CIS Newsletter

No. 195
December 2005

CIS Newsletter celebrates 17 years & still going strong! Bringing news to over 137 countries in the CIS Network

Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. Press Release to use the CIS website
  3. FOCUS - High safety and health standards benefit SMEs
  4. OSH needs greater public recognition says IOSH New President
  5. Australasia 2006 iETRI World Conference on Global Disaster Management and Response
  6. CIS hosts IPCS Meeting to peer-review International Chemical Safety Cards ILO
  7. News from around the World... Australia, Canada, Europe, ILO, Spain, UK and USA.
  8. OSHE web sites
  9. Diary of Events

Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

Welcome to the last CIS Newsletter of 2005 and Festive Greetings to everyone, wherever you are. In many parts of this World of ours there will be celebrations of Christmas. To everyone, may I extend the warmest of good wishes to you, your colleagues and your families at this very special and happy time of the year. I hope you enjoy the festivities.

Whilst this is usually a joyful season for families and friends we must also remember those families around the world where there will be that missing family member, who, because of very sad incidents, accidents and workplace ill health problems will not be present.

As always, it has been an exciting and very fast year - with the ILO Congress and the CIS Annual Meeting being held in Orlando USA, and the very interesting and inspiring CIS Meeting held in Geneva in May 2005 - some of the results the Working Parties Papers that can be seen on the www.sheilapantry.com/cis. I urge you, however busy you are, to keep these Working Group Papers in focus. It is important that the CIS Network flourishes ! The Network's success is Your success.

Now we look forward to 2006 with all its challenges and opportunities ahead for us to help improve the knowledge of all workers through disseminating validated and authoritative information, which at all times, should be timely and presented in usable formats. And of course to the next CIS Annual Meeting - if we are lucky to be able to attend - perhaps in Geneva in May 2006?

Many thanks to you who have sent emails and news - these are always gratefully received and are used as soon as possible.

If you are planning any publications, conferences, 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! It is amazing how much the CIS Newsletter content gets re-used around the world.

Publicity... tell them, tell them and tell them again...

This month the Press Release No. 2 is on the CIS website - may I suggest that you explore the website and find the many gems of information. Send out the press release with your own contact details to organisations and individuals in your country and elsewhere to start and use this ever-increasing valuable source of information. Send out to all your contacts, journal editors, media, universities and, educators, trainers as well as businesses!

You know I welcome ideas for inclusion in the future editions of this Newsletter. Let me know if there are any areas you would wish to see covered in future.

A few people have responded since the last edition, but if there is anyone else who want to get it electronically please let me know as soon as possible your email number. Anyone who finds that they cannot received the CIS Newsletter either by email or from the web site www.sheilapantry.com/cis where back issues are stored should also let me know by fax +44 1909 772829 that paper based service is the only way.

Also on emails ... Some of you who have changed your email number and addresses in recent months, please let CIS Headquarters know your new email/address and also let me know as well - otherwise you will not get the CIS Newsletter or other news.

Are you travelling in 2006?
From the May 2005 European meeting of the CIS Centres there was a proposal that the 2006 CIS Annual Meeting should be held in Geneva in May 2006 perhaps near to the dates of the ILO Conference. How many of you intend going to the ILO Conference? Could you please let CIS know email Gabor Sandi (sandi@ilo.org) Annick Virot (virot@ilo.org) and myself (sp@sheilapantry.com) with your ideas?

If you are planning any publications, conferences, seminars or training courses, then please send your details to me so that we can share your efforts with others. It is amazing how much the CIS Newsletter content gets re-used around the world. Take advantage of free publicity! Remember you can see CIS Newsletter on the web site www.sheilapantry.com/cis where back issues are stored.

Remember >>>>
Surviving in 2005... By promotion, publicity and telling the World that CIS and its network exists!

All good wishes to you, your families and your colleagues.

Sheila Pantry, OBE

85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK
Tel: +44 1909 771024
Fax: +44 1909 772829
Email: sp@sheilapantry.com
www.oshworld.com
www.sheilapantry.com
www.shebuyersguide.com
www.oshupdate.com

Press Release No. 2 December 2005

CIS website takes you round the World in 90 seconds!

CIS is the knowledge management arm of the International Labour Office InFocus Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork). Its goal is to ensure that workers and everyone concerned with their protection have access to the facts they need to prevent occupational injuries and diseases.

CIS continuously monitors world literature on occupational safety and health through its contacts with publishers and with 137 focal points ("CIS Centres") at the national or regional level. Summaries and citations of the most useful publications, as well as products based on the collected information, are disseminated electronically and in print.

Important Network

This very important network of CIS Centres contributes to the exchange of information among persons responsible for the establishment and implementation of national policies and programmes.

CIS was founded in 1959 as a joint endeavour of the ILO, the International Social Security Association, the European Coal and Steel Community and the occupational safety and health authorities of 11 European countries. The original 11-member network of National Centres has grown to cover 120 countries all over the world. In many countries, Collaborating Centres complement the National Centres, and the Arab Occupational Health and Safety Institute of the Arab Labour Organization became the first Regional Centre in 2004. With the evolution of European institutions, CIS now enjoys the support of the European Commission.

Click on to www.ilo.org/cis and see the menus to the left that provide access to the full range of CIS services, encyclopaedia, databases, publications, thesaurus, newly received documents, events and products. There are also links to CIS centres around the world and a number of occupational safety and health information sources inside and outside the ILO. The website is available in English, French and Spanish.

At one click you can find the CIS centres listed by country and also The CIS Newsletter monthly newsletter see www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/about/centres.htm

Think CIS website as you make your first step in finding answers to your latest OSH questions.

