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News from around the World
November/December 2001 News from the UKBusiness start-ups OSH information on the webA new web site has been created by partnership between the UK Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the Norwich Union Risk Services to provide essential guidance for small businesses to help them with their occupational safety and health obligations. The site provides interactive, informative and user friendly guidance on welfare matters, insurance categories and risk assessment, and looks at the contents of a health a safety policy. The site will health small and medium sized companies and business start-ups to meet their health and safety responsibilities. The providers of the web site hope it will go some way to address the current situation in which, on average. the rate of fatal and major injuries in small firms is almost double that for firms employing more a than a thousand people. The site was launched as part of the European Week for Health and Safety at Work, and will be developed further. News from the ILOUNAIDS is joined by the ILOThe Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has announced that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has formalized its commitment to fighting the global HIV/AIDS epidemic by becoming a co-sponsor of UNAIDS. The ILO has already made a major contribution to the global campaign against HIV/AIDS with the adoption of a pioneering Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work, launched at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, in New York, 25-27 June 2001. ILO Director-General, Juan Somavia, said "HIV/AIDS affects everyone today but has an especially profound impact on workers and their families, enterprises and employers, and national economies. With the accession of the ILO to UNAIDS, we now add the historic force of tri-partism - governments, workers and employers - to the international efforts being undertaken to meet the challenge of HIV/AIDS and its impact on the world of work." Full Press Release:
For more information contact: News from SwedenWork Life and European Union (EU) EnlargementWorking life is essential to people, economies, societies and countries, not least in a rapidly changing Europe where employment and all its implications, is a key issue. The aim of Work Life and the EU Enlargement, a co-operation project run by the Swedish National Labour Market Board, is to build and exchange knowledge within the field of working life in the 13 candidate countries in order to facilitate their entry into European Union. The enlargement of the European Union is one of the most important challenges of the coming years. Enlargement entails more than fulfilling the criteria and adopting EU law: it is also about working together and developing common understanding of the problems and the possibilities of today. The project includes all 13 candidate countries, in collaboration with many other authorities, agencies and confederations, and will run for 3 years, concluding in February 2004. To find out more contact: News from AustraliaNOHSC declares prohibition on use of chrysotile asbestosOn 17 October 2001, NOHSC declared a prohibition on the use of chrysotile asbestos in Australia. The prohibition will take effect simultaneously under regulations in each Australian OHS jurisdiction by no later than 31 December 2003. This action had been supported by the Workplace Relations Ministers' Council at its meeting on 21 September 2001.1 As required under the NOHSC Act, public comment was sought earlier this year on the prohibition proposal and all submissions were considered before the prohibition was declared. What is chrysotile asbestos and what are its uses? Chrysotile is a mineral that is a known human carcinogen. As with other forms of asbestos, exposure to chrysotile can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma2 in humans and animals. The objective of the prohibition is to reduce future deaths and illness. Raw chrysotile is imported for the manufacture of friction materials (such as brake pads, brake linings and brake blocks), gaskets and non-sag adhesive putties for the building industry. These products are sold to local and overseas markets. Similar products using chrysotile are also imported. What is the scope of the prohibition? Why is the prohibition to be phased in? Implementation arrangements are being developed that will be settled in the second half of 2002. They will include a nationally consistent approach to granting any exemptions. What is being done about other forms of asbestos? How will the prohibition be formalised? Is chrysotile asbestos banned elsewhere? Further information about chrysotile and its prohibition appears in the public discussion documents on the NOHSC website at: For more information contact Michael Mulrine, NOHSC Corporate Communications on +61 2 62791037 1 The prohibition is also consistent with recommendations by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) in 1999 that the use of chrysotile in Australia, including for exports, be phased out over time. 2 NOHSC has been monitoring mesothelioma for some years - see www.ascc.gov.au/ascc/AboutUs/Publications/StatReports/Mesothelioma 3 A limited range of exemptions may be considered, for example, where alternative products do not exist or where their use would create greater risks that the corresponding chrysotile product. 