News from around the World

News Archive

April 2010

Need up-to-date fire information from worldwide sources? Then FIREINF can help you.

Emphasis in FIREINF is on all aspects of fire, emergency and preparedness management principles, fire risk assessment, practices and research.

FIREINF is arguably the world's premier collection of validated, authoritative information on fire and fire related information as well as a broad range of occupational safety and health information.

FIREINF now has 17 databases - the last one added is the BRE Flair Database.

FIREINF leads the searcher to quality guidance and advice from around the world. It is used worldwide by organisations, including those teaching fire science as well as fire brigades and their union, rescue services, forensic and fire experts.

The Full Text Collection has 5 databases and The Bibliographic Collection has 12 databases. Together these sources contain over 534,000 records with links to 32,000 full text documents to journal articles, guidance and advice, circulars, reports, conference proceedings, research reports, statistics and codes of practice from worldwide sources, all of which may be easily accessed. One of the databases - from the British Standards Institution - contains references to over 4000 fire and fire related standards.

• FIREINF is continuously enlarged as information including new research and new ways of working is published
• It helps those responsible for fire, emergencies and preparedness in workplaces of all kinds to keep ahead with the latest information and developments
• It assists individuals and organisations that cannot afford to subscribe to a range of journals/magazines because these are indexed within FIREINF
• FIREINF contains information that has been published in the past, so an easy reference point for researchers

One way to quickly gain access to legislation, guidance and advice that is up-to-date and relevant is to take a 15-day Free Trial of FIREINF - the service that is focused, affordable, easy to use and continuously updated as new data is published.

Published by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd. since 1997 FIREINF uses the powerful Headfast software. FIREINF is accessible via the Internet Service www.fireinf.com.

Contact Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd. for 15 day FREE trials for all services that are cost effective. Why pay more for information? Go to www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

Save lives: join unions on this 28th April!

On the annual International Commemoration Day on 28th April, workers and trade unions around the world will commemorate those who have lost their lives, were injured or fell ill due to unsafe, unhealthy or unsustainable work. This year, the focus of activities is on the role trade unions play in making work safer.

"The International Trade Union Confederation has chosen "Unions make work safer" as our common theme for this day of action and is calling on its members to use this day for deepening discussions on the need for workers to have safe and sustainable working conditions, and for unions to step up their efforts in fighting for safe and healthy workplaces for all", said Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the ITUC.

The most updated information shows that there are almost 360,000 fatal occupational accidents in any year, and almost 2 million fatal work-related diseases. Every day, more than 960,000 workers get hurt because of accidents and on average 5,330 workers die because of work-related diseases. "Unions play a critical role in stopping this workplace carnage," said Ryder. "This 28th April is the time to put occupational health and safety back on the agenda of governments and enterprises and show it is a key element of a sustainable future for our people".

The ITUC has developed a leaflet, explaining what 28th April is - the International Day of Commemoration of Dead and Injured Workers - and providing data on how unions make in a daily basis our work safer. The leaflet is available at www.ituc-csi.org/28-april-2010-unions-make-work.html and in Hazards' special 28th April website (www.hazards.org/wmd)

In addition, and during this month, the ITUC will be reporting on activities which will be organised in different countries, ranging from a moment of silence in a workplace, to training workshops, and in some countries to mass rallies. If you want to be aware of these events, or report your events to us, you can join the special 28th April e-list sending an email to Anabella.rosemberg@ituc-csi.org or our Facebook group to www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=170025585213&ref=ts

The ITUC represents 176 million workers in 155 countries and territories and has 312 national affiliates. https://www.youtube.com/user/ITUCCSI

Need OSH information? OSH UPDATE is here to help...

OSH UPDATE - arguably one of the world's best collections of full text and bibliographic health and safety information is continuously updated as new data is published.

You may have had access to OSH-ROM for many years and will now know that it has ceased publication. OSH-ROM was created by Sheila Pantry OBE who subsequently, in 2004, produced OSH UPDATE.

• OSH UPDATE has 19 databases containing validated and authoritative worldwide information on all aspects of health and safety at work.
• Contain over 807,000 records containing thousands of links to full text documents containing guidance, advice, research results, standards etc on all aspects of worked related health and safety.
• It has user-friendly powerful software that takes you direct to the documents and information that you are seeking.
• Is the lowest priced collection in the world of occupational safety and health (OSH) information.
• Will help you keep up-to-date easy and cheaply.
• Used by organisations worldwide from government departments, research laboratories, private companies, institutions, associations to individual consultants.