CIS Centres >>> You can alter this information in this Press Release as you wish with your own information - but it may encourage other organisations and individuals in your country and elsewhere to start and use this ever-increasing valuable source of information.

FOCUS

High safety and health standards benefit SMEs

A safe working environment is good business. It is not only essential for the well-being of employees, but also for ensuring that enterprises are successful and sustainable, and that economies thrive in the long term. Set up by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in partnership with the network of Euro Info Centres, a new website explains why occupational safety and health is good business, and how to put it into practice.

'If you run a company, especially a small one, you may be misled into thinking that securing safety and health is difficult and costly', says Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. 'In fact it is the other way round as the business cases we have looked into demonstrate that higher safety and health standards lead to higher productivity. This is the message we would like to send to companies across Europe.'

Maive Rute, Commission's SME Envoy and Director responsible for the Euro Info Centres network confirms an increasing interest among SMEs in safety and health issues: 'Small companies often find it difficult to 'translate' and absorb new regulations into their reality. By pooling the resources and expertise of Euro Info Centres and the network run by the European Agency, we are better equipped to address their practical needs.'

The new feature offers an overview of recent studies into business aspects of occupational safety and health, such as Corporate Social Responsibility, impact on productivity, or economic incentives for safety and health.

But it has first of all a practical dimension. Companies, especially SMEs, can access a collection of good practice examples, which they may easily and economically implement in their workplaces. A directory of national sub-sites provides access to safety and health regulations at the national level. And through the Euro Info Centres network companies can find consultants in their region.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, in partnership with a network of Euro Info Centres has launched a new website to provide businesses with good practice information on occupational safety and health at work.

The new resource is available at - http://osha.europa.eu/business - enables businesses to quickly find relevant information on health and safety legislation and includes a special section for SMEs - http://osha.europa.eu/en/sub/sme - to guide them to sources of advisory services and good practice to ease the compliance process.

The Euro Info Centres network in the largest Community Business Support Network. With more than 300 centres and 340 relays, each EIC can count on partners all over the continent, and benefit therefore from local expertise. EICs are the result of a partnership between the European Commission and the local, regional or national organisations that host them. One of EICs core activities consists in informing enterprises about EU matters. EICs directly answer about 360,000 queries from SMEs every year. They concern a wide range of issues, such as business co-operation, Commission programmes and funding, and general EU matters.

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.

UK businesses say time is key barrier to better health and safety businesslink.gov.uk launches tool to help businesses improve health and safety performance

New research from businesslink.gov.uk, the government's national website providing practical guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises, has found that businesses consider time to be the key barrier to implementing a full health and safety policy. Seventy two percent of the 275 businesses surveyed cited time as the key obstacle to improving health and safety processes followed by cost (50%) and a lack of staff awareness (35%).

To help small and medium sized businesses overcome these barriers and improve their health and safety, businesslink.gov.uk has launched a health and safety performance indicator

www.businesslink.gov.uk/healthsafetyindicator

Developed with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Association of British Insurers (ABI), this free and confidential tool will provide a benchmark against other businesses across sectors and sizes. This will also enable them to review their performance with their insurance brokers, helping them to get the best terms for their business.

The survey also found that staff welfare is overwhelmingly the main driver to businesses improving their health and safety procedures, (70%), followed by potential cost savings made through reduced insurance premiums (56%) and increased productivity (48%). However, businesses could also be missing out on reducing their overheads; more than half the businesses surveyed (56%) don't feel their current health and safety policy could bring savings, with nearly a quarter of businesses (22%) not knowing how to make savings.

Launching the Health and safety performance indicator, Jonathan Hollow, Portal Editor at businesslink.gov.uk said, "Although businesses are making real progress with health and safety, with nearly 40% of those surveyed saying they have a full health and safety policy in place, two thirds of businesses believe they can do more to improve their processes or are simply

complying with the minimum legal requirement. By working with partners across government and in the private sector, businesslink.gov.uk's new tool can help businesses realise the benefits and cost savings health and safety can bring, in a time effective way."

Alan Morley, Policy Adviser at HSE also commented, "HSE is keen to encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to realise the business benefits that properly taking health and safety into account can bring. In support of that we have created the indicator to help SMEs find out how they are doing. We recommend all SMEs try it. It is appropriate, anonymous and free. What have you got to lose?"

Justin Jacobs, Head of Liability, Association of British Insurers said, "Insurers believe that the Health and Safety Performance Indicator is a very useful tool which allows businesses to assess and benchmark their health and safety performance and get guidance where necessary. Insurers are willing to take positive risk features into account and believe that good health and safety makes good business sense"

More information on the Health and safety performance indicator is available at www.businesslink.gov.uk/healthsafetyindicator

Business Link is a service, managed by the DTI, which provides a wealth of information and impartial support to new and existing businesses. It is dedicated to helping businesses innovate, improve, grow and become more competitive by providing quick and easy links to a broad range of private, public and voluntary business support services. Business Link nationally provided support to over 670,000 businesses in 2004/2005, and nearly 500,000 of these were existing businesses. Business Link's services are available locally in England by calling 0845 600 9 006.

The national website www.businesslink.gov.uk provides free access to all relevant information, guidance, funding and training from government and the business sector. As one of the leading sites for small business, it has more than 600,000 visits every month from individuals involved in business.

Book to explore

Guide to Evaluating the Effectiveness of Strategies for Preventing Work Injuries:
How to show whether a safety intervention really works

Although published a while ago this book may be of interest to students, researchers and practitioners and aims to provide them with the tools and concepts required to conduct systematic evaluations of injury prevention initiatives and safety programs. Successful evaluations will advance the discipline of occupational safety by building a body of knowledge, based on scientific evidence, that can be applied confidently in the workplace.

