News from around the World

News Archive

April 2012

UK Injury reporting change cuts paperwork by a third

A change to the rules on reporting workplace injuries will save British firms thousands of hours completing official paperwork.

From 6 April 2012, employers will no longer have to report injuries which keep workers off normal duties for seven or fewer days.

The change to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 will see a fall of around 30 per cent in the number of incidents that must be reported by law - an average of around 30,000 fewer reports a year. Employers will also be given a longer period in which to report, increasing from 10 to 15 days from the time of the incident

By increasing the reporting threshold from three to seven days, the change will also align with the 'fit note' system which ensures that someone who is off work because they suffered a reportable injury has a professional medical assessment.

Employers and others with responsibilities under RIDDOR must still keep a record of all over three day injuries, for example through an accident book.

HSE Chair Judith Hackitt said:

The change to the RIDDOR regulations will cut paperwork, help employers manage sickness absence and ensure that the reporting system is focused on risks which have resulted in more serious injury.

This is just one of many changes we are making to the health and safety system to make it simpler, clearer and more easily understood - stripping unnecessary paperwork out of the system without compromising essential protections for workers.

The change to RIDDOR was recommended in the Government commissioned Common Sense, Common Safety report.

Final announcement to invite you to attend the 2nd International Wellbeing Conference on 21-22 May 2012 in Manchester, UK

The theme for the conference is Making the Case for Wellbeing. The aim is to build on the success of the first conference in Helsinki 2010 and provide an environment where research, best practice and innovation can be shared amongst interested researchers from all relevant subject areas.

The response to the call for abstracts has been phenomenal and the organisers are looking forward to an internationally significant meeting in May of this year.

The programme includes plenary sessions delivered by global thought leaders in the field covering the global perspective on wellbeing, making the case to industry and workplace innovation and wellbeing.

In addition there will be four individual mini-symposia addressing a range of hot topics in the area of wellbeing at work.

Given the response to our call for abstracts, the organisers have also been able to include themed oral sessions from wellbeing researchers, practitioners and policy makers from around the world.

An interactive poster session will also showcase novel interventions, case studies, health promotion work and rehabilitation approaches (amongst many other topic areas), and give participants the opportunity for informal discussions with the authors on each day of the conference.

Costs:

• The full programme is a three-day event from 21st-23rd May and the cost is just £540.
• Alternatively you can attend on just the Industry Day (22nd May) at a cost of £350.

Exhibition space is still available. Email wellbeing2012@hsl.gov.uk with your enquiry.

New scheme takes off to cut airside accidents: A reduction in the number of injuries suffered by airport operational staff is the aim of a new scheme

A training course for supervisors and managers in the aviation sector, accredited by the UK based Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), has been unveiled to ensure airside and landside health and safety standards remain paramount on 2 April 2012.

In the UK the aviation industry supports nearly one million jobs. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), during 2010/11 within the industry there were 78 major injuries and 815 incidents which meant an employee was absent from work for three days or more.

With the ever-increasing pressures on the industry to ensure more efficient aircraft turnaround times, health and safety on the ramp has never been more important.

Doing things at a much faster pace increases the risk and makes employees more susceptible to injury, illness, or even worse, fatality. Airline bosses and managers need to be aware of the hazards that operational staff face on a day-to-day basis, and put simple safety measurements into place to protect workers from harm.

Steve Terry, managing director of Astutis, the company which is the brains behind the course, said: "Managers and supervisors need to understand and accept their responsibilities with regard to the health and safety of their staff and contractors. The importance of good, robust health and safety management cannot be understated given the variety of risks present in the industry. Hopefully, this course will go some way to help bosses understand this.

"This is the first accredited course for managers within the aviation industry. And, I hope it will raise awareness, reduce 'unnecessary' accidents and generally raise health and safety standards - making them consistent across the board."

The IOSH Managing Safely in Aviation course has been created to provide the industry with a blanket standard for managers, bringing them up to speed with the latest needs and developments.

When developing the course, Astutis has worked closely with IOSH's Aviation and Aerospace Group, who last year launched a generic Airside Safety Induction DVD, as well as aviation safety specialists and other industry bodies.

