CIS Newsletter

No. 158
November 2002

CIS Newsletter celebrates 14 years & still going strong! Bringing news to over 130 countries in the CIS Network and beyond!

Contents

1. Editorial

2. News from around the World...... Australia, Canada, European Agency, European Environment Agency, Germany, ILO Geneva, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, UK and USA

3. Titles you may have missed.... and more news

4. OSHE Web sites

5. Diary of Events

Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

So how is progress in Safety, Health and the Environment in your country? As you will see from the contents of this Newsletter there are still many activities around the world - perhaps not as high in the political agendas of some countries as some of would wish.

CIS members in Europe may wish to send details of their successes in the recent European Week for Safety and Health Campaign on Working on Stress for inclusion in the CIS Newsletter. Look forward to hearing from you and to share your success with others around the world.

Last month I mentioned that there may be an announcement regarding the 2003 CIS Annual Meeting. Plans are now under discussion for a late May 2003 meeting.

You may wish to note that a major conference EUROSHE 2003 takes place on 3 and 4 November 2003 at the Royal National Hotel, Russell Square, London. The aim of the conference is to attract senior occupational safety, health, environment practitioners, managers, inspectors and others involved in shaping the future of OSHE. The topic themes follow the European Commission's Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002-2006. Already a line-up of eminent speakers have been agreed. More details in future editions of this Newsletter.

Remember your CIS Newsletter is available on your editor's website www.sheilapantry.com. If you have the CIS Newsletter on your web site let me know and I will publicise it for you.

Many thanks to those who have very kindly sent information and greetings to me last month.... much appreciated. And to those who have not sent any - I look forward to receiving your news item as soon as possible.

Best wishes to you and your colleagues.

Sheila Pantry, OBE
85 The Meadows, Todwick,
Sheffield S26 1JG, UK
Tel: +441909 771024
Fax: +441909 772829
Email sp@sheilapantry.com
www.oshworld.com
www.sheilapantry.com
www.shebuyersguide.com

CIS NETWORK OF NATIONAL INFORMATION CENTRES.........
WORKING TOGETHER AND HELPING EACH OTHER....

News from around the OSHE World.......

News from the ILO

CIS CENTRES WEBSITE....... the skeleton still waiting for your input!!!

BUT see the new NIOSH contribution at
www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/global/collaborations.html
to see what is available from the NIOSH site.

The CIS Centres Portal is kindly hosted and technically backed-up by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Please make sure that your information is on the CIS Centres portal! This way the world will know about your centre and its activities.

SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK - ILO-CIS BULLETIN: CHANGES

You will have noted in the No. 6 Vol 15 2001 edition that from 2002 the subscription to the Bulletin has been lowered:

Also note that the frequency is changing to quarterly..... so instead of approximately 300 abstracts six times a year, you will get 500 abstracts four times per year.

ILO Report cites Wolverhampton Health Care NHS Trust as Good Example of Social Dialogue

The development of employee involvement in decision-making within the Wolverhampton Health Care NHS Trust was cited as an example of good practice in social dialogue in health services in a new ILO report.

Prepared for the five-day Joint Meeting on Social Dialogue in the Health Services at the ILO's Geneva headquarters, the report, which is entitled Social Dialogue in the Health Services: Institutions, Capacity and Effectiveness, examines ways in which social dialogue in the health services can be strengthened.

The report also refers to institutional reform and privatisation in the health services, new forms of management, employment and migration trends and the financing of health care delivery. Concern about public health and the increasing cost of health care have made this sector one of the most debated political issues in many countries in the past few years.

Representatives of workers, employers and governments will met at the Geneva headquarters from October 21-25 2002 for the Joint Meeting to discuss the need for social dialogue in advancing and sustaining reforms in many areas of the health sector, including efforts to deal with the growing problem of violence against health care providers at their places of work.

For more information, contact Hans von Rohland, ILO Department of Communication | Tel.: +41 22 799 7916 | rohland@ilo.org.

