Internet on on CD-ROM.
A 30 day free trial is available - contact Safchem Services, The Farthings, Meesden, Buntingford, HERTS SG9 0BA, UK, Telephone: +44 (0) 1279 778971, E-mail:
info@safchem.co.uk, Web: www.safchemhaz.co.uk
As always OSHWORLD's regular pages are constantly updated, with new
events planned as far ahead as 2005 in the Diary of
Events which lists training courses, symposiums and conferences in
many places in the world on a wide range of subjects. Remember that even
if you cannot attend these many events, speakers and organisers are
often willing to share their knowledge. Look at the details - where
possible I add in the web sites of these events so you can request
further information. And do let me know if you are organising any
occupational safety, health, and environment events so that I can add
them to the Diary.
Globally there are continually new titles, news items, new products
so remember to look at the News to find the
latest information from a number of sources such as the European
Environment Agency reporting European Summer 2002 smog levels that
exceed the critical threshold three days in four, to the US NIOSH Pocket
Guide and many news items and new publications which you will want to
know about. Use OSHWORLD as your portal to many hundreds of validated
and authoritative web sites which you can find in the Country
and Subject links we offer. New subject topics
are constantly brought together on web sites, e.g. drugs and alcohol
abuse in the workplace.
Some of the longer standing sites have been built up and now contain
vast amounts of information on specific topics, and it is not always
apparent that some "nuggets of gold" are available. OSHWORLD
goes "data mining" looking for such topics and you will see
many entries in the subject links which will take you to these topics.
All links are constantly checked to ensure that no "orphan"
links exist. And you work smarter not harder if you bookmark
OSHWORLD.... we do the checking for you!
Most information services have a reference shelf where you can
quickly check the reference sources - so OSHWORLD brings you a
collection of Reference sources.
Click onto the various Bookshops
to order any new document as they are being published. Many of these
Bookshops such as H&H
Scientific Information Ltd have a constant stream of new titles
available.
Please send any suggestions or comments about OSHWORLD - your portal
to validated and authoritative information.
Remind everyone to make 2002 a zero accident and incident-free
year in your workplace. Perhaps the information awareness campaigns of
the European Week for Safety and Health Campaign on Working on Stress
will have given many people some help in tackling their workplace stress
problems.
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