Keith Merrie, chair of IOSH's Aviation and Aerospace Group, said: "The Airside Health and Safety Induction DVD has been a resounding success since its launch in 2010. However, there was a requirement to back this up with accredited and relevant training for managers and supervisors - Astutis' course certainly achieves this.

"Delegates will benefit from accredited training which relates directly to their day-to-day activities, and I'm confident that this course will be very well received by all attendees and the industry as a whole."

Managing Safely in Aviation covers topics such as ramp safety, aircraft turnaround and airside safety management. Using interactive games and video footage, delegates on the course learn how airport work activities can run smoothly using a 'common sense' approach to health and safety management.

Ian Mattimoe, corporate head of safety, security and quality at bmi, said: "I believe the provision of aviation specific health and safety training will enhance any company's performance.

"An accredited IOSH Managing Safely in Aviation course will, in my opinion, increase the delegate's awareness of airport hazards and the subsequent control methods."

www.iosh.co.uk

Temporary Demountable Structures

In view of the large number of temporary demountable structures (e.g. seating and temporary buildings/broadcast towers etc) planned across the UK associated with the 2012 Games, the following Health and Safety report may be of interest:

• Identification of safety good practice in the construction and deconstruction of temporary demountable structures
  www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/eventsafety/demountable-structures.pdf
• Annex A - Suggested model for the safe management of temporary structures
  www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/eventsafety/annex-a.pdf

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 will come into force on 6 April 2012

Updating previous asbestos regulations to take account of the European Commission's view that the UK had not fully implemented the EU Directive on exposure to asbestos (Directive 2009/148/EC).

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/632/contents/made

In practice, the changes are fairly limited and mean that some types of non-licensed work with asbestos now have additional requirements, i.e. notification of work, medical surveillance and record keeping.

All other requirements remain unchanged, e.g. relating to licensed work with asbestos, duty to manage, risk assessment, the asbestos control limit, control measures and training requirements.

Further information is now available on HSE's Asbestos website: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos

EEMUA launches completely updated Guide to subsea engineering

The new Third Edition of EEMUA Publication 194 Guidelines for materials selection and corrosion control for subsea oil and gas production equipment reflects the significant developments that have occurred in subsea materials technology and operational experience since the Second Edition was published in 2004.

EEMUA Publication 194 is aimed at engineers and others involved in the design, specification, commissioning, operation, maintenance, repair or refurbishment of underwater oil and gas production equipment and related facilities. It provides an overview of the current knowledge of the principles and practices of materials selection and corrosion control for these facilities.

Guidance on the application of such knowledge is considered necessary because, for example:

• The complexity of subsea equipment is continually increasing: items such as multiphase pumps, separators and water injection facilities are becoming more commonly specified.
• The amount of hydrocarbons recovered from subsea developments is set to increase in the future, hence the reliability of subsea equipment has become increasingly important for the producing companies.
• Deep water developments have become more common, and the performance of materials in such environments is not well understood and documented at present.
• Reservoir fluids from marginal fields may become increasingly corrosive/erosive.
• Relatively little detailed guidance is available in existing industry codes, standards, etc.
• The integrity of subsea equipment is paramount for protection of the environment.

The Publication was developed by a specialist Work Group of EEMUA's Materials Technology Committee (MTC), which comprised metallurgists and corrosion engineers with particular expertise in the subsea environment and was drawn from leading oil and offshore engineering companies.

www.eemua.org/News/EEMUA-launches-completely-updated-guide-to-subsea.aspx

Fire Australia - 14-16 November 2012 - call for papers

The organisers of Fire Australia 2012 - taking place on 14-16 November 2012 in Melbourne - have issued a call for papers. This year's conference and exhibition is themed The true cost of fire and will explore its impact on people, assets and the environment. With an expected audience of fire, insurance, legal and sustainability professionals, a key discussion point will be how to balance best practice prevention and mitigation through design and emergency response. Information on standard, workshop and exhibitor presentation options are available at www.fpaa.com.au/events/fire-australia

RR913 - Linking HSE activities to health and safety outcomes: A feasibility study

This Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) research investigates the feasibility and challenges of developing quantitative evidence of links between ongoing activities and reductions in death, injury and causes of ill health caused by work. The study focuses on the activities of HSE as a whole and their link with final health and safety (H&S) outcomes. The approach:

• draws on the theories of change and associated logic models linking H&S regulation and final H&S outcomes to guide the literature search and review;
• reviews the approaches and methods adopted in the literature to specify and attempt to measure the links and to provide an overview of the findings from the literature on the feasibility of quantifying the links and the problems encountered in doing so; and
• considers data sources available to HSE that might be used to apply the methods most likely to be effective in assessing its overall H&S impacts.

Findings from the literature search and the review of data sources are synthesised to reach conclusions on the feasibility of demonstrating the links between overall HSE activities and outcome, the reasons for any difficulties in making the links and the methods that might be adopted in future to overcome these difficulties.

This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.

www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr913.htm

US OSHA Revises Hazard Communication Standard Regulation to Align With Global System

To better protect workers from hazardous chemicals, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has revised its Hazard Communication Standard, aligning it with the United Nations' global chemical labeling system. The new standard, once implemented, will prevent an estimated 43 deaths and result in an estimated $475.2 million in enhanced productivity for U.S. businesses each year.

The Hazard Communication Standard, being revised to align with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, will be fully implemented in 2016 and benefit workers by reducing confusion about chemical hazards in the workplace, facilitating safety training and improving understanding of hazards, especially for low literacy workers. OSHA's standard will classify chemicals according to their health and physical hazards, and establish consistent labels and safety data sheets for all chemicals made in the United States and imported from abroad.

The revised standard also is expected to prevent an estimated 585 injuries and illnesses annually. It will reduce trade barriers and result in estimated annualized benefits in productivity improvements for American businesses that regularly handle, store and use hazardous chemicals, as well as cost savings of $32.2 million for American businesses that periodically update safety data sheets and labels for chemicals covered under the standard.

During the transition period to the effective completion dates noted in the standard, chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers may comply with either 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.1200 (the final standard), the current standard or both.

GHS implementation dates are:

• 1 December 2013 - All employees must be trained on the new label elements and the new Safety Data Sheet format.
• 1 June 2015 - Chemical manufacturers and distributors must comply with all modified provisions.
• 1 December 2015 - Chemical distributors must comply with new label requirements.
• 1 June 2016 - OSHA begins enforcement of the GHS provisions.

In the interim Chemical manufacturers and distributors can begin to use the labels and Safety Data Sheets.

From the NIOSH Science Blog - Getting Closer to Understanding the Economic Burden of Occupational Injury and Illness

A recently published landmark paper makes a significant contribution to understanding the economic burden of occupational illness and injury. The paper entitled Economic Burden of Occupational Injury and Illness in the United States shows that the annual direct and indirect costs are at least $250 billion. This amount exceeds the individual cost of cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The costs of injury, illness, and death from these other diseases are generally easier to assess because they require a small number of primary data sources, typically 1 to 4. In contrast, estimates of the burden of occupational injury and illness are more difficult to accomplish because they rely on far more primary and secondary sources of data on more than 18 diseases and a substantial number of injury types. More than 40 data sets were used in conducting this rigorous analysis.

For the complete report: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-0009.2011.00648.x/pdf

BeSMART - taking care of business

You may be familiar with Ireland's Health and Safety Authority's Taking Care of Business and BeSMART initiative. BeSMART is a new free online tool (www.besmart.ie) from the Health and Safety Authority and is available 24/7 to small business owners and managers to help them manage their workplace safety and health in a structured way.

It empowers small businesses to undertake risk assessments and develop safety statements unique to their place of work.

If you are a larger organisation you may have a range of suppliers who fall into the small business sector, if so they would benefit enormously from using BeSMART.

Accident reporting should be mandatory, says Nationwide Platforms' operations director at IPAF Summit

Accident reporting should be made mandatory for IPAF members, said Peter Douglas, executive director of operations at Nationwide Platforms, one of the largest access rental companies in the UK, speaking at the IPAF Summit on 29 March 2012 in Rome, Italy.