Full note to correspondents:
www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2002/48.htm

For full text of the report including statistics from different countries on trends in health and social care employment, see:
www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/jmhs02/jmhs-r.pdf
(For UK figures see pages 9-11, 13, 15, 17, and case study on 69-71)

News from Germany

Trust is good - Market surveillance is better!

Report in KANBRIEF

Today's worldwide trade in goods and services has reached an unprecedented scale. Manufacturers and importers are subject to tougher competition and increasing pricing pressure. This leads to more and more low-price products on the European market and more and more discoveries of dangerous products who do not comply with the valid safety standards. This subject which is very important to KAN. In the KANBrief 3/02 there is an interview with Dr Brandt Hamburg. There was also a workshop on the same subject, organised by KAN held 17 October 2002.

The same edition of KANBrief contains also the following items:

KANBrief also contains a brief note on EUROSHNET which is a steering group currently comprises the French Institution INRS and EUROGIP, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (FIOH), the British Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), the Polish Central Institute for Labour Protection (CIOP), the Spanish INSHT and representing the German contingent, HVBG/BG-PRÜFZERT and KAN. The first meeting being held October 2002.

A key function will be discussion of the involvement of OHS institutions in EUROSHNET.

Further information can be found in the very informative quarterly KANBRIEF 3/02 published by the Kommision Arbeitsschutz und Normung (KAN), Alte Heestr.111 , D-53757 Sankt Augustin, Germany | Tel: +40 (0) 2241 231 3463 | Fax: +49 (0) 2241 231 3464 | Email: info@kan.de | www.kan.de

Asbestos regulations - latest UK news

Just a quick note to make you aware of where things stand with the UK Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations including the "duty to manage". There was a debate in the UK House of Commons on 24 October 2002, following the debate the regulations were signed by the Minister and have now been published. This was after some intense lobbying by various safety and health organisations.

Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002
SI 2002 No. 2675 ISBN 0 11 042918 4 26 pages

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2675/made

The duty to manage (regulation 4) will have an 18 month lead in period and regulation 20 will have a 24 month lead in period........
and just a thought .....it was in1898 (yes 1898) when two Lady Inspectors first reported that asbestos would have long term ill health effects!

MPs urged to stop 'fourth wave' asbestos epidemic

MPs are being urged by the TUC to back a new legal duty on employers to manage the risks of asbestos in commercial premises. The TUC believes the move would help prevent a 'fourth wave' of deaths from killer diseases caused by asbestos, such as the incurable and painful cancer of the lining of the lung, mesothelioma.

The amendments would require employers to identify which bits of their buildings contain the deadly material, and draw up a plan to manage the risks.

Asbestos-related diseases currently kill about 5,000 people a year in Britain, and the number is set to double over the next twenty years to become the most common cause of early death among adult males. There are estimated to be 1.4 million commercial premises with asbestos in them, mostly built before bans on asbestos began in the early 1980s, although the last form of asbestos was only banned in 1999.

TUC General Secretary, John Monks, said:

"We've already seen tens of thousands of deaths due to this fatal fibre. Unless we act now to control the risk posed by millions of tonnes of asbestos in commercial premises, there will be a 'fourth wave' of asbestos deaths, and the death toll will continue to rise for the rest of the century."

The epidemics of asbestos-related deaths over the last century fall into three 'waves':

The TUC and asbestos campaigners now fear a 'fourth wave' of people whose exposure results from asbestos in the building where they work deteriorating and getting into the air. This could include teachers, nurses, factory staff, shop assistants and office workers. Anyone who works in a building containing asbestos is at risk if their employer doesn't take some fairly simple steps to manage the asbestos in the workplace. Otherwise, accidental finds of asbestos are likely to lead to scares and emergency evacuations, which are far more disruptive than a planned approach.

