CIS Newsletter

No. 236
May 2009

CIS Newsletter celebrates 21 years & still going strong!
Bringing news from Members to Members in over 154 countries in the CIS Network!

Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. Swine Flu
  3. News from Geneva
  4. News and OSH Briefs from around the World - Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the USA to name a few!
  5. OSHE websites to explore
  6. Diary of Events

The CIS Newsletter is a monthly newsletter for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) International Occupational Health and Safety Information Centres and is edited by Sheila Pantry OBE. The CIS Newsletter is NOT an official publication of the ILO but a newsletter containing information from Members in CIS Centres and other sources and is intended to be shared by anyone who finds the data contained useful. Users are free to use and reuse the data in these newsletters.

Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

Here we are entering the merry month of May - time is flying. Hope you are all able to survive in these turbulent and hard times.

Thanks for all the publications, emails and news - these are always gratefully received and are used as soon as possible.

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. 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 Newsletters on the web site www.sheilapantry.com/cis where back issues are stored.

I often wonder how many CIS network people click on the link and read it? We know from statistics how many times it is used!

The CIS AGM 2009 Meeting will take place during the week 19 - 23 October 2009, but in these turbulent and financial restricted times perhaps you need to make sure that some budget is earmarked so that you can attend this special meeting in Geneva to celebrate the 50th Anniversary if the formation of the CIS Network.

Many airlines are offering great deals just now so it will pay to book your travel now.

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Reminder please...

Deadline date 22 May 2009 ... Read on

A Request for the SPECIAL EDITION OF THE CIS NEWSLETTER TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS

I am collecting information together to produce a Special Edition of the CIS Newsletter that will be published in June 2009.

If anyone would like to contribute a piece to this Special Edition it will be most welcomed.

If you have any special memories of meetings, conferences, training workshops held over the years I will be pleased to receive your contribution. CIS means so many things to many people... it is a unique network!

I need the information by 22 May 2009 please!

I have already been in touch with a number of people who have worked in the CIS Network over the years and it looks as if we will have a very interesting Special Edition.

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Make my day ... please send your news items to your Editor!

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

Some of you may 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.

Remember >>>>

Use the CIS Logo on your web site and publications!

Remember that your News in the CIS Newsletter goes to over 154 countries and gets re-used in other magazines and websites. Also there are many people who are not CIS Members who receive the CIS Newsletters. And through its presence on the web many people are getting to know more about the CIS Network. So with many thousands of web hits per month... send your news to me and get even more publicity for your Information services!

I keep asking the question...Will you be Surviving in 2010?... perhaps you will if you make efforts in 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

Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, 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
www.fireinf.com

SWINE FLU advice and guidance from around the world

Readers will be interested in advice and guidance from various authoritative sources... these web sites and guidance grow by the minute!

All sites carry further information.

US NIOSH
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/swineflu
US CDC
www.cdc.gov/swineflu
UK Health Protection Agency
www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1240732817665?p=124073

Latest information Interim WHO guidance for the surveillance of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) virus: www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en

US National Library of Medicine has several new web pages on swine flu:

Swine Flu
http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/swineflu.html
Comprehensive resource for health professionals on Federal Response, International Resources, Genetic Sequence Information, PubMed Searches, Veterinary Resources and Información en Español
Swine Flu - MedlinePlus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/swineflu.html
Information for the general public, patients, family members and caregivers. From MedlinePlus.
Gripe porcina - MedlinePlus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/swineflu.html
Spanish-language version for the general public. From MedlinePlus

News from Geneva

Dates of the CIS Centres Annual Meeting 2009

Geneva will be held during the week
19-23 October 2009. CIS Meeting 22 and 23 October 2009
There will be a celebration the 50th Anniversary of the formation of CIS in 1959 on 22 October 2009 evening.

Details should emerge shortly, but start to try and get approval to attend... which may be even more difficult in these stringent times!