Peter Douglas made a strong case for accident reporting as a key initiative for IPAF, whose mission is to promote the safe and effective use of powered access worldwide.

"If IPAF was going to have an initiative, this is it," he said. "In my view, accident reporting should be a mandatory condition of IPAF membership. Is your company responsible? Does your company want to make the industry safe? If yes, then get on the website and report accidents. If the answer is no, then my view is that you shouldn't be an IPAF member."

Mandatory reporting of accidents is not currently IPAF's policy. The Federation initiated its accident reporting database this year, with the aim of putting a figure on the total number of fatal accidents worldwide involving aerial work platforms, and using the findings to further inform its training and safety programmes.

In his presentation, Peter Douglas also revealed accident statistics at Nationwide over the past three years. Delivery drivers were currently the biggest concern, he noted. In addition, near misses should be reported, not just serious accidents, because near misses indicate the most common risky behaviors. Reducing the number of near misses and minor accidents will gradually lead to reducing the number of more serious and fatal accidents, he said.

In line with the conference theme of analysing and reducing accidents, IPAF technical officer Chris Wraith urged the industry to report accidents at www.ipaf.org/accident and help save lives. IPAF calls on all manufacturers, rental companies, contractors and users to report any known fatal and serious accidents involving AWPs worldwide and all known accidents involving AWPs in the UK. Information entered into the database is kept strictly confidential and will be used solely for the purposes of analysis and improving safety.

Around 35 companies have registered to use IPAF's accident database, he said, although the numbers actually reporting accidents was still small. IPAF is currently aware of four fatalities worldwide involving platforms that have happened this year.

Chris Wraith said that understanding why accidents happen is key to changing risky behaviors in the field. "I used to bend the rules and ignore authority," he said of his early operator experience as a lorry driver, before his management role in health and safety. In a closer analysis of a handful of recent accidents in the UK, he noted that time pressure was often the cause of the accidents. In each case, the operators were under time pressure to complete a job, leading them to take shortcuts that in the end proved fatal.

Ending his presentation with personal anecdotes, he said, "Every accident is one too many. It is time to cut through the myths and misunderstandings. Log on and start reporting accidents. We have a system here, but it needs your help to help us save lives."

The next IPAF Summit will be held on 26 March 2013 in Miami, Florida, USA. More event details will be available at www.iapa-summit.info

New Book: Level 4 Certificate - Self study Guide Paper 1 Fire Engineering Science (IFE81)

Institution of Fire Engineers' self study guide is intended to enable candidates to prepare for the Level 4 Certificate Fire Engineering Science examination, which is a mandatory unit within the IFE qualification at Level 4. The guide consists of six modules that reflect the L4C1 Fire Engineering syllabus, which can be downloaded from www.ife.org.uk.

Within the modules are units, each of which contains a narrative information section, as well as a series of questions covering the topic under consideration and relevant worked examples.

The guide aims to complement rather than replace the time-honoured method of preparing for exams by studying in-depth from a wide range of source materials. IFE recognises the work of Stevenson College Edinburgh in drawing up the guide originally and for generously consenting to the publication of this revised version for the benefit of the Institution's exam candidates.

Level 4 Certificate - Self study Guide Paper 1 Fire Engineering Science (IFE81)
Institution of Fire Engineers

www.ife.org.uk/shop/product_view?id=263

Guide to Inspecting Passive Fire Protection for Fire Risk Assessors

Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) report sets out clear, practical guidance for assessors and those who specify, install and maintain passive fire protection. Sections outline the different kinds of passive measures in old and modern buildings; how often it should be checked; examples of good and bad workmanship; and useful checklists. For more information, including hard copy prices and how to freely download it, go to www.asfp.org.uk

http://asfp.associationhouse.org.uk/default.php?cmd=210&doc_category=16

Teaching health and safety in undergraduate engineering schools

IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health), the Chartered body for health and safety professionals in the UK, is committed to evidence-based practice in workplace health and safety. IOSH maintains a Research and Development Fund to support research, lead debate and inspire innovation as part of their work as a thought leader in health and safety.