This knowledge will provide a solid foundation for good safety practice, as well as inform the development of standards and regulations. Building such a knowledge base will help practitioners avoid the temptation of adopting safety procedures simply because they appear "intuitively obvious" when no scientific evidence actually exists for those practices.

Users of the guide are encouraged to demonstrate the strongest level of evidence available for an intervention by measuring the effect on safety outcomes in an experimental design. Even when this level of evidence is not obtained, much useful information can still be gained by following the recommendations in the book. In doing so, the safety field will become current with other disciplines, such as clinical medicine, where evaluation information is increasingly available and allows for evidence-based decision-making.

The guide will assist safety specialists to meet the challenge of effectiveness evaluations.

http://ssmon.chb.kth.se/safebk.php

Guide to Evaluating the Effectiveness of Strategies for Preventing Work Injuries: How to Show Whether a Safety Intervention Really Works
Lynda S. Robson, Harry S. Shannon, Linda M. Goldenhar, Andrew R. Hale
Published by NIOSH and others

New from the States

April 18-20, 2006 L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, Washington DC

Please join NIOSH as they recognize past achievements and launch a new decade of NORA research and partnerships.

The 2006 NORA Symposium will convene researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers from the public and private sectors to celebrate completion of the first decade of NORA and inaugurate plans for the next decade of NORA research. The fifth in a series, this year's event will feature scientific presentations addressing the original 21 NORA priorities while anticipating new research partnerships. The program will also include a special reception to mark the 35th anniversary of The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

Call for Abstracts

The call for abstracts is due December 9, 2005 and can be downloaded at the NORA Web site www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/symp06.

Online registration will soon be available at the NORA Web site www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/symp06.

For more information about the symposium, please visit the NORA Web site or e-mail the NORA coordinator at noracoordinator@cdc.gov.

News from the ILO

List of Occupational Diseases

Three working documents have been prepared by SafeWork for the Meeting of Experts on Updating the List of Occupational Diseases which is to take place from 13 to 20 December 2005 at the ILO in Geneva. This is to inform you that these three documents are now available on SafeWork website:

Additional news from Spain re CISDOC

The November 2005 edition contained a Press Release on CISDOC

Helena Goy kindly sent an email to remind me and everyone else that CISDOC in available in Spanish and French as well as English.

European films sweep the board in Orlando

European films took the major honours in the sixth International Film Festival held in Orlando, Florida at the XVIIth World Congress for Safety and Health at Work.

The International Jury was in no doubt about the first prize winning film. An investigation by agent BI007: biological risks at work produced by INRS, France sees Bio Agent 007 come to the rescue in explaining the complex issues of exposure to biological risks in the workplace. The film used animation with a clear message, excellent graphics and a well-written script.

A second first prize was awarded to a short TV spot from SUVA, Switzerland, one of a series of high quality, entertaining but powerful communications. The winning spot Der Schutzhelm features a construction worker in an amusing sequence with a clear message - "wear your hard hat at all times!" The Jury commended SUVA for producing a superb series of short spots.

Peter Rimmer, Chairman of the International Film Festival Jury, said: "The moving image is a powerful form of communication - to raise awareness, to inform, train and educate, and to change attitudes and behaviour. So, we commend all the participants for using this medium to reach out and improve safety and health at work."

The Jury also made four runners-up awards. The first went to a film from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) titled Worksmart. This compilation film was made from a series of short TV spots which used real people telling real stories about their experiences of accidents, near misses and occupational ill health. The Jury commended the style, the production techniques and the variety of topics.

The second runner-up award was made to a film from Finland produced by Outokumpu. Seven is the story of a victim of a workplace fatality who describes seven accidents and seven different types of behaviour which can lead to an accident. The Jury commended the film highly as an excellent example of storytelling and the use of vivid, occasionally shocking images, to tell an emotional story.

The Jury was also impressed with a film from the ILO showing the hazards and risks in the construction industry in India. Film is a potentially powerful form of communications in the developing world and the Jury applauded the work of the ILO. Accidents don't have to happen respects the different cultures and the different ways of working, and identifies not only the problems but also some of the solutions to safe working in construction.

The fourth and final runner-up award went to a short spot from the HVBG in Germany. Sicherer Auftritt was an excellent example of the power of animation, where the cartoon character Napo is involved in a series of slip and trip accidents in a humorous but appealing way. The spot was part of a campaign to reduce the number of slip and trip accidents in Germany.

The Film Festival attracted 135 films of which 67 films from 19 different countries were included in the Film Programme at the World Congress. The International Jury from eight different countries, the ILO and the ISSA Electricity Section considered the best films using three criteria - effectiveness of the message, treatment of the subject and overall impression.

Three prizes were awarded In the Multimedia Festival. The winner in the category Computer Based Training is Small Business WorkSafe Safety Calculator from the Worker's Compensation Board of British Columbia, Canada. The second winner in the same category is Simulación de Prevención de Riesgos Asepeyo, Spain. The winner in the category Web Based Training is Health and Safety 101 by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Ontario, Canada.

The next International Film Festival will be held in Seoul, Korea in June 2008.

FILM AWARD WINNERS

First prizes

An investigation by agent BI007
INRS, France

Der Schutzhelm
SUVA, Switzerland

Runner-up prizes

Worksmart
Health and Safety Executive, Great Britain

"SEVEN"
Outokumpu, Finland

Accidents don't have to happen
ILO

Sicherer Auftritt mit Napo
National Federation of Industrial Employment Accident Insurance Funds HVBG, Germany

Multimedia Prize Winners

The winner in the category Computer Based Training is Small Business WorkSafe Safety Calculator from the Worker's Compensation Board of British Columbia, Canada (http://smallbusiness.healthandsafetycentre.org).

The second winner in the same category is Simulación de Prevención de Riesgos Asepeyo, Spain (www.asepeyo.es).