Don't make health and safety decisions without consulting the world's authoritative and validated guidance and advice that is found within OSH UPDATE. www.oshupdate.com

Why not take a FREE NO OBLIGATION TRIAL FOR 15 DAY OF OSH UPDATE now?

Send your request at www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

Contact: Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1909 771024 | Fax: +44 (0) 1909 772829 | Email: sp@sheilapantry.com
Websites: www.sheilapantry.com | www.oshworld.com | www.shebuyersguide.com | www.oshupdate.com | www.fireinf.com

Forthcoming launch of the Healthy Workplaces Campaign on Safe Maintenance

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) next Healthy Workplaces Campaign will focus on the importance of safe maintenance in European workplaces, and draw attention to the risks when it is not carried out properly.

It will be officially launched on 28 April 2010 and support a wide range of activities at both the European and national level.

Campaign Guide: http://osha.europa.eu/en/teaser/Files/maintenance_campaign_guide_en.pdf (English only)

US NIOSH - three New Health Hazard Evaluation Reports now available

• Evaluation of Heat and Carbon Monoxide Exposures to Border Protection Officers at Ports of Entry
• Evaluation of Magnetic Field Exposures to Office Employees From an Electrical Transformer
• Evaluation of Potential Exposures at an Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide Processing Plant

Recent releases and access the full HHE reports: www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe

Just Announced! National Occupational Injury Research Symposium 2011

The National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS) 2011 is scheduled for October 18-20, 2011, in Morgantown, West Virginia.

NOIRS is the only national symposium focusing solely on occupational traumatic injury research and prevention.

Please check the NOIRS Web site for future updates and additional information: www.cdc.gov/niosh/noirs

Reviewing the Working Time Directive

Reviewing the Working Time Directive (first-phase consultation of the social partners at European Union level under Article 154 of the TFEU)

COM(2010) 106: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/10/st08/st08320.en10.pdf

Event: Croner's 6th Annual Health and Safety Conference - Thursday, 9 December 2010, London, UK

Watch for details of this highly successful annual conference, but do make an entry in your diary and on your calendar now.

Details to follow. Sheila Pantry OBE is the organiser and chairwoman sp@sheilapantry.com

Now you can download Ergonoma Journal March 2010

Ergonoma Journal is read by over 30,000 managers who are concerned with ergonomics, usability, health and wellness at work in 33 countries of Europe

Patrick Le Martin, AMT Europe Ergonoma, BP 00011, 28800 Bonneval France | Tel +332.37.44.04.60 | Fax +332.37.44.04.50 | Email: patrick@ergonoma.com | www.ergonoma.com

Event: NOSHCON 2010 - 49th International Conference & Exhibition on Occupational Risk Management, 7-10 September 2010 South Africa

Less than 5 months away from the biggest conference on occupational risk management in Africa - the one event you can and should not miss this year.

To register as a NOSHCON 2010 delegate, exhibitor or sponsor contact Tel: +27 12 683 0200 | Email: noshcon@nosa.co.za | Web: www.noshcon.co.za

First Degree Teaching Disaster Management Launched in Manchester, UK

The Masters in Health Incident Command, validated by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), is the first degree of its kind in the UK.

It recognises there is no education or training for health commanders and is informed by serious incidents such as Hillsborough, the Clapham train crash and the 7/7 London bombings.

The course has been launched by South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and is designed with experts from MMU's Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care.

Paramedic Dave Whitmore, a tutor on the course, has worked on over 20 such incidents, starting with the IRA bombing of Chelsea Barracks in 1981.

Professor Janet Marsden, of MMU's Centre for Effective Emergency Care and link tutor for the Masters degree, says the first intake of students includes doctors, paramedics and ambulance service managers.

The online course is hosted within a new virtual learning environment developed by Gödel Technologies, which enable simulations of 'real-life scenarios' alongside online lectures, discussion forums and residential weekends.

The programme is supported by the Department of Health's Emergency Preparedness Division and will eventually recruit internationally.

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/185321.php

Better Regulation: a critical assessment

ETUI dismantles the "Better Regulation" house of cards

The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) published a report on the European Commission's "Better Regulation" programme in late March. The Commission is promising that scrapping or revising a number of directives will save businesses around 40 billion Euros by reducing the "administrative formalities" they impose.

In Better Regulation: a critical assessment, Laurent Vogel and Eric Van den Abeele reveal the agenda within the agenda.

Better Regulation: a critical assessment by Laurent Vogel, ETUI and Eric Van den Abeele, University of Mons-Hainaut. Published by the ETUI, 2010, 72 pages

www.etui.org/Publications2/Reports/Better-regulation-a-critical-assessment

Contact: Laurent Vogel, lvogel@etui.org