This report presents the findings of a review into the needs of undergraduate engineers, current health and safety training material and how it may structured and packaged for use in universities and other learning environments.

In this document, you'll find a summary of the study IOSH commissioned to reassess the teaching of health and safety in undergraduate engineering courses. This report looks at the teaching material on health and safety principles and practice available to lecturers in the UK higher education sector, and forms part of IOSH's activities around embedding health and safety in professional and vocational education. The research had three key goals:

• to develop a common framework of material for teaching undergraduate engineers about health and safety risks in a way that would interest students of all engineering disciplines
• to design a modular package enabling universities to teach the material as a single course or use elements of it as required
• to assess how the package might be designed so it could be used in other learning environments, such as schools, colleges and in-company training, without significant rework.

Teaching health and safety in undergraduate engineering schools
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), 2012

www.iosh.co.uk/~/media/Documents/Books and resources/Published research/Teaching_health_and_safety_in_undergrad_engineering_courses.ashx [PDF]

Register for ECHA's Seventh Stakeholders' Day by 16 May 2012

The registration form for the Agency's Seventh Stakeholders' Day conference is now available on ECHA's website and will be open until 16 May 2012.

The conference takes places in Helsinki on 23 May 2012 and gives participants the opportunity to hear the latest news and updates from ECHA, European trade associations and NGOs.

The event is followed by the Annual Helsinki Chemicals Forum from 24 to 25 May.

Helsinki Chemicals Forum

New Book from Canada - Implementing a Chemical Safety Program by the CCOHS

CCOHS - the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has produced a new manual Implementing a Chemical Safety Program. Use the information, samples, and checklists in this manual to develop or improve your chemical safety programme. It covers the following:

Sections

1. Introduction
2. Legislation
3. Chemical Purchasing and Inventory
4. Hazard Identification Systems
5. Understanding Hazards
6. Understanding Labels and MSDSs/SDSs
7. Safe Storage
8. Controlling Exposure
9. Working Safely with Chemicals
10. Occupational Exposure Limits
11. Evaluating Exposures
12. Emergency Preparedness, Spill Response, and First Aid
13. Waste Storage and Disposal
14. Training

Appendices

1. Canadian Government Departments Responsible for Occupational Health and Safety
2. Legislation References to Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
3. Legislation References to Occupational Exposure Limits in Canada
4. Occupations or Occupational Groups Associated with Carcinogen Exposure
5. MSDS Sections and Related Content

Contact: www.ccohs.ca/products/publications/chemical_safety

UK Budget 2012 - De-regulation of Health and Safety Legislation

The following has been published in the Budget 2012 on page 81 under the heading 'Supply-side reform of the economy'.

2.238 Health and safety - The Government will scrap or improve 84 per cent of Health and Safety regulation, including by:

• introducing legislative change in 2012 so that health and safety law will no longer hold employers to be in breach of their duties in civil law where they have done everything that is reasonably practicable and foreseeable to protect their employees;
• giving the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) authority to direct all local authority health and safety inspection and enforcement activity, in order to ensure that it is consistent and targeted towards the most risky workplaces. A code based on existing powers will be introduced in April 2013;
• amending the Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 to remove the requirement for HSE to approve the training and qualifications of appointed first-aid personnel. Revised guidance aimed at small business will be published by May 2012, and provisions repealed by October 2012;
• amending the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation (RIDDOR) and its associated guidance to provide clarity for businesses on how to comply with the requirements by October 2013. This is in addition to the legislative change being made in April 2012 to extend to seven days (from three) the period an employee needs to have taken off work before an injury or accident needs to be reported;
• HSE redesigning information on its website in 2012 to distinguish between the regulations that impose specific duties on businesses and those that define 'administrative requirements' or revoke or amend earlier regulations;
• HSE providing further help to businesses by summer 2012 on what is 'reasonably practicable' for specific activities where evidence demonstrates that they need further advice to comply with the law in a proportionate way;
• aiming to start health and safety prosecutions within three years of an incident occurring by April 2013;
• HSE inputting ideas for micro-exemptions or lighter touch EU health and safety regulation for SMEs to the European Commission, based on ideas raised during the Red Tape Challenge;
• agreeing that the insurance industry will produce guidance for SMEs setting out what is and is not required to demonstrate compliance with health and safety law when obtaining insurance cover as agreed at the Prime Minister's insurance summit in February 2012;
• agreeing that the insurance industry also commits to challenge vexatious civil claims in order to tackle the compensation culture;
• and working with business and the ABI to build confidence in challenging such claims and ensure businesses have access to the right guidance and support.

