CIS Newsletter

No. 161
February 2003


CIS Newsletter celebrates 15 years & still going strong! Bringing news to over 135 countries in the CIS Network


Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

You will have seen the details in the January 2003 CIS Newsletter regarding the 2003 CIS AGM, visits and workshops. This month's Newsletter contains some more details and repeat of information in case some people missed the January edition.

2003 CIS Annual Meeting will be in London, UK. The full programme is below including accommodation opportunities.

ANY COUNTRY/CIS CENTRE RECEIVING TECHNICAL AID WHO BELIEVE THEY MAY QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE SHOULD CONTACT EMMERT CLEVENSTINE AT CIS HQ IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER THE MEETING IS ONLY 3 MONTHS AWAY! and time flies by very quickly!!!!

Also remember to send to Geneva HQ any items which you wish to have placed on the agenda. You should send as soon possible any items you wish to have discussed. Also remember to send your annual reports in early.

As usual many thanks to all the contributors to this edition of your Newsletter - all news however small is most welcomed. If you are planning any publications, seminars or training courses, then please send your details to me so that we can share your efforts with others. Don't forget to send me your latest news!

Over 100 individuals and organisations have let me know that wish to receive the Newsletter by email.... if you wish to join just let me know and I will send it. CIS newsletters can be found on www.sheilapantry.com click onto CIS Newsletters!

Perhaps your own website will want to link to them?

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


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


News from CIS HQ, Geneva

Emmert Clevenstine writes:

CIS Annual Meeting 2003

Financial constraints are everywhere but ANY COUNTRY/CIS CENTRE RECEIVING TECHNICAL AID WHO BELIEVE THEY MAY QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE to go to the 2003 UK meetings SHOULD CONTACT THEIR OWN COUNTRY PROJECT TECHNICAL OFFICER IN THE FIRST INSTANCE AND IMMEDIATELY.

REMEMBER THE MEETING IS LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AWAY! and time flies by very quickly!!!!

Remember to send to Geneva HQ any items which you wish to have placed on the agenda. You should send as soon possible any items you wish to have discussed.

Also remember to send your annual reports in early to the CIS HQ Geneva


Important Notice

Draft outline CIS Week in the UK 19-23 May

The main meetings will be at the Imperial Hotel, Russell Square, London. This is a central London location and within easy walking distance to the major sights of this wonderful city - many of these are free of charge for entry. There are many restaurants, bars, cafes in the area - at reasonable costs.

If anyone wishes to have small group or one-one meetings, or help with other visits during the week please let Emmert Clevenstine or Sheila Pantry know and every effort will be made to arrange these.

CIS activities during the week
NB Some changes from the December 2002 Newsletter
>>>>>

Monday 19 May 2003 and Tuesday 20 May 2003
RoSPA Expo and Conference - Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK

About 1 hour train journey from London
This is a mega sized expo shows - well worth a visit and covering:

Tuesday 20 May 2003
For those not wishing to go to Birmingham, an alternative visit is being arranged to the British Library. Details to follow.

Wednesday 21 May 2003
At the Imperial Hotel, Russell Square, London
Two workshops will be held:

Wednesday 21 May 2003 Morning :
Creating the electronic OSH information and knowledge service and centre. There will be various presentations and discussions.

To be successful, OSH managers constantly need to reassess the effectiveness of their information services and to ascertain whether they are really delivering the services needed by their users. In doing so it is now essential to take on board the opportunities afforded by new technology. An information service is no longer necessarily defined by the restrictions of a particular physical location or specific opening hours.

For anyone wishing to establish an electronic information/knowledge service, whatever the type or size of organization they work in, and is equally essential for those wishing to convert an existing traditional service into an e-information service. Ideas and examples of how an e-information service can be created, maintained and marketed in a cost effective way. Key issues covered include:

Wednesday 21 May 2003 Afternoon
Creating the successful OSH Publicity Campaign involving inspectors,

Workshop 2. Promotion and Publicity Ideas for CIS Centres
This will have short presentations about 20 minutes each (IS that long enough for you or do you want 30 minutes - just let me know

a) Vern Anderson NIOSH

b) Irja Laamanen FIOH

c) Sheila Pantry

d) hope to get someone else - perhaps one of the Asia or African countries.... working on this! Does anyone want to make a 10-15 minute presentation?

Then a BREAKOUT INTO GROUPS and for the delegates to think about a "topical subject" and make a PR plan - we did something similar a few years ago - but the technologies are helping to get messages out in various ways.

Also when we go to the HSE for the visit on Thursday 22 May I have asked them to do a session on how they organise Campaigns etc so that will be complementary to our workshops.

There will be various presentations and discussions. The participants should be able to draw up their own campaigns after this workshop and also the visit to HSE the next day.

Wednesday Evening 18.00 - 19.30
There will be a "Reception" sponsored by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd held in the Atrium at the Imperial Hotel.
Rest of the evening free.

Thursday 22 May 2003 morning 10.00-13.00
Visit to the UK Health and Safety Executive, Globe Room, Rose Court, London
A number of presentations will be given by HSE staff and will complement the workshops held the previous day. HSE is the National CIS Centre.
Buffet Lunch, kindly provided by HSE will be served after the morning meeting.

Thursday 22 May 2003 afternoon 14.00 - 17.00
Back at the Imperial Hotel, Tudor Room, London The 2003 CIS Annual Meeting will start. Please let Emmert Clevenstine or Sheila Pantry know if you wish to give a short (10 minutes) presentation.

Thursday evening - Free for late night shopping, theatre, music, eating or just enjoying London!

Friday 23 May 2002 09.30 - 15.00
The 2003 CIS Annual Meeting will continue.

Hotel Accommodation for CIS Meeting...

To help you...

1. Arrangements have been made with the Imperial London Hotels Ltd regarding hotel bookings which people must booked themselves.

2. The Imperial Group offer the following hotels - all in the Russell Square location.

A 10% reduction of the usual price has been arranged - see details below.

If CIS members wish to share twin rooms then this of course will cut the costs again.

Imperial Hotel £65.70 single £87.30 twin room (£43.65 each if sharing) with Full English Breakfast.

Ask for a quiet room looking over the Courtyard.

President Hotel £67.00 single £89.00 twin room (£44.50 each if sharing) with Full English Breakfast.

Royal National Hotel £66.00 £85.00 twin room (£42.50 each if sharing) with CONTINENTAL Breakfast ONLY

Bedford Hotel £71.00 single £94.00 twin room (£47.00 each if sharing) with Full English Breakfast.

Tavistock Hotel £61.00 single £81.00 twin room (£40.50 each if sharing) with Full English Breakfast.

All the above Hotels have ensuite bathrooms and showers, TV and Radio

There is also
County Hotel £39.00 single £50.00 twin room (£25.00 each if sharing) with Full English Breakfast.
NOTE Without private bathrooms.