News from European Environment Agency

European Summer 2002 smog levels exceed critical threshold three days in four

Levels of potentially harmful ground-level ozone exceeded a critical threshold somewhere in Europe on more than three days out of four this summer, according to preliminary information compiled by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Ozone, the main component of summer smog, can cause serious health problems in humans and damage to ecosystems, agricultural crops and materials. It forms when certain air pollutants emitted by industry and transport react with sunlight. Ozone levels tend to be highest during warm, sunny weather, and are generally higher in southern Europe than in the north.

Human exposure to elevated ozone concentrations can give rise to adverse effects on the breathing system and decreases in lung function. Symptoms observed during smog events are coughing, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, headache and eye irritation.

Under a European Union directive, governments must inform the public whenever monitoring stations detect ozone concentrations above a critical threshold, set at 180 micrograms of ozone per cubic metre of air averaged over one hour.

Over the April-August 2002 period this threshold was exceeded in 11 of the 15 EU Member States and in six out of 12 other European countries that supplied data, a preliminary evaluation shows. An exceedance occurred in one or more of these 27 countries on 120 of the 153 days covered. June and July saw the highest numbers of exceedances.

The report was been sent for information to EU environment ministers for their meeting on 17 October 2002 was prepared by the EEA's Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change. The report is posted on the EEA's web site at http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/topic_report_2002_6.

News from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

The following FACTS SHEETS have recently been issued by the European Agency:

Facts 25 New Forms of Contractual relationships and the Implications for Occupational Safety and Health: summary of an Agency report
The full report is available in English on the Agency web site
http://osha.europa.eu/publications/reports/206/en/index.htm

Facts 26 The use of Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems in the Member States of the European Union: summary of an Agency report
The full report is available in English on the Agency web site
http://osha.europa.eu/publications/reports

Facts 27 Inventory of socioeconomic costs of work accidents.: summary of an Agency report
The full report is available in English on the Agency web site
http://osha.europa.eu/publications/reports

Facts 28 Economic appraisal of preventing work accidents at company level: summary of an Agency report
The full report is available in English on the Agency web site
http://osha.europa.eu/publications/reports

Facts 29 Safety and Health Good Practice on-line for the Healthcare Sector
The web links to a whole range of information.
http://osha.europa.eu/en/sector/healthcare

Further information:
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Gran Via 33, E-48009 Bilbao, Spain | email: information@osha.eu.int | fax: +34 94 479 4383

Joint Programme Launches New Initiative Against Workplace Violence in the Health Sector

A joint programme of labour, health and public service organisations launched a new initiative today aimed at helping health professionals fight fear, assault, humiliation and even homicide where they work.

The joint task force - comprising of the International Labour Office (ILO), the World Health Organisation (WHO), Public Services International (PSI) and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) - has launched a set of "Framework guidelines for addressing workplace violence in the health sector" during a meeting at ILO headquarters in Geneva.

The initiative comes in the face of a growing problem in hospitals and other health workplaces worldwide, where on average one out of two health workers is affected by a mounting toll of violence.

For more information, contact International Labour Office, Department of Communication, Geneva, Switzerland | Tel: +41 22 799 7912 | Email: communication@ilo.org

All ILO press releases can be found at
www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/index.htm

Titles you may have missed....... Autumn 2002 Catalogue

From NIOSH

Reproductive Health: developing partnerships in the study of reproductive health in the workplace
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has just issued a number of publications including Reproductive Health: developing partnerships in the study of reproductive health in the workplace.
For more information or to establish a collaboration contact: James S Kesner, Ph.D, Reproductive Heath Assessment Section, NIOSH, Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA | Tel: +1 513 533 8208 | Fax: +1 513 533 8138 | Email: jsk4@cdc.gov

Exposure Assessment Methods: research needs and priorities
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Exposure Assessment Methods (EAM) Team has proposed definitions and prioritized recommendations for research related to the field pf exposure assessment. Proposed research falls into four areas: study and design, monitoring methods, applied toxicology, and education and communication. The purpose of this document is to stimulate new research in these areas.
Exposure Assessment Methods; research need and priorities
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2002-126, July 2002, 19 pages
NIOSH, Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA | Tel: +1 800356 4674 | Fax: +1 513 533 8573 Email: pubstaft@cdc.gov | www.cdc.gov/niosh