www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_documents.htm

EHE2013 - International Conference on Electromagnetic Fields, Health and Environment

The EHE2013 General Chairman writes:

It is my great pleasure to invite you to the EHE2013 - International Conference on Electromagnetic Fields, Health and Environment, to be held in Porto, Portugal, from 19-21 September 2013. This Conference is now in its 5th edition after successful previous Conferences held in Funchal (2006), Wroclaw (2007), S. Paulo (2009), Coimbra (2011) and now in Porto-Portugal in 2013.

This International Conference like its predecessors is a world forum for a multi-discipline audience with various backgrounds, as, researchers, physicians, engineers, ecologists, consultants, decision and opinion makers, public authorities, to present, review and discuss the new developments and trends on electromagnetic field analysis, simulation and application with significance to the human health as well as increase the awareness of the public in this strategic area for the modern world.

The human organism does not function solely on the basis of biological or biochemical cellular reactions, but also on the basis of electromagnetic fields. The humans are indeed "electromagnetic beings". The term "electromagnetic fields" covers all the fields emitted by natural and man-mode sources and so the distinction between static and alternating fields.

In the latter, a differentiation should be made between extremely low frequency (so called ELF) fields such as due to the domestic and industrial electricity, and high frequency (so called RF) fields due to mobile telecommunication technologies, Wi-Fi, WLAN, etc.

It has been established that electromagnetic fields operating at various frequencies' can have useful and beneficial effects in clinical medicine, either for diagnosis or treatment. For example and to mention a few of the best of non-ionizing frequency band applications: the therapeutic benefits of electrotherapy, the clinic effects of direct currents (electrolysis), the clinical effects of external electric impulses on the cardiac muscle (pacemaker, defibrillators), clinical effects of micro measurements generated by pulse magnetic fields to improve healing in tissue repair and bone fractures.

But also, and because the very weak electrical currents are part of our human Physiology (for example at the level of communication between cells), the question of the possible disruptive effects on the human body and eventual consequences they might have for health, may legitimately be raised.

The levels of the electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the environment as a consequence of our modern life and way of living are increasing every day and so the Public exposure to EMF due to different sources is also increasing. There is an increasing great public concern and awareness of the potential health effects due to these radiations. The findings of scientific research are inconclusive, there is not unanimity of opinions and debate continues.

The EHE 2013 Conference contributions concern the areas of: EMF Modelling, Measurement and Simulation, Bio-effects of EMF, Environmental Safety Policy issues and International Standards.

You are strongly encouraged to participate and submit papers to the EHE2013 Conference, within the frame of the Conference topics.

The Conference official language is English and this will be the only accepted working language, which will be used for all printed material, presentations and discussions.

We have great pleasure to inform you that selected papers presented at the Conference, following a reviewing process, will be published in the post-Conference issue (Special issue on Electromagnetic Fields, Health and Environment in the International Journal COMPEL, ACES Journal and Brazilian Journal of Biomedical Engineering).

Potential Authors and other Participants are most welcome to visit the Conference website at www.apdee.org/conferences/ehe2013 for a more complete information.

The Conference will be held in Porto - Portugal, know all over the world to receive high quality events, like this one.

Carlos F. R. Lemos Antunes, Professor at Universidade de Coimbra, EHE2013 General Chairman | Email: ehe2013-chairman@apdee.org

Modern materials for flexible high-performance power plants: The first international conference "Alloys in Power Plant Technology" in Berlin, Germany on 12-13 June 2012

It will focus on the theme of new concepts in material technology for thermal power plants.

The future survival of conventional power plants depends on technological developments in material engineering. These materials assume a key position when changes in the design and operation of the plants have to be made: They must be resistant to corrosion, have a long service life, be safe to process and cost-efficient in production.