Contact:
Reservations Manager, Imperial Hotel, Russell Square, London WC1B 5BB | Tel: +44 20 7278 7871 | Fax: +44 20 7837 4653 | email: info@imperialhotels.co.uk | www.imperialhotels.co.uk for further details of the hotels, map etc.

NB When making the booking mention the CIS Meeting being held in the Imperial Hotel arranged by Sheila Pantry and ensure that you have the discounted prices. Please note that Sheila cannot make your bookings - you will have to make your own reservation using credit card or other deposit.

Overlooking some of London's most beautiful garden squares The Imperial Hotels have bars, coffee shops, Internet cafes and all are within walking distance of major attractions such as the British Museum, Covent Garden, Theatreland, Oxford Street - for shopping, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the National and Portrait Galleries.

The Imperial hotels are surrounded by a wide choice of cafes, bars, restaurants to suit all tastes.

There are of course 100s of hotels and other guest accommodation in London, remember that London is very, very busy in the morning rush hour and public transport is very crowded and can add to your travel costs.


Major OSHE Conference in London November 2003

EurOHSE2003 Conference takes place on the 4-5 November 2003 and the venue for the conference is the Royal National Hotel, Russell Square, London, UK.

EurOHSE2003 Conference looks at the major themes of the European Commission's "Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community Strategy on health and safety at work 2002-2006" Focusing in on the European Commission's thrust and initiatives towards a healthier and safer European work place.

Eminent speakers with backgrounds in government, industry, research and education will discuss future ways of working and training, the need for risk assessment for all aspects of everyday work life, corporate killing, fire safety, managing road risks, fitness for work, researching for tomorrow's workplace, enabling the disabled in the workplace and the roles of the social partners in securing a healthier and safer workplace.

SPEAKERS AND PROGRAMME TOPICS - EXACT TITLES BEING SORTED

Day 1
Tuesday 4 November 2002

Speaker 1 The Way Forward: agenda for European Health and Safety at Work
2002-2006 The how, why, what, when... covering the main points of the Strategy especially health.

Speaker from European Commission for Employment and Social Affairs includes Health and Safety

Speaker 2 Making it all Work..... progress to date and future activities
Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, Director European Agency for Health and Safety at Work, Bilbao, Spain

Speaker 3 Inspecting the Future: risk assessment and what the Inspectorates will be focusing on.
Malcolm Gifford, International Association of Labour Inspection and Health and Safety Executive, HSE UK

Speaker 4 international OSH problems and the effects on the European workplace. Include moving the work from country to country, worst forms of child labour
Dr Jukka Takala - Director ILO Worksafe Programme

Speaker 5 The Unions in Europe working together to secure a healthier and safer Europe for future generations
Marc Sapir, Director, Trades Union Bureau, Brussels, Belgium

Speaker 6 European Businesses working together to secure a healthier and workplace
Janet Asherson, Chair, European Employers Group (also works at the UK Confederation of British Industries)

Speaker 7 Ensuring that fire safety is high on the European agenda
Dennis Davies, OBE - International Committee for the Prevention and Extinction of Fire (CTIF) and HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services, Scotland

Speaker 8 Fitness for work
Includes the ageing workers, the new risk industries, new ways of working including the 24:7 workforce
Dr Margaret Samuel

Day 2
Wednesday 5 November 2002

Researching for a better future: 3 SPEAKERS

Speaker 9 Researching for a better future: Trends and Problems for tomorrow's workplace
Raymond-Pierre Bodin, Director, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

Speaker 10 Research and prevention programmes in the USA
Dr Vern Andersen, US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Speaker 11 Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control of the Environment moves forward
Don Litten, European Commission Joint Research Institute for the Environment, Seville, Spain

Speaker 12 Putting the "H" into health in the workplace: Using accident Investigation techniques and applying it to disease in the workplace
John Kingston

Speaker 13 Training and education in occupational health and safety for tomorrow's workforce.
Matti Ylikoski, Director, Training Centre, Finnish Institute on Occupational Health

Speaker 14 Management of Road Risk
Speaker - Roger Bibbings, Occupational Health and Safety Advisor, Rospa

Speaker 15 Enabling the disabled: what one organisation has achieved
2003 is the European Year of the Disabled
Ms Terry Fahy, Human Resources Manager, Gandon Enterprises, Ireland

Speaker 16 Corporate Manslaughter:
Michael Welham Health and Safety Executive, UK

Chairpersons: Dr Sylvia Wood, Professor Peter Waterhouse, Mr John Howard OBE, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

To request further details contact: Mary Meadows, Angel Business Communications Ltd, 34 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 1HE UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1926 512424 | Fax: +44 (0) 1926 512948 | email: info@angelbc.co.uk | www.eurohse2003.com

Bookings have already started..... make sure you make an early bird reservation and save money.


Off the shelf.......

Travel woes, economic downturn cost millions of jobs in world tourism

One in 12 jobs lost since September 2001, says new ILO report ILO/03/03. Millions of jobs in the world tourism sector have been lost due to political turmoil, the global economic downturn and growing unease among many travellers with little prospect of any recovery in employment in the sector before 2005, according to a new report by the International Labour Office (ILO) issued online.

The new ILO report entitled The impact of the 2001-2002 crisis on the hotel and tourism industry, available now on the ILO website, says that during 2001 and 2002, tourism-related businesses shed some 6.6 million jobs worldwide - putting one out of every 12 workers in the sector out of a job.

The ILO will hold a Regional Tripartite Meeting on Employment in the Tourism Industry of Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, 13-15 May 2003 to address the issue of jobs and travel.

The problems facing tourism have had negative consequences in many countries. Conversely, some countries, including China, Croatia, Cyprus, Slovenia, Turkey, Viet Nam and others have reported higher numbers of foreign tourists, apparently due to an influx of travellers from nearby countries who are opting to say closer to home on their holidays rather than visit far-flung places requiring long-haul travel.

As a result, while industry officials believe there may be a modest recovery for the travel and tourism sector in 2003, they are forecasting only minimal job gains. This means the year will likely end with a total of 6.4 million jobs lost since the beginning of the downturn, the ILO says.

In 2001, receipts from cross-border tourism dropped by 5.1 per cent at constant US Dollar prices and the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide fell by 0.6 per cent. The worst losses were felt in the Middle East and the Americas, particularly North America, where international tourist arrivals were down by 6.8 per cent in the whole year 2001, but as much as 22.6 per cent in the last four months of that year compared to equivalent periods of 2000.

www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2003/3.htm


RoSPA Posters.... available in 11 languages

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) have a wide range of posters available on a range of subjects such as stress, abuse and violence, transport, work equipment, handling and moving, hygiene, office shops, slips, trips and falls.

For bulk quantities, a selection of posters are available in 11 European languages.

Contact: Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, RoSPA House, Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK | Tel: +44 (0)121 248 2000 | Fax: +44 (0)121 248 2001 | email: sales@rospa.com | www.rospa.com


Make my day...... send some news

Your Editor


News from the National Irish Safety Organisation

Minister Michael Martin, Minister for Health and Frank Fahy, Minister for Labour Affairs, announced that smoking is to be banned from workplaces, pubs, restaurants from 1 January 2004.