Programa de Evaluación de los Peligros para la Salud
available from The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2002-132 (Sp2002), July 2002, 11 pages
NIOSH, Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA | Tel: +1 800356 4674 | Fax: +1 513 533 8573 Email: pubstaft@cdc.gov | www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh

Simples: Ergonomía para trabajadores agrícolas
available from The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-111 (Sp2002), July 2002, 46 pages
NIOSH, Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA | Tel: +1 800356 464 | Fax: +1 513 533 8573 Email: pubstaft@cdc.gov | www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh

News from Australia

TUC wants what Australian safety reps have got - the power to make workplaces safer

The UK TUC-backed safety magazine Hazards, published Saturday 2 November 2002, shows how Australian union safety reps are making their workplaces safer using powers the TUC would like to see introduced in British workplaces.

Where health and safety issues cannot be resolved by other means, Australian union safety reps can serve PINs (Provisional Improvement Notices or default notices) in some states. These tell the employer what health and safety laws are being broken, and what the union wants done to put things right. If the employer doesn't comply, government inspectors are called in to adjudicate, and if they support the union rep, the employer is legally required to comply. The TUC has already supplied British union safety reps with 'Union Inspection Notices' (UINs) based on the Australian model, which are being piloted as a voluntary system, but the TUC wants them to have the same status and effect as PINs.

Research by British Health and Safety Executive inspector Sarah Page and the findings of a survey of safety reps by the ACTU (the Australian TUC) show that employers almost always accept the safety reps' recommendation without an inspector needing to call. Hazards says "initial employer and enforcement agency reservations about PINs had been overcome, and they had become an accepted part of the workplace safety enforcement armoury." Sarah Page's report has been published by the HSE on their website in the "workers' web page" section. Hazards says that HSE "could make workplaces safer and its own job a lot easier by trusting union safety reps to take a more active enforcement role."

And an ACTU survey of Australian union safety reps, reported in the same issue, found that whilst only 10% of safety reps had issued a PIN, 95% say that it was effective in resolving the health and safety issue. The use of PINs is highest in warehousing (33%), construction (29%), transport (20%) and manufacturing (17%).

Hazards 80 is on sale from next weekend - order copies at www.hazards.org/subscribe.htm or write to PO Box 199, Sheffield S1 4YL, UK - a special section on the website is devoted to PINs and UINs - www.hazards.org/notices/index.htm

The HSE report Worker Participation in Health and Safety by Sarah Page is available at www.hse.gov.uk/workers/index.htm

All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

Other enquiries: Owen Tudor on 07788 715261 (mobile) or at otudor@tuc.org.uk

News from the Netherlands

Swets Blackwell delivers single integrated platform with SwetsWise online content

Expanded service now offers unprecedented capabilities for both subscription management and e-journal access

Swets Blackwell, the leading global subscription and information services company, today unveiled a major new addition to SwetsWise® www.swetswise.com, its web-based service launched in 2001 as an e-procurement solution for journals, magazines and other periodical literature. With the arrival of SwetsWise online content the service is brought up to its full complement, making it the only product on the market to offer users a single platform for both web-based management of subscriptions and access to electronic journals.

SwetsWise online content is the premier tool for managing electronic information needs. The service offers users a single point of access to content from the world’s leading publishers, boasting over 12 million searchable references and links to full-text articles available from such prestigious publishers as Elsevier Science, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, OECD, Blackwell Publishing, John Wiley, MIT Press and Springer-Verlag.

SwetsWise online content was designed to make accessing and managing electronic content easier than ever. Together with the e-procurement capabilities of SwetsWise subscriptions, the service will provide customers with a full online information management solution - with a link between purchasing, administration and provision of access to content.

SwetsWise online content replaces SwetsnetNavigator, the e-journal gateway service that first appeared in 1997, and contains all the functionality of its precursor and more.