4 The prohibition of chrysotile asbestos is to be given effect by its inclusion in Schedule 2 of the National Model Regulations for the Control of Hazardous Substances. Uses of substances included in this schedule are prohibited unless a relevant public authority provides an exemption. Prohibition of crocidolite (blue) and amosite (brown) asbestos is already recommended by their inclusion under the Prohibited Carcinogens Schedule of the National Model Regulations for the Control of Scheduled Carcinogenic Substances. This schedule was a precursor to Schedule 2 of the National Model Regulations. News from the UKShiftworkers .... can't sleep? can't eat?... read the Shiftworkers GuideNight shift working poses a chronic risk to worker's mental and physical health because of disruptions to sleeping, eating, domestic and social routines. The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is increasingly concerned about the health and safety aspects of shift working has now published the results of its research looking at how people who work night shifts can be helped to cope with their lifestyle. HSE suggests that organisations need to adopt a more proactive and intensive programme of behaviour change to educate shift workers on how to improve their health, perhaps involving counselling. A review of the literature has shown that there are common problems attributable to shiftwork including effects on sleep, eating habits, social life, domestic life and exercise patterns. Shiftwork can also be a risk factor leading to the development of adverse health consequences including gastrointestinal disease, cardiovascular problems and psychoneurotic disturbance. The Shiftworkers’ Guide disseminates advice in the form of coping strategies that aim to alleviate shiftwork problems thus improving adaptation to working shifts and also to ameliorate the negative health effects experienced by shiftworkers. Health and Safety Executive can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_htm/2001/crr01365.htm News from CanadaIRSST new research projects and publicationsAs part of Quebec's IRSST (Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute Robert-Sauve) ongoing efforts to keep you abreast of the latest research results and developments it now offers through the web site the IRSST news subscription service. The IRSST web site is regularly updated and instead of waiting for the printed Newsletter to arrive, you can register on the mailing list in order to be kept informed of new research and also new publications. All IRSST publications are available free of charge on the web site. Recent new research covers topics such as:
New publications (in French only) include:
For further details www.irsst.qc.ca News from the UKEmergency Planning and Management......During the past month HHSC Ltd have been asked for books on planning for emergencies. The following 4 titles in this general area are listed on HHSC Website: Emergency Planning and Management: Ensuring Your Company's Survival in the Event of a Disaster, 2nd Ed (Stringfield) 2000 ISBN 0865876908 Emergency Planning on the Internet (Tobin and Tobin) 1997 ISBN 0865876002 An Introduction to Fire Safety for Managers, HHSC Handbook No.27 (Burchett) July 2001 ISBN 0948237414 On-Site Emergency Response Planning Guide, 2002 Edition (Vulpitta) 2001/2 NSC Code #122120000 For further details www.safchemhaz.co.uk/books.htm News from the USAGlutaraldehyde: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals.....Glutaraldehyde is used as a cold sterilant to disinfect and clean heat-sensitive equipment such as suction bottles, ear, nose and throat instruments and surgical instruments. This chemical is also used as a tissue fixative in histology and pathology laboratories and as a hardening agent in the development of x-rays. The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have issued a timely brochure which:
The brochure also contains a reading list which gives more information about glutaraldehyde. To obtain a copy of Glutaraldehyde: occupational hazards in Hospitals. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No.2001-115, Sept 2001 visit NIOSH web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh The document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted. For a paper copy contact: News from IOSHTechnical infosheetsThe Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's (IOSH) Technical Infosheets are designed to provide a user-friendly source of information. They are an introduction to the topics concerned and include useful contacts for further information. Technical Infosheets are free to both Members and non-members and can be downloaded on the appropriate title listed below. Alternatively, single copies of Infosheets are available free of charge on request from the IOSH Technical Affairs Department, tel. +44 (0)116 257 3100; fax +44 (0)116 257 3101; or email Anne Wells, Margaret Griggs or Kalpna Mistry. Without waiving the conditions of copyright, Technical Infosheets can be reproduced in full in non-electronic format for individual use, provided that the source is acknowledged and the material is not used for commercial gain. You will need the Free Adobe Acrobat reader to view these files, which can be Downloaded from the IOSH web site if it is not already on your p.c. The titles are Behavioural safety: kicking bad habits examines the implementation of a behaviour-based safety process as a way of improving safety performance. Safety in the global village provides basic guidance for those placing people abroad and for those who may be posted to other countries. Teleworking - out of site, out of mind? This infosheet focuses on safety and health issues for the fast-expanding teleworking sector. Checklists are included for an organisational risk assessment (91KB) and an assessment of premises for teleworking. Contact: Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 1NN, UK |