This follows a scientific review, commissioned by the Health and Safety Authority and the Office for Tobacco Control which states that workers subjected to passive smoking need legislation to protect them from serious effects on their health.

Summary of the Report on the Health Effects of Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) in the Workplace

What Exactly is Environmental Tobacco Smoke?

When non-smokers share a space with someone who is smoking they are being exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), second-hand smoke or passive smoke.

ETS is a complex mixture of several thousand compounds, and it contains many toxic agents that are known to cause heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

ETS is made up of:

Sidestream smoke and mainstream smoke contain over 4,000 compounds including more than 50 known or suspected human carcinogens i.e. known or suspected cancer causing substances such as 4-aminobiphenyl, 2-naphthylamine, benzene, nickel and a variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and N-nitrosamines.

A number of irritants such as ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and various aldehydes and cardiovascular toxicants, such as carbon monoxide and nicotine are also present.

Various factors, including the fact that sidestream smoke is produced at lower temperatures than mainstream smoke mean that many carcinogens and other toxicants are generated in greater amounts in sidestream smoke than in mainstream smoke.

Sidestream smoke is more potent than mainstream smoke per unit of tobacco smoked.

Background to the Publication of this Report

As far back as 1986, the US Surgeon General proclaimed that passive smoking was a cause of disease, including lung cancer, in healthy non-smokers. Since then agreement that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is harmful to health has been growing steadily among members of the international scientific community.

Increasing public awareness, coupled with media reports of recent court cases in the United States, Australia and The Netherlands - where employees successfully sued their employers - place an onus on governments to safeguard public health by providing the requisite legislation.

Existing Irish legislation, which prohibits or restricts smoking in most public places, serves to protect a significant number of employees from passive/involuntary smoking in the workplace. However, there are significant exemptions - restricted smoking is allowed in restaurants, trains and psychiatric hospitals; unlimited smoking is allowed in prisons, bookmakers, bars and nightclubs and many other workplaces.

Various international research studies have demonstrated serious adverse health consequences associated with passive smoking. Among these consequences are cancer, heart disease, increased risk of respiratory disease in both adults and children and low birth weight in babies.

Given the increasing concern about the health effects of ETS, the Health and Safety Authority and the Office of Tobacco Control commissioned an independent scientific working group to investigate the health risks posed by environmental tobacco smoke in the workplace.

The full report (60 pages) is available from the website link below: http://www.niso.ie/products/documents.htm

or contact NISO for a copy to be E Mailed to you if you do not have internet access.

National Irish Safety Organisation, Unit A11, Calmount Park, Calmount Avenue, Ballymount, Dublin 12, IRELAND | Tel: + 353 1 465 9760 | Fax: + 353 1 465 9765 | Email : tokeeffe@niso.ie | www.niso.ie


News from USA

Vision concerns at plant lead NIOSH to identify link with 2 chemicals...and suggests safeguards

As the result of an investigation that teamed researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) with management and employees at a label printing plant, two chemicals in a widely used category of compounds were associated for the first time with a risk for job-related visual disturbances. The findings led to practical recommendations for reducing exposures to the chemicals - DMIPA and DMAE - and protecting employees' vision. NIOSH, a part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), describes the study in a technical article in the January 2003 issue of the British journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. See also details on www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/teramines.html

"Employers and employees frequently turn to NIOSH for help in solving complex health and safety concerns," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "As in this case, finding the answer often involves a combination of technical expertise, practical experience on the shop floor, vigorous scientific sleuthing, and close collaboration with our partners."

The company requested NIOSH's assistance when several employees in the printing production area reported intermittent blurred vision. Although the employees' vision typically improved within several hours after leaving work, the blurring posed a safety hazard while the workers were on the job operating machinery, and while they were driving home. The condition occurred intermittently and unpredictably, and was beginning to happen more frequently. One employee had been examined by an ophthalmologist who found a "film over his eyes."

NIOSH's subsequent investigation determined that the condition was linked with exposure to dimethylisopropanolamine, or DMIPA, a component of an additive used to thin ink. NIOSH also found an association with dimethylaminoethanol, or DMAE, a component of water-based inks. Both compounds are tertiary amines, a type of chemical widely found in solvents, chemical intermediates, catalysts, preservatives, drugs, and herbicides. The number of employees reporting blurred vision, the number with film or opacities on the cornea, and the severity of the opacity increased with corresponding exposure to the compounds. Neither compound previously had been reported to cause visual disturbances in humans.

With the participation of management and employees, NIOSH identified the association through intensive legwork on several fronts - measuring exposure levels, assessing the plant ventilation system, administering eye examinations and questionnaires, and using rigorous statistical analysis to assess the likelihood that a given exposure was associated with symptoms of visual change. In addition to publishing the results in OEM, NIOSH has shared them directly with industry groups and others, so that the information can be used for material safety data sheet (MSDS) updating, and can be disseminated more widely to manufacturers, employers, and employees. In the last available national data collected by NIOSH in the 1980s, 35,000 workers were estimated to be exposed to DMAE, and 20,000 were estimated to be exposed to DMIPA. It is likely that the number of workers currently exposed is much higher, because solvent-based inks increasingly have been replaced in the past 20 years by water-based inks containing amines.

For further information on NIOSH research and recommendations for preventing work-related illnesses and injuries, call toll-free 1-800-35-NIOSH or visit NIOSH on the Web at www.cdc.gov/niosh


Health and Safety CD-ROM

Fully approved by the UK Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Health and Safety at Work is a complete do-it-yourself course. It provides the participant with the information and techniques needed to ensure that every task they perform in the workplace conforms to the safest standards.

Whether it is lifting, handling common hazardous substances or learning about stress or repetitive strain injuries, this learning CD covers all the basics.

It contains 8 modules - fire, display screen equipment, hazardous substances, security, office safety, lifting and carrying, other risk and driving and is based on a combination of:

Health and Safety at Work is produced by the BBC Learning and is available for single and multiple use from:

BBC Worldwide Learning, BBC Worldwide, Woodlands, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0TT | Tel: +44 (0)20 8433 1641 | Fax: +44 (0) 20 8433 2916 | Email: corporate.sales@bbc.co.uk


Office Gremlins: Are you sitting uncomfortably?

The Fire Protection Association has recently issued a new video Office Gremlins which looks at the safe use of display screen equipment. This video teaches workers how to avoid discomfort and pain by adjusting their workstations correctly and understanding the importance of:

The video runs for 18 minutes and is available from The Fire Protection Association, Bastille Court, 2 Paris Garden, London SE1 8ND, UK | Tel: +44 (0)20 7902 5300 | Fax: +44 (0)2 7902 5301 | www.thefpa.co.uk


The life of women and men in Europe

Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg, and the Directorate General of the European Commission for Employment and Social Affairs launch today a new publication on "The life of women and men in Europe"(1).