At the first international conference "Alloys in Power Plant Technology" experts will discuss new material concepts for power plant technology. Chairman of the conference is Prof. Karl Maile, Deputy Head of the German Institute for Materials Testing at the University of Stuttgart.

T24 is a material which plays a decisive role in current construction projects, but unexpected problems have arisen during handling. In his lecture Frank Neumann, Head of Department at RWE Technology in Essen, Germany, will describe the damages incurred and report on test results and the conclusions drawn about the origin and nature of the damages.

Certain components require specific manufacturing conditions, which must be allowed for by constructing engineers. Erik Solomonsson, Distribution Manager of Sandvik Powdermet AB in Surahammar, Sweden will give a lecture on hot isostatic produced components for power plants. During this process complex components can be produced on a powder-metallurgy basis, thus avoiding elaborate and complicated welded structures.

Experts from the European Technology Development in Surrey, Great Britain, will describe how they repair thick-walled components of P91 martensitic steel and prevent crack formation.

Furthermore they will explain how temperatures are controlled in the thermal treatment of the P92 alloy after welding. During this process thermodynamic modelling plays a major role.

The international conference addresses world-wide specialists and managers of operating plants, manufacturers and suppliers as well as consulting engineers, technical quality inspectors, and research personnel.

Further information, registration and programme at www.vdi-wissensforum.de or via VDI Wissensforum Kundenzentrum, P.O. Box 10 11 39, 40002 Duesseldorf, E-mail: wissensforum@vdi.de, Telephone: +49 (0) 211 62 14-2 01, Telefax: -1 54.

The VDI (Association of German Engineers) has its seat in Duesseldorf and represents the engineering and technology branch. It is the largest technical-scientific association in Germany with almost 150,000 members and is both a developer and disseminator of technological expertise.

Thanks to the vast network of experts and the know-how of the VDI, engineers and specialists and leading executives in the field of technology may choose from 1,000 further training courses each year. The hosting organisation, the VDI Wissensforum (expert forum) offers seminars, technology forums, training courses, symposia and congresses in all relevant branches. The focus is always on latest developments in technological expertise.

FPA adds Burn Hall to its Research, Training and Experimental Facilities

The Fire Protection Association (FPA) has now added a new component to its experimental, research and training facilities - a burn hall. At approximately 4500 m³, this is one of the largest burn halls in Europe. The large indoor, still-air fire test facility is suitable for conducting a wide range of full-scale fire testing, demonstrations and practical training, and is located near the FPA's headquarters in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

The Burn Hall will complement the Association's existing capabilities, such as its outdoor fire test site, well-equipped Mobile Fire Laboratory and portfolio of national qualifications. Along with first-class technical staff from a variety of engineering, physics and technical backgrounds, the new facility further reinforces the FPA's standing as one of Europe's leading fire test, training and research establishments.

FPA testing and research is totally independent from product suppliers, installers and manufacturers. Confidential, impartial and top-quality service is assured, and the client is provided with reliable and objective information. Where appropriate, advice will be offered to help ensure that satisfactory levels of fire safety are achieved.

The new centre will also accommodate practical hands-on training to complement our popular class-based courses and e-learning programmes across a wide range of topics, such as installation and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems; sprinkler systems maintenance; fire and smoke behaviour; structural fire resistance; and portable fire extinguisher maintenance.

The FPA is the UK's national fire safety organisation. Established in 1946, we are an independent and authoritative source of information and advice on all aspects of fire safety, risk management and loss prevention.

Further information on the FPA research or testing services is available from the FPA's Technical Division on 01608 812 540 or email technical@thefpa.co.uk; and information on training from the Education and Training Division on 01608 812 534 or email training@thefpa.co.uk

Visit the FPA website at www.thefpa.co.uk

Work Stress: New Research into the impact of a recession on employees: Research conducted by Ulster and Nottingham Universities

Researchers at the Universities of Nottingham and Ulster, in a study of civil servants in Northern Ireland, revealed that there is a significant rise in the number of workers that suffered from work stress during an economic downturn; the report also found the number of employees taking time off due to job stress increased during tough economic times.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is keen to get your comments about your organisation's experiences. Do they mirror the research? Have you taken extra measures to counteract the effect? What did you do and how successful was it?