The winner in the category Web Based Training is Health and Safety 101 by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Ontario, Canada.

Organizing Information Using Universal Decimal Classification (UDC)

Information is everywhere and it proliferates at an intimidating rate but is not necessarily usable. For instance, according to Bill Coughran, Google's vice-president of engineering, the Internet's search engine currently indexes over 8 billion web pages, and in 2004 approximately 160,000 books were published in the UK compared to 130,000 in the previous year (Source: Nielsen Book Services)

If you are searching among information amassed by others, it will be more productive if it is logically arranged, and if you are organizing your own collections, the same principle applies; whatever form an item of information may take, logical organization is vital for the efficient use of any collection. Multimedia items such as audio or video recordings and collections of pictures, sculptures, coins or postage stamps will all benefit from systematic indexing and increased their usefulness.

NEW Online version of UDC is now available

The Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) is the world's foremost classification scheme for all fields of knowledge used for sophisticated indexing and retrieval. UDC has exceeded its parent, the Dewey Decimal Classification, both in the size of its vocabulary and its indexing capabilities and is a highly flexible tool that has been used to organize and record different kinds of objects, files, books or information resources including classification of motion pictures by subject, map collections by place, and cataloguing collections of stamps, coins and model soldiers.

UDC's application is international and spreads universally across:

The online version - UDC Online - is now available electronically, and is intended for organizing documentation on everything that has ever been written. It was produced and researched in association and with representation from the following industry experts:

BSI's Simone Levy said "The main strength of the new online version of UDC is the increased functionality that makes it easier to use and apply. The logical structure of the hard copy version is preserved and it offers a highly flexible and effective system for organizing bibliographic records for all kinds of information in any medium, and is used and recognised internationally. UDC is now being used to arrange directories on the Internet".

Derived from the Master Reference File (MRF) from the UDC Consortium, UDC Online contains all available references and classification and has over 65,000 entries.

A one-year UDC Online subscription offers:

Price £395* pa +VAT (£464.13) 1-2 users

A FREE trial is available
For a free two week trial to UDC Online contact UDC Customer Services | +44 (0)20 8996 7555 | email udc@bsi-global.com
For more information please visit www.bsi-global.com/UDC

For orders, please contact:
BSI Customer Services quoting marketing reference code UDC-PR | Tel: +44 (0)20 8996 9001 | Fax: +44 (0)20 8996 7001 | Email orders@bsi-global.com | www.bsi-global.com/bsonline

UDC Online Product Launch
Online Information, 2005 29 November - 1 December, Grand Hall, Olympia, London
UDC Online will be launched by BSI Business Information at the world's no.1 event for information content and information management solutions.
For more information please visit www.bsi-global.com/exhibitions

COMING SOON

UDC Complete Edition
Two-volume English language version contains over 65,000 entries.

Volume 1 - Systematic tables
A4 Paperback 2005 ISBN 0 580 45469 X
BSI order ref BIP 0017-1 Price £175*

Volume 2 - Alphabetical index
A4 Paperback 2005 ISBN 0 580 45470 3
BSI order ref BIP 0017-2 Price £130*

Universal Decimal Classification. Abridged
UDC Abridged Edition contains c. 4,100 classes and incorporates the major changes to the scheme since 1999.
• A4 loose-leaf with binder • ISBN 0 580 42440 5
• BSI order ref PD 1000 • Price £26.50

The Universal Decimal Classification. A Guide to its Use
This provides practical hints on the application of Universal Decimal Classification (UDC).
• A5 paperback • ISBN 9 080 61521 8
• BSI order ref UPI 30045302 • Price £35

For further information and review copies please contact: Sophie Phipps, Marketing Services Manager, BSI Business Information | Tel +44 (0)20 8996 7940 | Fax +44 (0)20 8996 7553 | Email: sophie.phipps@bsi-global.com | www.bsi-global.com

The November issue of LIFELINES ONLINE (Vol. II, No. 6) is available at the LHSFNA website.

These are the headlines:

To view the stories and access our website, go to www.lhsfna.org

Also, please note that the current issue of our print magazine, LIFELINES, is now posted for online viewing in the archive section of our website. As always, we look forward to your feedback and comments on our website and LIFELINES ONLINE. We look forward to your feedback and comments.

Steve Clark, Communications Manager, Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, 905 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA

New International Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) President Neil Budworth calls for greater public recognition

Gaining increased public recognition for the efforts of safety and health practitioners in helping to keep workplaces safe and sustainable is at the top of new IOSH President Neil Budworth's agenda. Neil, who took over the chain of office from predecessor Lawrence Waterman at the Institution's Annual Dinner on 16 November 2005, said: "We know our efforts significantly reduce the toll of accidents and work related ill health and improve business efficiency. That's why our role demands and deserves more formal recognition."

"And although individual chartered status, which came into effect today, is a step in the right direction, the onus still remains on business to recognise the importance of competent health and safety advice. Neil, speaking to an attentive audience at the Alton Towers Hotel, Staffordshire, said: "It's abundantly clear that incompetent advice leaves employees at risk and can mean organisations spend large sums of money for little additional protection."

"Work still remains for safety and health practitioners if the profession is to receive the recognition it deserves, though. Neil said he felt it was "imperative" that practitioners continued to develop their skills, especially in communication techniques: "The difference between a competent health and safety technician and a truly effective senior health and safety advisor is not their technical knowledge, but, in most cases, their ability to communicate."

Gaining the support and active backing of managers and business leaders is also key: "Strong leadership plays a vital role in developing high standards of health and safety. clear, unambiguous statements about the importance of safety, backed up by visible management commitment drive good health and safety."

