|
|
|
 |
|
|
Home
|
News from around the WorldDecember 2006 ILO welcomes EU decision to promote Decent Work for AllThe International Labour Organization (ILO) has welcomed the decision of the European Council of Ministers to adopt a set of conclusions on the promotion of decent work in the European Union and through the world, saying it provided powerful new support to efforts aimed at making decent work a global reality. The ILO said the decision of the European Council was the most recent in a series of moves that have strengthened links between the ILO's Decent Work Agenda and the policies and actions of the EU, and would pave the way for cooperation that could "realize the innovative power of productive and decent work". "Europe is showing leadership on a crucial issue at a crucial time," said Friedrich Buttler, ILO Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia at a conference on "Promoting Decent Work in the World: the Contribution of the EU" organized by the European Commission in Brussels on 4-5 December. "That leadership - and a stronger partnership between the EU and the ILO - is critical to making decent work a global reality." Noting that unemployment in Europe was "disturbingly high" at 17 million - especially among youth under the age of 25 - while half the world's workers were unable to rise above the US$ 2 per person, per day poverty line, Mr. Buttler said. "The harsh reality is that despite five years of relatively strong economic performance, the world is not generating enough decent jobs to keep pace with a 40 million annual increase in the global labour force or substantially reduce unemployment and working poverty". "This is a tragic waste of human lives and has many troubling implications for our societies," Mr. Buttler said. The European Council Conclusions on Decent Work for All adopted Friday 8 December 2006 will position the EU as part of a global strategy on decent work for all. In 2005, the UN World Summit gave strong support to the goal of full and productive employment and decent work for all as part of worldwide efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Another breakthrough occurred in July of this year when the High-level Segment of the UN Economic and Social Council in Geneva endorsed decent work as a global goal. Your one stop shop to quality OSH information: OSH UPDATE service growing all the time, keeps you up-to-date - ideal for OSH managers, universities, colleges and research InstitutesOSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com - arguably the most informative collection of health and safety information at the lowest cost in the world has over 800,000 records - with an ever-growing percentage linking to full text. In today's work life, it is important to keep your knowledge in occupational safety and health (OSH) up-to-date. At the same time, it is useful to look at your own work and to search for new ideas for the future. This is where OSH UPDATE can help! OSH UPDATE is easy to use and links you direct to the latest sources of information . Keeping up-to-date in worldwide occupational health, safety, hygiene, road safety, water safety, environment trends and the very latest information can be time consuming. Do budget constraints not allow you to buy all the latest journals, newsletters and documents that contain the latest information? Can't afford the time to search for the latest information, legislation and standards? No staff to search for this information? And no time yourself to spend hours searching for information? Then this recently launched, very affordable Internet based service OSH UPDATE, from Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd is the answer for you. With this additional NIOSHTICs database OSH UPDATE now contains about 800,000 records. OSH UPDATE records has links to the full text where possible - this is all done for you! This new aggregation of databases contains thousands of relevant references with abstracts or keywords and will keep you and your colleagues alerted to hot topics such as the health risks of nanotechnology, corporate killing and corporate social responsibility, bio-terrorism, management of road risks, preparedness and business continuity and risk assessment. The databases are:
Prices on application for a single user or multi users via the Internet The price reflects our aim to bring health and safety guidance, Advice, research, journal articles, papers, standards to the attention of health and safety practitioners and managers, researchers, trade union safety representatives, occupational physicians, information specialists in industry, colleges and universities, government staff, inspectors, university and college safety directors, university and college lecturers and those in training - at a cost that is affordable and a service that is time efficient.