Celebration of the 50th anniversary of CIS and its network of Regional, National and Collaborating Centres: 1959-2009

For half a century, that is to say since 1959, the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) worked for the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases through the dissemination of OSH information. It has fulfilled this role through the identification, selection, analysis and international dissemination of key documents in the field of OSH. The main tool for doing this has been through the creation, maintenance and continuous updating of its bibliographic database CISDOC and its associated products. The network of CIS centres, now numbering about 150 institutions, has been of vital importance in aiding CIS to do its work properly.

Virtually every year since its creation CIS has held a general meeting of its centres. This year will be the 47th such meeting, which will take place at ILO Headquarters in Geneva on 22-23 October 2009. It has also been decided to organize several major events tied to this historic 50th anniversary meeting.

One of these events will probably be a joint meeting of the CIS Network with the WHO Collaborating Centres in Occupational Health network, to be held in the morning of Wednesday, 21 October. On the same afternoon, it is planned to organize a high-level meeting with key experts from the International Labour Office (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as other invited prominent people from the field. This session will enable stakeholders to exchange their views and experience concerning the main challenges facing the international community in the context of the crisis and to demonstrate how the prevention of occupational risks may contribute to good governance, an increase in productivity and good work relations in the enterprise.

This anniversary will also be the occasion to honour the CIS by publishing information on its history, and to debate its future in a world in constant technological and social change. Several promotional products will be published concerning CIS, including a brochure on its history.

ILO Headquarters celebrated World Day for Safety and Health at Work

OSH World Day was celebrated at the International Labour Office on 28 April 2009 by the following Programme:

There was also the opening of the ILO photo exhibition on safety and health at work

Happy 90th Birthday to the ILO!

On the ILO web site www.ilo.org you can see a range of events taking place around the world as the ILO celebrates its 90th anniversary and also commemorates World Day of Safety and Health.

These events took place in many locations e.g. Tirana in Albania, Brussels in Belgium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Madrid in Spain, Lisbon in Portugal, Moscow in The Russia Federation, Belgrade in Serbia, Geneva in Switzerland 90th Anniversary Photo Exhibition in the ILO Headquarters Building, Sakarya and Ankara in Turkey, also in the Ukraine to name but a few.

OSH in times of economic crisis: the need to resist temptation

With credit barely flowing and global demand on a downward slide, enterprises around the world are struggling to cope with the global economic crisis. Meanwhile, the numbers of unemployed and working poor are rising. How is the crisis affecting working conditions? For this year's World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April), ILO Online asked Dr. Sameera Al-Tuwaijiri, Director of the ILO's Safe Work Programme, how the crisis may impact on the health and safety of workers.

Read the report

First edition - 1930 - of the ILO Encyclopaedia

CIS readers will be interested to read the whole of the 1st edition of the Encyclopaedia, including the preface that was published in 1930 and see the range of topics then under discussion!

The Encyclopaedia is available in scanned (PDF) format from the ILO Library at:

News from Australia

Establishment of the Safe Work Australia Council and Safe Work Australia

At the 80th meeting of the Workplace Relations Ministers' Council (WRMC) on 3 April 2009, Ministers noted the creation of the Safe Work Australia Council. Ministers also noted the creation of Safe Work Australia, the independent body that will support the Council. Outcomes of the meeting are available in the WRMC Communiqué.

Safe Work Australia will be established as an Executive Agency prescribed under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. An Intergovernmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational reform in Occupational Health and Safety (IGA) formalises cooperation between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments on the harmonisation of occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation and establishes appropriate governance arrangements to support this cooperation.

Safe Work Australia Council

Through a partnership of governments, employers and employees, the Safe Work Australia Council drives national policy development on OHS and workers' compensation matters and specifically to:

The Safe Work Australia Council comprises and independent Chair and representatives from the Commonwealth, each State and Territory, employers and unions.