Report: http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/62/2/98.full.pdf+html

Fire Protection Association (FPA) Update - April 2012

Fire Protection Association (FPA) Publications:

• Guide to Assisted Evacuation - DVD (to aid with the evacuation of people with mobility, visual, hearing and learning impairments)
• H&S Training Information Pack - produced with Axa - adds complete training package to the new Fundamentals of H&S DVD
• Passive Fire Protection Handbook - has proved extremely popular, reprinting already
• Fire Warden Handbook

Forthcoming in 2012:

• Fire Prevention on Construction Sites, 8th edition - to be published imminently
• Emergency Lighting Handbook
• New Workplace Fire Safety Logbook (interactive PDF version)
• Fire Risk Management in Heritage Properties
• New edition of The Prevention and Control of Arson from Adair.

Online developments

FPA's online video streaming site fire-stream launched and is proving of interest to many: http://www.fire-stream.net

FPA has also launched e-learning: http://www.fpa-academy.com

Essential Sources of authoritative fire and occupational health and safety information - Have a look at FIREINF and OSH UPDATE and make these your essential workplace information sources for 2012

How up-to-date is your wider health and safety information knowledge. Remember ignorance of the law and its requirements is NO excuse in any country. So do you want to keep up-to-date in worldwide occupational health, safety, hygiene, road safety, water safety, environment trends and the latest information? Do budget constraints not allow you to buy all the 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 try these Practical, Affordable Solutions for your health, safety, fire and environment information needs - Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd offers the following full text and bibliographic services that are continually updated and available via the Internet. They are also very cost effective.

These services contain wide ranges of information - not only from Europe but from around the World. Check out OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com and FIREINF www.fireinf.com electronic collection of information sources. Information Seekers will find a wealth of authoritative and validated advice including best practices, case studies, journal articles, reports, legislation, standards and much more.

The electronic services OSH UPDATE and FIREINF will help you and your organisation to keep up-to-date. The services continue to bring you the latest information on health, safety, environment, fire and other subjects that you will find useful in your daily work.

OSH UPDATE and FIREINF services contain both full text and bibliographic information are continuously enlarged as new information is published. These services are used by individuals, organisations, universities, institutions and companies worldwide.

For a 15 DAY FREE NO OBLIGATION TRIAL contact: Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd | email: sp@sheilapantry.com | or fill in the Interest form www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

OSHWORLD FOCUS

FOCUS on OSHWORLD website draws special attention to the wide range of Health, Safety, Fire, Chemical, Environment concerns worldwide.

Topics are wide ranging from Prevention is the cornerstone of the European approach to occupational safety and health (OSH): Innovative solutions help (February 2012) to Show Stress Who's Boss! (January 2012).

In 2011 we looked at:

• Safety First. Polish technical solutions (December 2011)
• Workplace Health Without Borders (November 2011)
• 7 October 2011 World Day for Decent Work - Unions Worldwide Mobilise for Decent Work (October 2011)
• Thoughts from Dr Jukka Takala as he leaves the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) on 15 September 2011

FOCUS is updated during the first week of the month, and includes validated Internet links to further information.

See: www.oshworld.com/focus.html

New information from USA NIOSH

The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) new publications:

Home Healthcare Worker Factsheets:

• How to Prevent Violence on the Job
• How to Prevent Latex Allergies
• How to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders
• How to Prevent Exposure in Unsafe Conditions
• How to Prevent Car Accidents
• How to Prevent Needlestick and Sharps Injuries

Instructor's Guide: Nonverbal Communication for Mine Emergencies
www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/works/coversheet461.html

Medium Frequency Mine Emergency Communications - An Emerging Technology (Technology News 546)
www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/works/coversheet906.html

Call for Abstracts: Isocyanates and Health: Past, Present and Future

Early bird abstract submission. Deadline for submission is 15 July 2012.

Late breaking papers and posters. Deadline for submission is September 7.

http://secure.cirpd.org/isocyanates2012/content/home.cfm