Why not take a 15-DAY FREE TRIAL of OSH UPDATE and see for yourself? If you are interested in taking up this service on trial please email/fax with your details, or contact us to ask further questions or simply fill in the Interest Form www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html Sheila Pantry OBE BA FCLIP, Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, 85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1909 771024 | Fax: +44 (0) 1909 772829 | Email: sp@sheilapantry.com | www.sheilapantry.com | www.oshworld.com | www.shebuyersguide.com | www.oshupdate.com Stop sniping... Letter to the London Times, 9 Dec 2006Sir, There has been a steady stream of hostility towards the Health & Safety Executive, accusing it of creating red tape, restricting personal liberty, encouraging excessive risk aversion and supporting a claims culture. This highly negative portrayal does not reflect the experience of those at the sharp end, in business, trade unions and the professions who work closely with the HSE. The HSE's 2006 performance report, Measuring Up, shows that over the past three decades this organisation has, with others, helped to save more than 5,000 lives and has actually cut the number of health and safety regulations on the statute books by half. There is a distinct danger that unremitting criticism of the HSE will obscure the reality that most H&S regulation is fair, well balanced and works unnoticed to keep workers and the public safe. In a rapidly changing world of work, in which health, safety and wellbeing are increasingly critical to competitiveness, it is vital that we value and support the work of this world class organisation.
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,59-2494183,00.html Occupational and Environmental Exposures of Skin to Chemicals ConferenceAbstracts will be accepted until February 17, 2007. The conference will be held June 17-20, 2007 in Golden, Colorado, USA and is cosponsored by NIOSH and the Colorado School of Mines. Scientists will exchange information on the science, knowledge gaps, challenges and policy opportunities related to exposures of the skin to chemicals with special emphasis on improved prevention of local and systemic injury and disease. More information on the conference can be found at www.mines.edu/outreach/cont_ed/oeesc. 28 April 2007 - World Safety and Heath Day - start preparing now!The theme for the International Labour Office (ILO) World Safety and Health Day to be held on 28 April 2007 will be "Making Decent Work a Reality - Safe and Healthy Workplaces". The idea behind it is to promote the new convention C. 187 Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/convdisp1.htm New publications from the US National Institute for Occupational safety and Health (NIOSH)The following new publications may be of interest to readers:
ILO's preparedness for avian influenzaThe 4th International Conference on Avian Influenza took place on 6-8 December 2006 in Bamako, Mali, and provided new insights into the disease and latest developments on national integrated strategies to combat it. The Conference was also organized to promote, mobilize, and help coordinate financial support from the donor community for the national, regional and global response to highly pathogenic avian influenza and to support efforts at all levels to prepare for a possible human influenza pandemic. Thus, a new version of the Consolidated Action Plan for Avian and Human Influenza (AHI) was introduced at the Conference. Produced on behalf of UN technical agencies, the Plan is a comprehensive unified strategy for the UN system on pandemic influenza prevention, preparedness and response to control avian influenza. It builds on the AHI action plans, funds and programmes developed and implemented by each agency. The ILO's tripartite structure places it in an extremely favorable position to address the concerns by governments, employers and workers engaged in combating AHI at the national and enterprise levels. Improvements in working conditions, including occupational safety and health, as well as dissemination of information on control measures (such as using appropriate protection, taking precautions and educating workers) are particularly relevant in terms of preventive actions. The ILO's conventions and other instruments provide regulatory a framework, support and advice enhancing national infrastructures, systems and programmes and strengthening national capacity for tackling AHI. The ILO is part of this consolidated UN effort and its financial requirements for 2007 amount to a total of US$ 2,450,000. The consolidated document is also to be used to raise resources from ILO's constituents and other donors. The ILO efforts on this issue are coordinated by the Crisis Response and Reconstruction Programme. Selected Internet Resources on Protecting Workers Against Avian InfluenzaThe International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/index.htm has made a list of selected internet resources providing information on the protection of workers against avian influenza. Prepared and made available by international and national organizations, the documents and guides address risks when working with poultry, in laboratories, as airline crews, etc. Control measures involve using appropriate protection, taking precautions and educating workers in order to prevent an outbreak in the human population. Access the CIS page on Protecting workers against avian influenza www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/themes/themes-avian.htm This is also available in French and Spanish Design your own PosterIf 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, UK | Tel/Fax: +44 (0) 208 653 4648 | Email: stan@allen1889.freeserve.co.uk |