Customers will enjoy such features as pay-per-view, rights management and the industry’s most advanced statistic reporting, as well as a revamped interface that provides a more user-friendly and intuitive environment.

Swets Blackwell www.swetsblackwell.com is the world’s largest subscription agent, with offices in 22 countries on 6 continents. It provides a wide variety of subscription management solutions for academic, scientific, technical, medical, corporate and government libraries and information centres worldwide. Founded in 1901, Swets Blackwell counts among its 60,000 customers many of the world’s major research libraries and over 30% of the Fortune 500 companies. In recognition of the superior service it provides, Swets Blackwell was granted ISO 9001:2000 accreditation.

News from the USA

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG)

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been established since 1970 and is part of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is the only Federal Institute responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illnesses and injuries.

NIOSH has a very active programme of dissemination information and this recently issued compact disc NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards and other databases which are also available on the NIOSH website www.cdc.gov/niosh and also the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) web site www.osha.gov have been conveniently brought together on a CD-ROM for those who do not have, or do not wish to access this data via the Internet. Internet web sites are also included for some of the databases for those wishing to access by this route.

NIOSH's responsibilities include the following:

Some of the databases in the CD-ROM are:

NIOSH Pocket Guide (NPG) is a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes for workers, employers, and occupational health professionals. it presents key information and data in abbreviated or tabular form for chemicals or substance groupings (e.g. cyanides, fluorides, manganese compounds) that are found in the work environment. The information found in the NPG should help users recognise and control occupational chemical hazards.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npg.html

NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM) is a collection of methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air, and in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed. These methods have been developed or adapted by NIOSH or its partners and have been evaluated according to established experimental protocols and performance criteria. NMAM also includes chapters on quality assurance, sampling, portable instrumentation, etc.
NIOSH recommends that the best method available be used for making each measurement.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/nmam/nmampub.html

International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO)
Published by the World Health Organisation, International Labour Office ICSC cards summarise essential health and safety information on chemicals for their use at the "shop floor" level by workers and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other work places.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcs/icstart.html

Recommendations for Chemical Protective Clothing database is intended to provide assistance for identifying potentially appropriate types of chemical barrier material for protection against skin contact with the chemicals listed in the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. In the Pocket Guide, a broadly applicable phrase, Prevent skin contact, is used. In the Recommendations for Chemical Protective Clothing database, the author defines possible circumstances under which this phrase might be applied. These scenarios include damaging the skin directly, absorption through the skin and into the body, or concern for hand-to-mouth transfer. However, the Pocket Guide does not indicate in such detail the specific concern involved for each substance.

In summary, the Recommendations for Chemical Protective Clothing database should be used as a starting point for considering which barrier materials might provide resistance to chemical permeation as shown under laboratory testing conditions. When such laboratory testing data are available, it should not be assumed, that based on this information alone, selection of this material for use in the workplace will always provide adequate protection. For chemicals for which no recommended barrier material is provided, additional testing would be necessary to support any determination of adequacy after selecting a specific barrier material.

The remaining databases included in the CD-ROM are the following :

Free copies of the CD-ROM available from:
NIOSH, Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA | Tel: +1 800356 4674 | Fax: + 1 513 533 8573 | Email: pubstaft@cdc.gov | www.cdc.gov/niosh

News from Canada

CCOHS new OSH fatality reports database on the web

The Canadian Institute of Occupational Health and Safety has made available on the web the Fatality Reports database, a unique collection of information regarding work-related fatalities. As a free public service to Canadians, the database provides a insight into the circumstances and causes surrounding occupational fatalities. Included in this collection are reports from Coroner's inquests and inquiries form many jurisdictions across Canada. These reports are form farming, construction, mining and logging industries.

As a training tool, students and professionals can use Fatality Reports to study accident analysis. Reports include the accident details, the industrial sector affected, the occupation of the deceased and recommendations resulting from the inquest.