Neil concluded that 2006 was going to be an important year for the safety and health profession, particularly in meeting the responsibilities that chartered status places on safety and health practitioners: "I'm the first president who is a chartered safety and health practitioner and I am the first president who can address chartered professionals. This illustrates how far we have come, but we still have a some way left to go."

Another area in which IOSH will be concentrating in 2006 is on young people at work - which is the European Commission's Agency in Bilbao 2006 theme http://osha.europa.eu/en/priority_groups/young_people

Established in 1945 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 2003, IOSH is Europe's leading body for health and safety professionals, representing over 28,000 members. Principally a UK-based body, it also has an increasing international profile, with members in more than 50 countries. An independent, not-for-profit organisation, the Institution regulates and steers the profession, maintaining standards and providing impartial, authoritative guidance on health and safety issues. IOSH provides a centre of excellence for professional standards; promotes awareness of the importance of health, safety and sustainability; advances research and disseminates knowledge; encourages, facilitates and leads communication of information, good practice and expertise; and supports and develops the competence of members.

For more information please contact:
Paul Marston, IOSH media officer | Tel: +44 (0)116 257 3141 | email paul.marston@iosh.co.uk or
Anne Smart, IOSH media and marketing assistant | Tel: +44 (0) 116 257 3139 | email anne.smart@iosh.co.uk | www.iosh.co.uk

Over 6,000 Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) members have become the first Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners at the conclusion of the Institution's annual general meeting yesterday at Alton Towers.

Congratulations to all those worldwide IOSH Members from over 50 countries who may now use the letters CMIOSH and CFIOSH after their names. Every member of IOSH now has the choice of working towards Chartered status, and everyone who has received the title will continue to keep their skills up to date with CPD.

Chartered Status for health and safety practitioners will lead to better business decisions and safer workplaces, according to IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health).

To receive the new designation, practitioners will have to undertake Initial Professional Development (IPD) as well as enrol on mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD). An open book assessment and professional interview ensure that their skills and knowledge are fresh and kept up to date.

A recent IOSH/Macmillan Davies Hodes Survey found that 40 per cent of health and safety professionals believed CPD would help them do their jobs better. By requiring mandatory CPD, IOSH is ensuring that standards within the profession are raised to new heights. The survey also highlighted the growing number of safety and health professionals currently reporting directly to their board or governing body, now at 49 per cent.

Read more about Chartered status www.iosh.co.uk/membership/about_membership.aspx

www.iosh.co.uk

European Noise at Work Summit concludes the 2005 'Stop that Noise' campaign on Monday 12 December 2005 in Bilbao, Spain

The first pan-European action aimed at reducing the risks of workplace noise. Health and safety practitioners, policy makers, social partners and academics from across Europe will convene in Bilbao to debate and give new impetus to tackle this significant workplace hazard.

The one-day summit is jointly organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Union (EU) and it will cover both issues of workplace prevention as well as the implications of the new EU noise directive.

This major European conference brings together health and safety experts, practitioners, and policymakers from across Europe to discuss the challenges and future strategies for a better control of noise at work.

Is noise at work an issue you have to address? Is your organisation prepared for the new EU directive on noise that comes into effect across Europe in February 2006?
Attendance at the conference is free of charge. Participants will have to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses.

The working languages of the summit will be DE, EN, ES, FR, IT.

Euskalduna Conference Centre, Bilbao, Spain

Date: Monday 12 December 2005

Participation
The number of participants is limited. Early registration is recommended. Participation is free of charge and includes a delegate's pack with full information on the summit and the 2005 European Week campaign. A buffet lunch for participants will be provided.

Working languages
The working languages of the summit will be DE, EN, ES, FR, IT.

Travel and hotel accommodation
Participants have to cover their travel and accommodation expenses. For detailed enquiries please contact the summit secretariat: ERCISA, S.A. - S.A. - Summit Secretariat, Telesforo Aranzadi, 2 - 1º Dcha. 48008 Bilbao, Spain | Tel.: + 34 94 410 41 77 | Fax: + 34 94 410 19 10 | Email: congresos@ercisa.com

Australasia 2006 iETRI World Conference on Global Disaster Management and Response

1 & 2 March 2006, Rydges Jamison Hotel, Sydney, Australia

Hosted by Global Crisis Center.Com (UK) Ltd., in association with NSW Fire Brigades.

Who Should Attend?
This Conference program is primarily designed to address the needs of all levels of Emergency Disaster Management and Response providing immense benefits to:

Conference Program - "Beyond the Horizon - Are We Really Prepared?"

This year's conference theme undertakes an intensive review of all aspects of disaster management and response, including many different paradigms for successfully managing the 21st century major or catastrophic incident induced by either "mother nature" or asymmetric terrorism.

Speakers

The Importance of Getting it Right - Managing the Disaster - Failure is not an Option
Greg Mullins, AFSM, ChFl, FIFireE,
Commissioner of the New South Wales Fire Brigades', Australia

Executive Command Logic (ECL) Management for Urban Collapse Devastation
Geoff Williams QFSM, ChFl, CIETecRI, MIFireE,
President of the International Emergency Technical Response Institute (iETRI), Scotland, UK and Director of International Operations- Global Crisis Reconnaissance Teams.

"Water, Water Everywhere!" - Preparing for Flood & Swift Water Rescue Operations
Randy Corbin BA, EFO, CFOD, AIETecRI
Vice President of TWL's FETN and LETN

Critical Dates

Registration

Please register for the Conference.