This publication gives a portrait of the various stages of life: youth, adulthood and retirement, presenting statistics on the differences and similarities of women and men in the European Union.. Data, whenever possible, are also provided for the Candidate Countries.

1. Eurostat, The Life of women and men in Europe, A statistical portrait, 197 pages,
ISBN 92-894-3569-2, EUR 30 (excluding VAT). The paper versions in German and French will become available shortly. The pdf versions are already available in all three languages.

2. Please also note the following publication:
Eurostat, Statistics in Focus, Population and social conditions No 21/2002, "Women and men beyond retirement"

For further information contact: Karin WINQVIST | Tel: +352-4301-35591 | Fax: +352-4301-33649

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat


African Newsletter on Occupational Health and Safety

The latest edition - December 2002 looks at work-related diseases and their prevention.

There are a number of interesting articles including:

African Newsletter on Occupational Health and Safety is published by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 41aA Topeliuksenkatu, and FIN 00250 Helsinki, Finland.

www.ttl.fi/en/publications/electronic_journals/african_newsletter


YEARS for your DIARY

Note the following........

2003 - Dangerous Substances theme for European Week of Health and Safety
The themes for European Week of Health and Safety for the 2003 - 2006. The week is run by the tripartite European Agency for Safety and Health based in Bilbao.

2003 - Dangerous substances
The Agency will be putting the emphasis on solvents, but HSE also wants to cover asthmagens and asbestos, and give a focus to COSHH Essentials. The TUC has already begun planning, and like the HSE, we will also be stressing the hierarchy of control and the need to consider substitution and toxic use reduction.

2004 - Construction
The aim of the campaign is to focus on construction as an activity, rather than simply as a sector (although there will be a special focus on the serious risks to the safety and health of workers in the Construction Sector). It will therefore cover the maintenance and repair activities which are carried out in all workplaces, and the risks such as asbestos exposure that go along with that. Also, during 2003 and 2004 the Senior Labour Inspectors Committee is expected to run an inspection campaign on Construction across the EU.

Future years' themes have been agreed provisionally, but are not confirmed because they will depend on the views of the new member states of the European Union who join in 2004, which may lead to changes.

2005 - Noise at work
The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the risks to the safety and health of workers exposed to noise at work and to promote preventive actions. The European Week will at the same time support the implementation of the new directive on noise.

2006 - Young workers
According to European statistics young workers suffer from a 40% higher than average accident rate. The Agency aims to raise awareness of the safety and health risks young workers face and of the actions necessary to reduce them. The European Week 2006 is intended to form a natural continuation of the Agency's activities in the field of promoting a preventive safety and health culture, especially the issue of mainstreaming Occupational Safety and Health into education.


California's Immigrant Workers Speak up About Health and Safety in the Workplace

The University of California Los Angeles UCLA-Labor Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH) Program is a nationally recognized center in Southern California for worker health and safety training, educational materials development, technical assistance and policy information in the area of workplace health and safety. With a multi-ethnic, bilingual (English and Spanish) staff, including industrial hygienists, health educators and clerical support, the UCLA-LOSH Program trains about 2000 workers annually. It is part of the UCLA Labor Center, and is also affiliated with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health in the UCLA School of Public Health.

The UCLA-LOSH Program conducted an ethnographic in-depth study of 75 immigrant workers in six industries in Southern California between January and October 2001. The industries chosen were day labor, domestic work, garment work homecare, hotel and restaurant work. Most of those interviewed about 90 percent worried that they would get injured on the job. The majority said they had experienced work-related injuries or illnesses, but only two thirds had reported these to their employers. Those who did not report gave a variety of reasons for not doing so, not the least of which was concern that their employer would retaliate against them. "California's Immigrant Workers Speak up About Health and Safety in the Workplace" www.losh.ucla.edu

Contact UCLA-LOSH: John A. Mathews UCLA-Labor Occupational Safety & Health Program | Tel: +1 (310) 794-5964 | Fax: +1 (310) 794-6403 | Email: mathewsj@ucla.edu

Mailing Address: UCLA Labor Occupational Safety & Health Program, Hershey Hall P.O. Box 951478 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1478, USA.


Fire Worldwide - Free 30 day trial

FIRE Worldwide, published by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd., using the powerful SilverPlatter software is available for standalone use on CD-ROM or is accessible via Internet.

Fire Worldwide is a premier collection of validated, authoritative information and contains two major collections:

Full Text Collection and the Bibliographic Collection.

The Bibliographic Collection has 7 databases which contain over 235,000 records to journal articles, guidance and advice, circulars, reports, conference proceedings, research reports, statistics and codes of practice from worldwide sources. One of the databases - from the British Standards Institution contains references to over 2500 fire and fire related standards.

The Full text Collection has 4 major databases contain full text documents which are continually being added to this wide-ranging source of critical fire information. The collection contains all appropriate European and UK legislation for fire and fire related industry - some hundreds of documents. In addition a range of fire and fire related documents from organisations such as:

The publishers are committed to maintaining and expanding Fire Worldwide, which is arguably the world's best collection for fire and fire related information.

Used by organisations worldwide, Fire Worldwide is set to expand still further! For full details of this product, please check out the list of contents of Fire Worldwide on www.sheilapantry.com

To take a free 30-day trial of Fire Worldwide - either via the Internet or on CD-ROM, please contact; Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd | Tel: +44 (0) 1909 771024 | Fax: +44 (0) 1909 772829 | Email: sp@sheilapantry.com

with your details:

Name:
Position:
Organisation:
Address:
Post Town/City:
Postcode:
Country:
Email:
Telephone:
Fax:


News from Canada

Work-Life Balance in Canadian Workplaces Website of a new work-life balance report

Work-life balance is an important issue in today's workplace. As part of their commitment to track information and conduct research on the changing workplace, the Strategic Policy and International Labour Affairs Directorate has produced a new study on this important subject.

Researchers Dr. Linda Duxbury and Dr. Christopher Higgins, in their new study Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance look not only at the statistics but at the stories behind the numbers presented through personal testimonials from workers. In addition to the problems and challenges they face, Canadians tell the researchers what has worked for them as they try to achieve a better balance in their lives.

This report is available at the Work-Life Balance in Canadian Workplaces Website:
http://labour-travail.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/worklife/

Or contact Sandra Clark, Information Specialist, Canadian Health Network Affiliate for Workplace Health | Email: sandrac@ccohs.ca | Tel: +1 905-572-2981 ext. 4670.


World safety expert takes up first TUC university chair

The first ever-Trades Union Congress (TUC) sponsored university post has been taken up at Cardiff University. Professor David Walters PhD is the TUC Chair of the Working Environment.

Professor Walters will be at the heart of the three-year renewable partnership agreement between the TUC, Wales TUC and Cardiff University School of Social Sciences. He will be focusing on the role of unions and workplace union safety reps in health and safety, accident prevention in small firms, and the development of rehabilitation policies - all areas in which Professor Walters is a world expert.