Providing a wealth of information, the database provides greater awareness of circumstances involving dangerous equipment, unsafe work practice and working conditions.

http://ccinfoweb.ccohs.ca/fatality/search.html

News from the USA

Demand for Environmental, Health & Safety Software Still Strong, according to Donley Technology Study Interest in chemical safety compliance and training software at an all-time high

Demand for environmental, health and safety (EH&S) software is still strong, according to a worldwide study of 150,000 Internet users by Donley Technology. The study found a maturing industry, with strong market interest in chemical safety information, training, and compliance software. "The interest in EH&S software and databases continues to grow," said Elizabeth Donley, industry analyst and President of Donley Technology. "But despite the availability of several thousand EH&S software products, the market is still not getting what it needs. Many software developers have been slow to respond to changing regulatory requirements and have failed to recognise how technological advances, such as growing reliance on the Internet, influence market expectations."

The results of the study can be purchased in the report "Untapped Markets for Environmental, Health & Safety Software 2002." The report helps developers of EH&S software focus their product development and marketing efforts.

Study methodology
The study was based on the interests of 150,000 visitors to www.EHSfreeware.com and www.EHSsoftserve.com
EHSfreeware is a virtual library of more than 900 software packages, databases, and interactive resources relating to the environment, health and safety. EHSsoftserve is a companion site that covers commercial products. Because of the popularity of these two resources, the study includes representatives from Fortune 500 and small companies alike, military installations, Department of Energy facilities, state and municipal government agencies, and more than 100 countries. More information is available in the study at www.donleytech.com/ehs_market_study.htm

Contact: Elizabeth Donley, Donley Technology, Colonial Beach, VA 22443, USA | Tel: + 1 804 224 9427 | edonley@donleytech.com | www.donleytech.com

Do what many people around the world are doing and check out........
www.oshworld.com
Your portal to occupational safety, health, fire, chemical, environment information

News from Ireland

NISO - the Irish CIS Collaborating Centre host successful conference - "Time to get Real"

Dublin was the venue for this year's annual conference of the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) which was entitled "Time to get Real".

The programme was interesting with a range of speakers on topics such as:

There was also a 3 act "play" "The Anatomy of an Accident" which was about the way the Board of Directors of the company handled the enquiry into an accident which had occurred.

The scenario which whilst perhaps exaggerated in parts, nevertheless reflects some of the attitudes and conditions which still prevail in industry.

Written, produced and very well acted by NISO members the play had some very salutary lessons.

Contact: Ted O'Keeffe
National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO)
Unit A11
Calmount Park
Calmount Road
Ballymount
Dublin 12
Ireland

Tel: +353 1 465 9760
Fax: +353 1 465 9765
E-Mail: info@niso.ie

See also NISO's new web site www.niso.ie

News from the UK

Work overload is main cause of stress at work

National Stress Awareness Day is 6 November 2002 and the TUC has revealed that work overload is the main cause of stress at work across Britain. A TUC survey of 5,300 union safety reps shows that stress is the main health and safety concern in Britain's workplaces.

80% of safety reps who reported that stress was a problem at their workplace said workload was a major cause, half of the reps also cited change and staff cuts as factors.

To try to tackle the UK's stress epidemic, the TUC has launched a web-based tool that enables safety reps to assess the risk of stress in the workplace, before using the TUC online stress MOT to diagnose any problems (find both at: www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/). The TUC is also offering online help and advice for all workers in identifying and dealing with stress at work at www.worksmart.org.uk/health/index.php

TUC General Secretary John Monks said:

"Britain's workplaces are some of the most stressed in Europe, and it's time to stop working harder and start working smarter. Long hours and heavy workloads combine to make a lethal mixture which leads to heart attacks, mental illness and social problems like divorce and alcoholism. It's plainly a false economy to work people into the ground, and it's the number one problem that needs to be tackled."

The worst industries for stress, according to union safety reps, are:

OSHE Web sites to explore

WorkCover - Drugs and Alcohol and the workplaces   AUSTRALIA
www.workcover.com/ftp/documents/resDrugAlcoholGuidelines.pdf
Australia's WorkCover drugs and alcohol at work guidance warns that chemicals used in workplaces, such as solvents and pesticides, can also have a adverse effect which may also be worsened if the employee has used alcohol or other drugs.