Conference Managers

GPO Box 128, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia | Tel: +61 2 9265 0700 | Fax: +61 2 9267 5443 | Email: IETRI2006@tourhosts.com.au

CIS* hosts IPCS Meeting to peer-review International Chemical Safety Cards

ILO Headquarters, Geneva, 17-21 October 2005

Twenty eight international experts from 13 countries** plus representatives from the European Commission, the International Labour Office (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) met in Geneva from 17 to 21 October 2005 within the framework of the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) (www.who.int/ipcs/en) to review some 100 International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs). The meeting was organized by the CIS and supported financially by the IPCS. It brought together chemical safety specialists, toxicologists, and environmental and emergency response professionals from national health and safety organizations and research institutes.

The IPCS, established in 1980, is a joint activity of three international organizations: the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The ICSC project is being developed in the context of the cooperation between the IPCS and the European Commission.

Using standard phrases, the ICSCs are an important element in national chemical safety systems and in international cooperation efforts in chemical safety. They provide information on the intrinsic hazards of specific chemicals together with first aid and fire-fighting measures and precautions for spillage, disposal, storage, packaging, labelling and transport. They contain essential safety and health information on chemicals for use at the "shop floor" level by workers and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other workplaces. They may be used in training activities and are often the principal source of information in less developed areas or in small and medium size enterprises. They help to disseminate data on the hazards posed by chemicals to human health and the environment.

The Cards are prepared by the IPCS Participating Institutions (PIs) and go through several steps of consultation and editing. This meeting, held twice a year in the country of one of the PIs, represents the final step in the process when the Cards are peer reviewed. The Cards are translated into 15 languages (including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Swahili, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese as well as many European languages) and are available on various Internet sites including that of CIS www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/icsc/index.htm

The Cards have a place in the Global Programme of Action under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and they also link into a number of IPCS activities, in particular work on the precautionary statements to be used within the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

The next ICSC peer-review meeting will be held at the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) in Łódź, Poland, in April 2006.

* CIS: International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre.

** Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America.

For more information, contact the CIS, International Labour Office, Geneva (cis@ilo.org) or consult www.ilo.org/cis

Revamped RSI database aims to reduce repetitive strain injuries

A new database expanding and updating existing information on important Court judgments in repetitive strain injury (RSI) cases, will be of direct and immediate benefit to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who funded it, and to legal and health professionals working in the field RSI, trade unions, insurers and designers. The longer-term aim is educing the number of sufferers from this debilitating industrial injury.

The work related upper limb disorder (WRULD) database has free access to users who register on www.humanetechnology.co.uk/registered/intro.php and provides details of judgments including the factors that Courts considered important in reaching their decisions, the degree of care exercised by employers and the amount of damages awarded to claimants.

Repetitive strain injury (RSI, also and more accurately known as upper limb disorder) is a term for musculoskeletal problems affecting the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder or neck. These conditions are widespread across a range of industries and jobs, and can be caused by forceful or repetitive work, poor posture or other factors. Computer use and assembly work are frequently associated with ULDs but there are other tasks, which may have higher risks.

It is estimated that in 2004/05 nearly 375,000 people in Great Britain suffered from a musculoskeletal disorder(MSD) mainly affecting the upper limbs or neck that was caused or made worse by their current or past work. Many working days are lost across a wide range of occupations.

John Price, HSE MSD Programme Manager said: "HSE is supporting this work as it can use this information to help write guidance, which can be interpreted correctly and consistently by employers, employees and the courts. This database is one of several tools that the HSE can use to help evaluate the effectiveness of regulations and guidance."

The database will benefit all those with an interest in work-related RSI, including employers, trade unions, occupational health professionals, lawyers, expert witnesses in medicine and ergonomics, insurers, and people with RSI. This project is part of HSE's ongoing programme of biomedical research and supports the HSE Musculoskeletal Disorders Programme, which aims to reduce the incidence of work-related illness involving musculoskeletal disorders, and reduce the number of working days lost.

The earlier work to establish the database was also funded by HSE and carried out by Loughborough University. Full details of the findings can be found in HSE's research report RR010 'How the Courts are interpreting HSE guidance and health and safety regulations: An exploratory study of Court Judgements in personal injury claims for WRULDs'.

For general information about preventing RSI, back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders, visit www.hse.gov.uk/msd

For detailed advice on how to prevent RSI and help sufferers back to work, see guidance booklet 'Upper limb disorders in the workplace'(HSG60, ISBN 0-7176-1978-8. This is available from HSE Books, price £9.50. Copies of HSE publications are available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1787-881165 or Fax: +44 (0)1787-313995.

The publication is NOT available on HSE website.

Nanotechnology first on the agenda at BOHS 'Occupational Hygiene 2006' Annual Conference to be held from 25 - 27 April 2006, at the Assembly Rooms in Newcastle-upon-Tyne

BOHS is delighted to announce that its 2006 Annual Conference will be opened by Dr Andrew Maynard delivering the keynote Warner Lecture, "Nanotechnology: the next big thing, or much ado about nothing?" Dr Maynard is the Chief Science Advisor for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies which is located at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the US. The Project was created in partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts. Its aim is to help businesses, governments, and the public anticipate and manage nanotechnology's possible health and environmental implications.

Previously with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Dr Maynard was highly influential in developing its ground-breaking nanotechnology research programme on the health effects and control of occupational ultrafine and nanotechnology-related aerosol exposure. Originally trained as a physicist at Birmingham University, and after completing a Ph.D. in ultrafine aerosol analysis at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University, Dr Maynard joined the HSE's aerosols research group before moving to the US. His expertise spans all aspects of aerosol characterisation, from occupational aerosol sampler design to state-of-the-art nanoparticle analysis, as reflected in over 40 peer-reviewed publications.

In addition to the Warner Lecture, Professor Jon Ayres will be giving a talk on the possible health effects from exposure to ultrafine particles and there will be further presentations over the course of the Conference, including risk assessment of inhaled particles using a physiologically-based mechanistic model and the measurement of nanoparticles.