During his time at Cardiff, Professor Walters plans to devote particular time to health and safety issues that will be of particular interest to the local South Wales community (where the number of jobless on incapacity benefits is one of the highest in Britain). The TUC-co-ordinated link up will provide unions with the opportunity to make use of academic research in developing national and global policies, and to devise practical methods of tackling prevention and rehabilitation.

Announcing the appointment, TUC General Secretary John Monks said:

"The TUC's partnership with Cardiff's School of Social Sciences is a historic step forward for the trade union movement and academia. In a world where evidence-based policy rules, Professor Walters will play a crucial role in demonstrating the positive impact union safety reps have on health and safety. The TUC believes in investing in higher education, because finding out the truth is the first step towards making the working world a better place."

For Cardiff University, Professor Huw Beynon Director of the School of Social Sciences said:

"The School of Social Sciences sees the new Chair and the partnership with the TUC as a major development. It will promote the development of social science research into the lives of working people that is so often absent in evidence based policy making. Professor Walters will work alongside colleagues committed to examining ways in which the working environment can be improved and industrial injury and disease reduced. These issues are particularly important in Wales."

Professor David Walters was born in Pontypridd, was educated at the local grammar school and graduated in Biological Sciences from University of London in 1971. For a few years he taught biology in a secondary school in east London, before being awarded a Health Education Council Fellowship at Nottingham University School of Medicine to undertake postgraduate study in community health.

In 1979 he became a lecturer in occupational hygiene at South Bank Polytechnic, and was also a tutor for trade union health and safety representatives being trained by the TUC. He set up a successful Centre for Trade Union Studies at South Bank, and helped establish the London Hazards Centre, a worker and community advice centre for occupational and environmental safety and health. David played a major role in building the Polytechnic's reputation as a significant provider of professional education in occupational hygiene and in health and safety, and in the late 80s assumed leadership of the Centre for Industrial and Environmental Safety and Health (CIESH) at South Bank.

Professor Walters' research focuses on the nature and effectiveness of trade union representation on health and safety issues and its industrial relations context in the UK and Europe. He has published many journal articles and pieces on this subject. A more detailed biography can be obtained from the TUC Press Office.

Contacts: Professor David Walters, School of Social Sciences, Wales | Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 5094 (office) | Email: WaltersD@cardiff.ac.uk

Other enquiries: Owen Tudor, TUC Health and Safety Specialist | Tel: +44 07788 715261 | Email: otudor@tuc.org.uk


Titles you may have missed......

Respiratory Protection: A Manual and Guideline, 3rd Edition. 2001, American Industrial Hygiene Association.

More titles.......

Safety on the slopes

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in conjunction with the British Ski Slope Operators Association (BSSOA), has produced a new leaflet "Health and safety in ski-slope operations".

Skiing has been very popular for many years and the numbers of those participating in the newer snow sports such as snowboarding has seen dramatic increases. Novices and experts alike practice their skills at one of the many artificial ski slopes or newer indoor snow slopes in the UK or at one of the five ski resorts in Scotland.

The leaflet will interest a wide audience. Managers and employees at skiing facilities, as well as instructors will find the leaflet helpful. It will also be useful to schools, youth clubs and further education establishments.

Andrew Lockerbie, Chairman of the BSSOA said: “We welcome the publication of this leaflet. It provides a clear understanding of the health and safety standards that need to meet. We hope that it will also show the public that snow sports are safer than is sometimes portrayed.“

The leaflet is available free of charge for single copies or in priced packs of ten from HSE Books. They can also be downloaded from HSE's website: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg371.pdf

Copies of HSE leaflet INDG371 “Health and Safety in ski-slope operations” (ISBN 0 7176 2598 2 for a pack of 10) can be ordered online at www.hsebooks.co.uk and are also available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, UK | Tel: +44 (0)1787-881165 | Fax: +44 (0) 1787-313995


AEA Technology strengthens Environment Business with Acquisition of Environmental, Health & Safety Software Company

AEA Technology today announces the purchase of Lexware International Ltd, a leading supplier of environmental, health and safety software. The acquisition will make AEA Technology Environment the leader in the fast growing market for IT-based management of environment, health & safety issues.

The acquisition is part of AEA Technology's strategy to focus on markets where the demand for advice and technology is strong, growing and highly valued.

Lexware International is based in East Kilbride and has a staff of 30 covering software development, project management and marketing & sales. Its SHE2000 range of software provides an unrivalled breadth of modules for managing health and safety issues covering risk assessment, incident reporting and auditing. SHE2000 complements AEA Technology's current software for environmental management and emergency response. In addition, Lexware's strength in the construction and services sectors complements AEA Technology's strength in oil & gas, chemicals and waste management.

Contact: AEA Technology plc, Harwell, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 OQJ, UK | Tel: +44 (0)1235 821111 | Fax: +44 (0)1235 432916 | Email: enquiry@aeat.co.uk


European Chemical Producers and Distributers agree on Common Product Stewardship Guidelines

A new agreement on the sharing of product responsibilities between chemical producers and distributors has recently been signed by Alain Perroy and Hans Out, Directors General of Cefic and FECC respectively.

This new agreement focuses on Product Stewardship Guidance and places mutual duties on distributors and suppliers. By defining borders of responsibility, the commercial relationship between distributor and supplier is being improved. The document is intended to be incorporated into the commercial agreements between suppliers and distributors.

These joint Guidelines "Guidance on sharing of product responsibilities between suppliers and distributors" are a further development under the 1999 Cefic / FECC Partnership on the promotion of the Responsible Care initiative. This initiative launched in 1985, of the global chemical industry, in which companies, through their national associations, commit to work together to continuously improve the health, safety and environmental performance of their products and processes, and so contribute to the sustainable development of local communities and of society as a whole.

This latest initiative takes Responsible Care a step further, beyond the factory gate and spreading it within the supply chain. The Product Stewardship Guidelines define clearly the "best practice" that had already been applied within the chemical industry for a number of years. This includes requirements on handling, storage and transport, product and packaging disposal, packaging, classification and labelling, etc. .

Commented Alain Perroy, Cefic Director General: "this new agreement is fully in line with the world chemical industry objective to extend Responsible Care to sectors allied with the chemical manufacturing industry". Dr. Hans Out, Director General of FECC, added: "the mutual recognition implied by the Product Stewardship Guidelines is a major step forward. No company, either a producer or a distributor can afford to ignore these in an era where environmental liability is coming to the top of the political agenda."

The text of the joint Cefic/FECC Product Stewardship Guidelines is available on both the Cefic www.cefic.org and FECC www.fecc.org websites.


Do what many people around the world are doing and check out.........
the fast growing.......

www.oshworld.com

Your portal to occupational safety, health, fire, chemical, environment information.
More links and information added on a regular basis.