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work - Musculoskeletal disorders   SPAIN
http://osha.europa.eu/en/topics/msds
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work musculoskeletal disorders section contains reports and publications, information resources including case studies.

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work- Start Young-Stay Safe   SPAIN
http://osha.europa.eu/en/sector/education
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work Start Young - Stay Safe web feature to support the integration of health and safety into education and training at all levels. Statistics have revealed that younger workers have a 40 % higher risk to suffer a work-related accident as compared with other workers. Integrating or 'mainstreaming' OSH into education forms a key part of developing a preventive culture by teaching children and young adults to live and work safely. Includes: findings from a wide range of national experiences showing how OSH has been integrated into different levels of education; awareness-raising campaigns and conclusions from the ensuing debates and discussion; the proceedings of a seminar on learning about OSH, links with information on integrating OSH into education in Member States, Europe and beyond and more.

International Labour Office - Drugs and Alcohol at Work   SWITZERLAND
 www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/publicat/iloshcat/drugalco.htm
International Labour Office - Drugs and Alcohol at Work catalogue of publications give details of relevant publications, guidance, reports, working papers and links to other sources.

International Labour Office - Drugs and Alcohol at Work   SWITZERLAND
 www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/drug/index.htm
International Labour Office - Drugs and Alcohol at Work Abuse Prevention Programmes gives details of the key issues in developing policies and programmes to address the problem.

Alcohol Concern   UK
www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
The UK Alcohol Concern is the national agency on alcohol misuse. The site contains information about the work of Alcohol Concern, fact sheets, publications, news plus links to useful sites.

Health and Safety Executive: Alcohol at Work   UK
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg240.htm
The UK Health and Safety Executive Don't Mix It! is a guide for employers on alcohol at work. It provides a basic understanding of the problem, the effects on the individual, the legal position, what can be done, screening and what is involved, case studies, sources of advice and information and further references. It also provides a model alcohol policy outline.

Health and Safety Executive: Alcohol at Work Policy   UK
www.hse.gov.uk/alcoholdrugs
The UK Health and Safety Executive Health Directorate gives advice on developing an alcohol policy at work in consultation with staff. Lists sources of further information.

Health and Safety Executive: Asthma   UK
www.hse.gov.uk/asthma
The UK Health and Safety Executive Health Directorate occupational asthma and respiratory sensitisers guidance and advice. Gives details of relevant publications and links.

Health and Safety Executive: Construction Industry for students   UK
www.learning-hse.com
The UK Health and Safety Executive online teaching aid for construction students and practitioners has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The website contains valuable information on health and safety in construction, including legislation, safe working practices and case studies. Developed as a result of recommendations in HSE's Contract Research Report No. 392/2001 'Identification and Management of Risk in Undergraduate Construction Courses', www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_htm it is designed to supplement existing undergraduate courses by supplying an easy to use and constantly updated resource for students. It is also valuable to people already working within the industry. The material is not designed to represent an entire module or course; instead it provides background data, explanations, case studies and reference material to illustrate common principles in health and safety risk management, on which students may draw to further their research and study. This freely available material will form a useful starting point for anyone embarking on a career in the construction industry.

Health and Safety Executive: Drugs   UK
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg91.pdf
The UK Health and Safety Executive Drugs Misuse at Work: guidance for employers produced in partnership with the Home Office and others. It provides a basic understanding of the signs, effects and risks of drug misuse. It also sets out a best practice approach to dealing with drug-related problems at work.

Occupational Road Safety Alliance   UK
www.orsa.org.uk
UK Group of some 40 organisations set up the Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ORSA). The web site gives details of the Alliance and has a directory of occupational road safety resources and other organisations, including RoSPA which in turn give further advice and guidance.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA :Personal Protective Equipment   USA
 www.osha.gov/SLTC/personalprotectiveequipment/index.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) personal protective equipment (PPE) web site to help reduce employees' exposures to hazards. Covers: recognition, control, compliance, training and related links to PPE for construction workers.