Occupational Hygiene 2006 is the pre-eminent conference in this field in Europe, bringing together leading UK, European and international researchers, practitioners and regulators. A three-day programme includes sessions on all the major themes and emerging issues in occupational health and hygiene, as well as a wide choice of topical workshops.

The professionally cosmopolitan environment of the Conference provides excellent scope to meet fellow hygienists and peers from related professions throughout all sectors of industry, and the associated exhibition, running alongside, presents a range of suppliers of services and equipment.

The preliminary programme will be available on the BOHS website, www.bohs.org by the end of November, when the on-line booking facility will also open.

Want to be a better OSH campaigner?

Are you doing a great job out there campaigning for safer workplaces, but would like to have new skills so you can do the job that bit better? A new charity, the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, has opened nominations for its inaugural awards scheme, offering training fellowships to emerging campaigners.

It says it is keen to hear from union safety campaigners, who could apply under the 'health and social care' category. The six award winners will receive a 10-day training package, including: One-to-one mentoring - the chance to learn from an experienced campaigner; the opportunity to shadow people in positions of influence, for example senior figures from politics, the civil service, journalism, research and academia, voluntary sector management, marketing and fundraising; and skills development training.

Sheila McKechnie, who described herself as 'a fully paid up member of the awkward squad', cut her campaigning teeth nationally as health and safety officer of the union ASTMS, later MSF and then Amicus. She went on to become director of Shelter and the Consumers' Association.

For further information, contact the foundation | Email: info@sheilamckechnie.org.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7770 7822.

The Sheila McKechnie Awards: your key to unique campaign support

The Sheila McKechnie Awards offer training fellowships to emerging campaigners through identifying people with outstanding vision and potential. We believe we can help individuals to achieve greater impact by awarding a 10-day package of bespoke training and advice, which includes:

Sheila McKechnie Foundation website: www.smk.org.uk

Just how up-to-date are you with your OSH information?

Keeping up-to-date in worldwide occupational health, safety, hygiene, road safety, water safety, environment trends and the latest information can be time consuming. Do budget constraints not allow you to buy all the latest journals, newsletters and documents that contain the latest information? Can't afford the time to search for the latest information, legislation and standards? No staff to search for this information? And no time yourself to spend hours searching for information?

Then this newly launched, very affordable Internet based service OSH UPDATE, from Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd is the answer for you. Powered by Head Software International's Headfast/Discovery Internet publishing software, OSH UPDATE containing over 535,000 references is now available and is updated monthly see www.oshupdate.com

OSH UPDATE just grows and grows each month.

OSH UPDATE records has links to the full text where possible - this is all done for you!

It currently contains ten bibliographic databases from worldwide authoritative sources:

OSH UPDATE will expand - we are continuing to make agreements with other well-known information producers around the world and these databases will also be included. As well as the latest information, many reference sources go back 80 or more years and so a valuable tool for researchers, trainers and practitioners.

This new aggregation of databases contains thousands of relevant references with abstracts or keywords and will keep you and your colleagues alerted to hot topics such as the health risks of nanotechnology, corporate killing and corporate social responsibility, bio-terrorism, management of road risks, preparedness and business continuity and risk assessment.

The title price for a single user via the Internet is GBP250.00/Euros 360.00 /US$ 450.00 per year - less than 68 pence/1 Euro /1.2 dollars per day

The price* (see below for further details) reflects our aim to bring health and safety guidance, Advice, research, journal articles, papers, standards to the attention of health and safety practitioners and managers, researchers, trade union safety representatives, occupational physicians, information specialists in industry, colleges and universities, government staff, inspectors, university and college safety directors, university and college lecturers and those in training - at a cost that is affordable and a service that is time efficient.

A user in Finland says "OSH UPDATE it is excellent and easy to use". A Hong Kong multi user group says "it is what we need to keep us up-to-date". A busy UK consultant says "it is very useful, and saves me a lot of time from having to search many sources elsewhere". An Information Officer from the UK says "that there is always some information in OSH UPDATE helping to answer the most difficult of enquiries".

Why not take a 30-DAY FREE TRIAL of OSH UPDATE and see for yourself.

If you are interested in taking up this service on trial please email/fax with your details, or contact us to ask further questions.

Sheila Pantry OBE BA FCLIP, Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, 85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1909 771024 | Fax: +44 (0) 1909 772829 | Email: sp@sheilapantry.com | www.sheilapantry.com | www.oshworld.com | www.shebuyersguide.com | www.oshupdate.com
Electronic Products: Environment and Waste Plus | Fire, Emergency and Preparedness Worldwide | OSH Ireland | OSH UPDATE

*Subscription for one year of OSH UPDATE

Promoting Healthy Workers

Scriptographic Publications has revised and updated its occupational health booklets 'Good Health for Men' and 'Good Health for Women,' which contain advice on how people can better understand their bodies and take more responsibility for their own health.

The Good Health titles give advice on nutrition, physical exercise, stress and sexually transmitted infections; Good Health for Women also covers breast health, the reproductive system, birth control and signs of pregnancy and menopause. The publications use a unique combination of words and pictures to convey their information in a simple and easily understood way, and all material carries the Plain English Mark.

The company is the UK's leading publisher of occupational health and safety booklets, and its range of more than 200 titles are used by organisations to educate their employees on a wide range of issues from manual handling to dealing with customer complaints. Booklets can be personalised with logos and additional information, and customised booklets on any subject can also be produced.

Samples of the Scriptographic range of training titles are available by calling 0800 028 5670 or emailing sales@scriptographic.co.uk. Booklets can be personalised with the name and logo of an organisation on the front and additional details on the back cover.