News from the UK

HSC lowers the notification threshold for Ammonium Nitrate

In the UK the amendment to the Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations 1982 (NIHHS) came into force 6 January 2003. The explosion at the Grande Paroisse/AZF Factory in Toulouse, on 21 September 2001, highlighted the fact that a major incident could be caused by a smaller amount of ammonium nitrate than was previously thought. As a consequence, and as signalled in the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) press release C018:02 on 11 July 2002, the Government requested that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) collect and collate the data where significant amounts of ammonium nitrate are being handled or stored in Great Britain.

The amendment will lower the notification threshold of ammonium nitrate from 500 to 150 tonnes and require anyone handling or likely to handle or store 150 tonnes or more of ammonium nitrate to notify HSE within four weeks from today. These changes will affect some farmers, fertiliser manufacturers, importers, distributors, agricultural suppliers, ports and docks.

Kevin Allars, head of HSE's Hazardous Installations Policy Division, said: "This amendment will assist HSE by providing comprehensive information of the location of all significant stocks of ammonium nitrate fertiliser. This information, and the lessons and outcomes from Toulouse, will enable HSE to take stock and plan and respond accordingly."

HSE information and press releases can be accessed on the Internet www.hse.gov.uk


Message from Nayab Sultan

Dear Colleagues,

During the last few weeks you may have experienced difficulties in sending email correspondence to staff at Global Safety Consulting. The following appear to have been particularly affected, to name just a few: nsultan@global-safety.com / cis.uganda@global-safety.com / info@global-safety.com

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused which has been as a result of us migrating from our previous internet service provider (ISP). We have been assured by our IT team that this is only temporary in nature, and should be resolved fully by the early part of next week.

In the meantime, for immediate contact please call:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of the team for your patience during this tranistionary period.

With kind regards,
For and on behalf of Global Safety Consulting Limited, Nayab Sultan
Director/Group Safety Advisor


News from Finland

Irja Laamanen writes

'HIF-net at WHO'

'Providing access to reliable health information for health workers in developing countries is potentially the single most cost-effective and achievable strategy for sustainable improvement in health care.' British Medical Journal 1997; 314: 90

INASP-Health is a cooperative network of more than 1000 organizations and individuals worldwide, working together to improve access to relevant, reliable information for health professionals in developing and emerging countries. It is a specific programme of the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications, an international non-governmental organization founded in 1992 by the International Council for Science.

INASP-Health provides the following services for the international health information community:

  1. INASP-Health Advisory and Referral Network
  2. Health Information Forum
  3. INASP-Health Directory
  4. 'HIF-net at WHO'
  5. INASP Health Links
  6. In-country workshops

1. INASP-Health Advisory and Liaison Service. INASP-Health maintains an extensive database of the activities of network participants. Dozens of communications and enquiries are handled daily, facilitating collaboration, liaison, and sharing of experience and expertise. Participants are kept up to date with current events in the field through the INASP Newsletter.

2. Health Information Forum (HIF). The Health Information Forum is a series of thematic workshops, providing a neutral forum for discussion, debate, and sharing of ideas and experience among providers and users of health information. The workshops are open to all, and representation by colleagues in developing countries is enabled by the organization of study visits. Distant colleagues can also contribute by email, satellite audiocasting, and videoconferencing.

HIF Programme 2002-3

NASP-Health is currently working with colleagues in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to explore the development of 'HIF' groups at regional and national level.

3. INASP-Health Directory. INASP-Health publishes *the* directory of organizations working to improve access to information for health professionals in developing countries. Available on the INASP website, the directory serves as a networking tool for building professional relationships and sharing information, and as a reference for those in resource-poor settings who are seeking support.

4. HIF-net at WHO is *the* email discussion list dedicated to issues of health information access in resource-poor settings. Launched in July 2000 in collaboration with WHO, the list is moderated, focused, and text-only. The list has more than 900 subscribers worldwide, including health professionals, librarians, publishers, NGOs, and international agencies. More than 40% of subscribers are based in developing and emerging countries. The address is hif-net@who.int.

Comments:
'I continue to be impressed by the breadth and depth of contributions on HIF-net. It is amazing how ideas get transformed into reality within a very short span of time. Keep it up!' Fred Bukachi, Chair, SatelLife HealthNet Kenya

'A mine of helpful views and contacts.' John Dada, Fantsuam Foundation, Nigeria

'I subscribe to many lists. This is probably the most elegant and most informative.' Najeeb Al-Shorbaji, Director of Information, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office

'I have found the "HIF-net at WHO" so useful. I am building up quite a networking system. It is a wonderful way of communicating with colleagues with similar programmes in Africa.' David Tibbutt, CME Advisor, MoH Uganda

'I've found the HIF-net at WHO discussion group excellent, very informative.' Emma Farrow, VSO Librarian, Kandy Hospital, Sri Lanka

5. INASP Health Links is a Gateway to selected Web sites that are of special interest to health professionals, medical library communities, publishers, and NGOs in developing and transitional countries. Available online and in printed format.

6. INASP-Health facilitates strategic and practical workshops within developing countries, in response to requests received.

Participation in the INASP-Health network is free of charge and without obligation.

* Join HIF-net at WHO ! Email your name, affiliation and professional interests to health@inasp.info

Elisabeth Husem, Head librarian, The University of Oslo Library, Library of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Vinderen, P.O. Box 85 Vinderen, NO-0319 Oslo, Norway | Phone: +47 22 02 99 66 | Fax: +47 22 49 58 61 | E-mail: e.e.husem@psykiatri.uio.no | Internet www.ub.uio.no/umh/upsykiat


New publications from the HSE

How safety in fighting, explosions and special effects are all in a day's work
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes its latest information sheets for the film and television industry and the new booklet on audio-visual production containing comprehensive information for those at all levels within the broadcast industry.

Health and safety in audio-visual production - your legal duties INDG360
Specifically for those working within the film, broadcast, video and commercials production to understand and comply with their legal duties in maintaining safety, whatever their role in the production process.

Special or visual effects involving explosives or pyrotechnics used in film and television productions
Entertainment Information Sheet no 16

We are all familiar with the spectacular visual effects in films and television programmes. These effects often rely on the use of explosives or pyrotechnics, bringing a risk of injury to those working on a production. This information sheet has been written with the industry and it aims to bring best practice to the notice of people who work with these materials. It details the responsibilities of those involved and the competencies required.

Stunts, fights and other potentially hazardous production activities Entertainment Information Sheet no 17
Using well-planned and executed stunts, or similar activities in productions are not without risk to the performers. This information sheet gives guidance on the competence of performers, the common hazards encountered and the responsibilities of the different people involved. There is also practical guidance on how to assess the risks and on practical controls that can be taken to ensure that risks are minimised. Of particular importance is the need for everyone to know what they are doing and when - effective communication is vital.

Buildings used for locations and temporary studios in film, television and theatre
Entertainment Information Sheet no 18

It is common for productions to take place outside the confines of a conventional studio or theatre. Commonly a production will call for action to take place in an unusual outdoor location, perhaps in a derelict factory. Working in places like this brings hazards over and above those otherwise encountered in a production. This sheet has been written to give all those involved information on some of the hazards that may be encountered, the responsibilities and duties of those involved, including building owners and it gives examples of the sorts of control measures that should be taken to minimise the risks. A checklist is included to help those people who need to assess sites before and during location work.