Diary of Events

Even if you cannot attend these events - write and ask for details....they may inspire you organise a similar event in your country

28-29 November 2002 - Keep ahead with European information (in collaboration with European Institute of Public Administration)
Maastricht, Netherlands
Contact: Catherine Webb, EIA Manager & Eurotalk Listowner , European Information Association, Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester M2 5PD, UK | Tel: +44 (0)161 228 3691 | Fax: +44 (0)161 236 6547 | Email: cwebb@libraries.manchester.gov.uk | www.eia.org.uk

3 December 2002 - How to find out about the EU
London, UK
Contact: Catherine Webb, EIA Manager & Eurotalk Listowner , European Information Association, Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester M2 5PD, UK | Email: cwebb@libraries.manchester.gov.uk | www.eia.org.uk

4 December 2002 - Electronic sources of EU information
London, UK
Contact: Catherine Webb, EIA Manager & Eurotalk Listowner , European Information Association, Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester M2 5PD, UK | Tel: +44 (0)161 228 3691 | Fax: +44 (0)161 236 6547 | Email: cwebb@libraries.manchester.gov.uk | www.eia.org.uk

27-28 February 2003 - Minimising Human Errors and Violations
Café Royal, London
Contact: Joanne Roberts, IBC Global Conferences | Fax: +44 (0) 20 7017 5090.
Further details will be available at www.safetyevents.com | Email: joanne.roberts@informa.com

3-5 March 2003 - 68th Road Safety Congress Safer Driving: Reducing Risks, Crashes & Casualties
Hilton Hotel, Blackpool, UK
Contact: RoSPA -The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK | Tel: +44 0870 7772120 or Tel + 44 (0)121 248 2120 | www.rospa.com

10-15 May 2003 - American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo: Navigating Uncharted Territory
Dallas, Texas, USA
Contact: AIHce, 2700 Prosperity Ave, Suite 250, Fairfax, VA 22031, USA | Tel: +1 703 849 8888 | Fax: +1 703 207 3561 | Email: cdavis@aiha.org | www.aiha.org

19-21 May 2003 - 8th International Symposium of the ISSA Research Section: Tools for the application of European Directives on health at the workplace- the example of chemical risk
Athens, Greece
Contact: ELINYAE, Hellenic Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, Athens, Greece | Tel: +30 10 820 0220 | Email: mtrianti@elinyae.gr

15-19 June 2003 - Toxicokinetic and Toxicodynamic Modelling in Occupational Health
Training Center, Gripsholm, Sweden
Contact: Gunilla Rasi, NIVA, Topeliuksenkatu 41 aA, FIN-00250 Helsinki Finland | Tel: +358 9 4747 2398 | Fax: +358 9 4747 2497 | E-mail: gunilla.rasi@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

10-15 July 2003 - Work-related Respiratory Hypersensitivity
The Sunborn Yacht Hotel, Naantali, Finland.
Contact: Pirjo Turtiainen, NIVA, Topeliuksenkatu 41 aA, FIN-00250 Helsinki Finland | Tel: +358 9 4747 2349 | Fax: +358 9 4747 2497 | E-mail: pirjo.turtiainen@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

11-15 August 2003 - Bullying and Harassment at Work
Hotel Eckero, Aland, Finland.
Contact: Gunilla Rasi, NIVA, Topeliuksenkatu 41 aA, FIN-00250 Helsinki Finland | Tel: +358 9 4747 2498 | Fax: +358 9 4747 2497 | E-mail: gunilla.rasi@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

Other dates

3 December - International (European) Day of Disabled Persons

5 December - International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (www.unv.org)

7 December - International Civil Aviation Day (www.icao.int)

10 December - Human Rights Day

12 December - International Children's Day of Broadcasting (www.unicef.org/icdb)