Michael Whitcroft, Scriptographic Publications Ltd, Charwell House, Wilsom Road, Alton, Hampshire GU34 2PP | Tel: 08701 609 220 | Email: michaelwhitcroft@scriptographic.co.uk

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OSHE websites to explore

The following may be of interest to OSHE information seekers, if you have a favourite website please let me know... Also look at www.oshworld.com at the links under country and also under subject.

AUSTRALIA

Safety Science Monitor AUSTRALIA
http://ssmon.chb.kth.se
Safety Science Monitor provides a forum for debate, reviews and communication between academics and professionals in the fields of safety. It covers the broad area of human safety and will seek to publish any papers in relation to the prevention of injuries at work, on the road, in sports, in recreational and daily life, the development of methods to contain, control and eliminate injury risks, the education, on the prevention of injuries, of those that are exposed to and of those that expose others to injury risks, and the application of injury prevention solutions from one area of exposure to another, or from one region or country to another. The Safety Science Monitor is particularly aimed at tertiary level students in the fields of safety, who are encouraged to submit their original papers, dissertations and theses for publication. There is direct access to the full text of this virtual journal. The Safety Science Monitor is an added benefit to WORKINGONSAFETY.NET. If you want to publish in this virtual journal please send your article to editor.

AUSTRIA

Arbeitsinspektion AUSTRIA
www.arbeitsinspektion.gv.at
Austria's Labour Inspectorate site - the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit, Sektion Arbeitsrecht und Arbeitsinspektion, in Vienna, Austria gives details of the work of the Inspectorate, legislation and links.

BELGIUM

Belgian Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social BELGIUM
www.employment.belgium.be
The web site of the Belgian Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue (also available in Dutch and French).

SPAIN

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: business benefits SPAIN
http://osha.europa.eu/business
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, in partnership with a network of Euro Info Centres has launched this website to provide businesses with good practice information on occupational safety and health at work. It also enables businesses to quickly find relevant information on health and safety legislation and includes a special section for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) - http://osha.europa.eu/en/sub/sme - to guide them to sources of advisory services and good practice to ease the compliance process.

Workingonsafety.net SPAIN
www.workingonsafety.net
WORKINGONSAFETY.NET is a worldwide network of decision-makers, researchers and professionals responsible for the prevention of accidents and trauma at work. Only a few people are dealing with the same special problem as you in your own country. But all over the world people are facing challenges that require new methods. Good practice is often the result of communicating success and failures with others. Sharing competences, conferences and other information across the traditional borders is the main objective.

UK

Humane Technology: Repetitive strain injury (RSI) UK
www.humanetechnology.co.uk
Human Technology provides information on over 200 Court Judgments in personal injury claims in which the alleged injury was some type of work-related upper limb disorder, popularly referred to as repetitive strain injuries (RSI). It was developed as part of a research project funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which examined how the Courts are interpreting HSE guidance documents and certain Regulations, e.g. Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations and Manual Handling Operations Regulations, in personal injury claims for work-related upper limb disorders. The site is referred to as a source of further information in the HSE's latest guidance Upper limb disorders in the workplace.

USA

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH Ammonia USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ammonia
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH pages are designed as a resource for individuals working with ammonia, pocket guide, other information and links.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH Arsenic USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/arsenic
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH pages are designed as a resource for individuals working with arsenic.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH Benzene USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/benzene
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH pages are designed as a resource for individuals working with benzene.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH Cadmium USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/cadmium
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH pages are designed as a resource for individuals working with cadmium, pocket guide, other information and links

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH Chromium USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/chromium
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH pages are designed as a resource for individuals working with chromium, pocket guide, other information and links.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH Ethyleneoxide USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ethyleneoxide
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH pages are designed as a resource for individuals working with ethyleneoxide, pocket guide, other information and links

Diary of Events

If you have details of any conferences, seminars, training courses and events then please send to your Editor.

You can also check and please use any of the data in www.oshworld.com/diary.html

27 February - 1 March 2006 - 71st Road Safety Congress - 2006
Blackpool Hilton Hotel, Blackpool, UK
Contact: RoSPA Events | Congress Booking Hotline : 0870 777 2120 | Email: events@rospa.com | www.rospa.com/roadsafety

13-14 March 2006 - IOSH 06 Health and safety: fit for business
ExCel, London, UK
Contact: IOSH, The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 1NN, UK | Tel: +44 (0)116 257 3100 | Fax: +44 (0)116 257 3101 | claire.palmer@iosh.co.uk or mark.lord@iosh.org.uk | www.iosh.co.uk/news_and_events/events.aspx

28 April 2006 - ILO World Day of Health and Safety at Work 2006
World wide events
Contact: International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland | www.ilo.org

1-3 May 2006 - IAPA Health and Safety Canada 2006 Conference and Trade Show
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, Canada
Contact: Industrial Accident Prevention Association, 207 Queens Quay W., Suite 555, Toronto ON M5J2Y3, Canada | Tel: + 1 416 506 0488/8888 or +1 800 669 4939 | www.iapa.ca

11-14 September 2006 - 14th World Congress Social Actors, Work
Lima, Peru
Contact: Asociación Peruana de Relaciones de Trabajo, Peru | Fax: +51-1-241 5657 | Email: limacongress@apert.com.pe | www.apert.com.pe

11-14 October 2006 - 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Computer-Human Interaction
Grand Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Contact: Email: apchi@ie.nthu.edu.tw | www.ie.nthu.edu.tw

16-20 October 2006 - CAHFES 50th Annual Meeting
Hilton San Francisco Hotel, San Francisco, California, USA
Contact: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), P.O. Box 1369, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1369 USA | Tel: +1 (310) 394-1811 | Fax: +1 (310) 394-2410 | Email: info@hfes.org | www.hfes.org

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Send Your news to your Editor: sp@sheilapantry.com