Safe design and build of production sets used for film and television Entertainment Information Sheet no 19
Many productions call for large, complex and spectacular sets. Poorly designed and built sets can present hazards to those working or performing on and around them. The sheet details some of the hazards on sets and suggests ways of minimising the risk to health and safety from them. An important part of this is for all those involved in set production to know what their roles and responsibilities are and the sheet gives guidance on this.
Gavin Howat of the HSE Food and Entertainment Sector and Secretary to BJAC said

"I am delighted to see the publication of this series of four information sheets, which will be a contribution to the safety knowledge of the industry. They have been produced in consultation with the Broadcasting and Performing Arts Joint Advisory Committee. It would not have been possible to produce these sheets without the technical expertise and knowledge of the member organisations and a great deal of hard work on the part of all those involved. I hope that all those involved in film, television and theatre productions, especially producers, will take time to read these sheets and use the information in them."

Copies of all five publications can be obtained from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA UK Tel: +44 1787 881165; Fax: +44 1787 313995)

Free leaflets are available on HSE website: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/index.htm


HSE commissions reports into the assessment of societal concerns

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) commissioned a specialist research team to develop a more systematic and analytical approach to regulatory controls on the societal concerns of hazardous activities.

Harm arising from hazardous activities will, in most cases, be of concern only to those individuals affected directly. However, some hazardous activities also give rise to societal concerns where they impact on society as a whole and, as well as causing harm to individuals, could harm the social fabric if the risk from the hazard were to be realised.

Taking account of societal concerns is already an established part of HSC/E's approach to reaching decisions on the degree and form of regulatory control of hazardous activities. To develop and refine a way of dealing with societal concerns in decision-making and to make their approach more systematic and analytical, the HSE's Risk Policy Unit commissioned the multidisciplinary team to examine, firstly, the nature and origins of 'societal concerns' and, secondly, to consider mechanisms for incorporating them into the decision-making process. As part of the research, two reports have been produced.

The first, 'Taking Account of Societal Concerns about Risk: Framing the Problem' describes the different groups HSE must contend with in its role as a risk regulator and the significance of the different types of risk about which those groups are concerned. The report concludes that an insightful institutional risk manager seeks to take into account, to the maximum extent possible, the perspectives of all the stakeholders concerned with the risk.

The second report, 'Understanding and responding to societal concerns', societal concerns were characterised according to their nature. A number of theoretical models of risk perception were described and from this a number of common strands and conclusions were drawn that incorporate societal concerns into decision-making. In particular, in a democratic society, plural preferences on risk must be expected, heard and encouraged.

The findings from these two reports will be included in the ongoing review and development of HSE's approach to incorporating societal concerns into decision-making.

Copies of "Taking account of societal concerns about risk: Framing the problem" RR 035 ISBN 0-7176-2153-7 and "Understanding and responding to societal concerns" RR 034 ISBN 0-7176-2154-5 are available priced at £15.00 each from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA (Tel: 01787 881165; Fax: 01787 313995).

HSE's Research Reports are available on HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/research/index.htm


New approved code of practice to help prevent occupational asthma

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a new Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) to help ensure substances that cause occupational asthma are properly controlled by employers.

Occupational asthma is the most frequently diagnosed respiratory disease in Great Britain. HSE estimates that between 1,500 and 3,000 people develop it every year.

The costs to society of new cases of the disease over the next ten years are estimated to be between £579 million and £1,159 million. Some sufferers cannot work again and others may have to change jobs to avoid exposure to the substance that caused the asthma. They may no longer be able to use their specialist skills or may face a restricted lifestyle.

Control of Substances that Cause Occupational Asthma, part of the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) campaign to reduce occupational asthma by 30 per cent by 2010, has been combined with the recently published revised Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, ACoP (COSHH), avoiding the need for employers to purchase a second priced publication.

The ACoP outlines what the law requires to ensure that these substances are properly controlled. Particular attention should be given to identifying and assessing controls for short-term tasks involving very high exposures. All employees exposed or liable to be exposed to a substance that may cause occupational asthma should be under health surveillance and if an individual develops the disease, their exposure must be controlled to prevent triggering further attacks.

Building on the success of electronic COSHH Essentials
www.coshh-essentials.org.uk

HSE plans to make freely available control guidance sheets aimed at particular sectors for the leading causes of occupational asthma. An HSE asthma website is also under development.

Control of Substances that Cause Occupational Asthma has been published at Appendix 3 of COSHH 2002

Copies of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (Fourth Edition) Approved Code of Practice And Guidance L5, ISBN 0-7176-2534-6; price £10.50, are available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, UK | Tel: +44 (0)1787-881165 | Fax: +44 (0)1787-313995.


Web sites to explore.....

All these can also be linked by going into www.oshworld.com

EUROPE

European Commission: Energy and Transport
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/index_en.htm
European Commission web site to help keep track of key developments and new proposals in European Union law relating to transport safety. Includes transportable pressure equipment, improving passenger safety on ships, improving road safety, introduction of digital tachographs.

GERMANY

European Occupational Safety and Health Network - EUROSHNET
www.euroshnet.org
European Occupational Safety and Health Network - EUROSHNET is a network of European occupational safety and health experts active in standardisation, testing, certification or applied research. The purpose is to facilitate contact and exchange of information between occupational safety and health experts.

SPAIN

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: Agency Newsletter
http://osha.europa.eu/en/news/news
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work Newsletter which is published up to four times a year in English, French, Spanish and German.

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: Press Releases SPAIN
http://osha.europa.eu/en/news/news
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work Press Releases, which are published on a regular basis, gives details of the latest news from the Agency.

UK

Arson Control Forum - ACF
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/arsonreduction/arsoncontrolforum
The Arson Control Forum offers as a one-stop shop to help police, fire officers and others to keep up to date with news and developments in the fight against deliberate fire-setting. This UK Government sponsored initiative is a multi-agency partnership.

Health and Safety Executive - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
www.hse.gov.uk/gas
The Health and Safety Executive and Department of Health carbon monoxide poisoning web site show the steps people should take to protect themselves from gas.

Health and Safety Executive: Fall Arrest Equipment
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/fallindx.htm
The Health and Safety Executive's leaflet Inspecting fall arrest equipment made from webbing and rope is available under the heading Falls from Heights. Gives details of what to look for in the equipment.

Health and Safety Executive: Fall Arrest Equipment
www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl/engineer.htm
The Health and Safety Executive's research Assessment of the factors that influence the tensile strength of safety harnesses and lanyard and webbing also has a supplementary report.

Health and Safety Executive: Fall Arrest Equipment
www.hse.gov.uk/RESEARCH/crr_htm/2002/crr02451.htm
The Health and Safety Executive's CRR 451/2002 Harness suspension: review and evaluation of existing information objective was to review, locate and study literature dealing with the effects of being suspended in a harness and evaluate and report on them, together with attendant issues regarding various types of harnesses, including the position of their attachment points. In addition, selected harness standards were to be examined to see if and how they addressed the topic of suspension Over 50 documents were located from sources in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Australia and the Internet. These form the basis of the report.

London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority - LFEPA
www.london-fire.gov.uk/recalls/search.asp
London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority which includes the London Fire Brigade comprehensive list of products recalled for fire safety reasons. This list has all the recalls going back to 1984 and covers only items that are considered a potential fire hazard.

USA

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
www.highwaysafety.org
The US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety carries out research focusing on three factors in motor vehicle crashes - human, vehicular and environmental and looks at how injuries can be reduced by interventions occurring before, during, and after crashes


Diary of Events

These events may inspire you to offer something similar in your own country

11 March 2003 - Emergency Response training
Chemical Industry Association, Westminster, London, UK
Contact: National Chemical Emergency Centre, F6 Culham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3ED,UK | Tel: +44(0)1235 463 060 |Fax: +44 (0) 1235 463070| Email: ncec@aeat.co.uk | http://the-ncec.com

11-12 March 2003 - Fire on Ships - Prevention, Detection and Control on Ships and Offshore Structures. Lloyd's List Events 1st Annual Two Day Conference.
Inmarsat Conference Centre, London, UK
Contact: Lloyd's List, UK | Tel: +44(0)1932 893 860 | www.lloydslistevents.com/lm1457/?source=LM1457P9

24-27 March 2003 - 17th Fire Science and Fire Investigation course
University of Edinburgh, Pollock Halls, Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh, UK
Contact: Continuing Professional Development, Office of Lifelong Learning, The University of Edinburgh, 11 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh EH8 9LW, UK. | Tel: +44 (0)131 651 1180 | Fax: +44(0)131 651 1746 | Email: cpd@ed.ac.uk | www.lifelong.ed.ac.uk

25-26 March 2003 - Understanding Fitness for Work and medical ethics.
Harrington Hall, 5-25 Harrington Gardens, London SW7 4JW, UK
Contact: Helen Daniels, Croner Training, 12-18 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK | Tel: +44 0845 120 9604 | Fax:+ 44 (0)20 7730 5083 | Email: helen.daniels@cronertraining.co.uk | www.cronertraining.co.uk

31 March - 2 April 2003 - Fire Dynamics and Fire Safety Engineering Design.
University of Edinburgh, Pollock Halls, Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh, UK
Contact: Continuing Professional Development, Office of Lifelong Learning, The University of Edinburgh, 11 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh EH8 9LW, UK. | Tel: +44(0)131 651 1180 | Fax: +44 (0)131 651 1746 | Email: cpd@ed.ac.uk | www.lifelong.ed.ac.uk

3 April 2003 - Advanced Preparation of Safety Data Sheets: Module 15
Village Hotel, Coventry, UK
Contact: Chemical Hazards Communication Society -CHCS, UK | Fax: +44 (0)7000 790 338 | Email: chcs@chcs.org.uk | www.chcs.org.uk

1 May 2003 - HSR Annual Conference.
Jurys Doyle Green Isle Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
Contact: Orla McAleer, IRN Publishing, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland | Tel: + 352 (0) 1 497 2711 | Email: irn@iol.ie | www.healthandsafetyreview.ie

28-30 September 2003 - Health, Work & Wellness Conference 2003
Palais Hilton Lac Leamy, Ottawa - Gatineau, Canada
Contact: Health and Well Conference Secretariat, Canada | Tel: + 1 604 605 0922 or Toll free +1 877 805 0922 | Email: workwell@healthworkandwellness.com | www.healthworkandwellness.com

13-15 October 2003 - SIAS 2003: 3rd International Conference on Safety of Industrial Automated Systems
Palais des congres de Nancy, Nancy, France
Contact: INRS -SIAS Secretariat. IET Dept., Avenue de Bourgogne, BP 27. F-54 501, Vandoeurve Les Nancy Cedex, France | Tel: +33 383 50 21 01 | Fax: +33 383 50 21 15 | Email: sias2003@inrs.fr | www.inrs.fr


Important news for CIS Members

CIS MEETING 2003

REMEMBER TO CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE ABLE TO ATTEND

DETAILS OF MEETING, EVENTS
ACCOMMODATION IN THIS EDITION

From Arlac
Following on from last month here are more 2003 ARLAC TRAINING ACTIVITIES

8-12 September 2002

TITLE:
Modernising Labour Inspection Through Integration Of Services.
FINANCING:
ARLAC
GEOGRAPHICAL
Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Nigeria
COVERAGE:
South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVES:
Examine The Role Of Labour And Occupational Health And Safety Inspection In Promoting Safe And Decent Work
Propose A Policy And Legislative Framework Within Which To Integrate And Modernize Labour
Inspection Services To Make Them More Effective Tools For Promoting Socio-Economic Justice
Suggest The Way Forward For Modernized And Integrated Inspection Services
Propose The Role Of Labour And Factory Inspectors In Labour Law Reform.
TARGET GROUP:
Senior Officials From Government, Employers And Workers Organizations Who Are Responsible For Labour Inspection And Occupational Health And Safety.
RELEVANCE TO ILO:
C81 Labour Inspection Convention, 1947;
C129 Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention 1969;
C150 Labour Administration Convention 1978;
C155 OHS Convention 1981;
C161 OHS Services, Convention 1985

29 September - 2nd October 2003

TITLE:
High Level Forum on Labour and Employment Policies.
FINANCING:
ARLAC
VENUE:
ARLAC
OBJECTIVES:
Analyse And Critically Examine Labour And Employment Policies In Structural Transformations Examine the Current Challenges On Labour Administration Systems Under Globalisation. Suggest The Way Forward For Effective Labour Administration Systems As Tools For Positive. Socio-Economic Development Within The Framework Of NEPAD.
TARGET GROUP:
Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals, Labour Commissioners and Directors
RELEVANCE TO ILO:
C150 Labour Administration Convention, 1978
C122 Employment Policy Convention, 1964

3-7 NOVEMBER 2003

TITLE:
Re-Engineering Occupational Health And Safety In Transition Economies: Targeting The Agricultural Sector.
FINANCING:
ARLAC
OBJECTIVES:
Examine The Role Of Occupational Safety And Health Inspections In Promoting Safe Work. Identify The Current Challenges On Occupational Safety And Health Inspectorates In Promoting Safe And Health Working Conditions, Particularly In Agriculture.
TARGET GROUP:
Senior Officials And Specialists In Occupational Health And Safety Inspectorates Drawn From Government And Selected Workers' And Employers' Representatives Dealing With Safe Work Issues
RELEVANCE TO ILO
C184 Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001

Contact: Farai Mashumba, Information Officer, ARLAC - African Regional Labour Administration Centre, P O Box 6097, CIS Unit, Harare, Zimbabwe | Email: arlac@arlac.org.zw