Key Functions

The Council will have the following functions:

  1. develop national policy relating to OHS and workers' compensation
  2. prepare a model Act and model regulations relating to OHS and, if necessary, revise them:
    1. for approval by WRMC, and
    2. for adoption as laws of the Commonwealth, each of the States and each of the Territories
  3. prepare model codes of practice relating to OHS and, if necessary, revise them:
    1. for approval by WRMC; and
    2. for adoption as codes of practice of the Commonwealth, each of the States and each of the Territories and made under laws of those jurisdictions that adopt the approved model OHS legislation
  4. prepare other material relating to OHS and, if necessary, revise that material
  5. develop a policy, for approval by WRMC, dealing with the compliance and enforcement of the Australian laws that adopt the approved model OHS legislation, to ensure that a nationally consistent approach is taken to compliance and enforcement
  6. monitor the adoption by the Commonwealth, States and Territories of:
    1. the approved model OHS legislation as a law of those jurisdictions
    2. the approved model OHS codes of practice as codes of practice of those jurisdictions, and
    3. the approved OHS compliance and enforcement policy as a policy of those jurisdictions
  7. collect, analyse and publish data or other information relating to OHS and workers' compensation in order to inform the development or evaluation of policies in relation to those matters
  8. conduct and publish research relating to OHS and workers' compensation in order to inform the development or evaluation of policies in relation to those matters
  9. revise and further develop the National OHS Strategy 2002 2012 released by WRMC on 24 May 2002, as amended from time to time
  10. develop and promote national strategies to raise awareness of OHS and workers' compensation
  11. develop proposals relating to:
    1. harmonising workers' compensation arrangements across the Commonwealth, States and Territories, and
    2. workers' compensation arrangements for employers with workers in more than one of those jurisdictions
  12. advise WRMC on matters relating to OHS or workers' compensation
  13. liaise with other countries or international organisations on matters relating to OHS or workers' compensation, and
  14. perform such other functions that are conferred on it by WRMC.

News from Canada

Workplace Carcinogens Under the Microscope: New Research Centre to Study Occupational Cancer

Canada's first occupational cancer research centre is the newest battleground in the fight to eliminate work related cancers. Opened in Toronto, Ontario earlier this month, the centre is dedicated solely to the research of identifying, preventing and ultimately eliminating work related cancers.

While a number of substances (e.g. radon, benzene, coal tar and asbestos) and processes in the workplace are known to cause cancer, some substances that are suspected of being carcinogenic have never been properly evaluated. Some common types of occupational cancer are lung cancer, bladder cancer and mesothelioma (which is almost always caused by asbestos exposure). Research shows that the amount of cancer related to occupational exposure varies with the type of cancer. It is not known for certain to what substances workers are exposed, the level of concentration, or what kind of carcinogens are found in which kind of workplaces. There are many questions and few answers - for now.

The Occupational Cancer Research Centre will work to increase the knowledge base about workplace cancer and bring the results of the research to the workplace, educating and implementing initiatives to improve the health of workers. The centre is the result of health and workplace safety organizations, businesses, and labour groups joining forces with a common goal of reducing workplace cancer. Funded by Cancer Care Ontario, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and the Ontario Division of the Canadian Cancer Society, and developed with the United Steelworkers, the centre is operating out of Cancer Care Ontario's office in Toronto.

For more information, visit the website of the partners:

News from Canada

CCOHS' Guide to Working From Home

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has developed a new pocket guide to help people work safely when working from home.

With growing computer use both at work and at home, and advancements in information and telecommunications technology, working outside traditional worksite settings - offsite and in home offices has become a reality for many Canadians. These work arrangements also pose their own set of ergonomic and health and safety issues.

The Telework and Home Office Health and Safety Guide covers all aspects of implementing a comprehensive health and safety program for teleworkers and home-based workers. The main focus of this guide is to learn how to integrate health and safety into home-based office work through telework agreements and the set up of the office.

The Telework and Home Office Health and Safety Guide is 117-pages of clear-language text, charts, diagrams and checklists. Written for home-based office workers and related professionals, this guide provides information such as how to integrate health and safety into everyday practices, ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and due diligence, and how to manage a telework position so the arrangement works best for both the employee and employer. This guide also outlines the importance of ergonomics, work organization, and other safety and security needs that may be unique to a working at home environment.

CCOHS publications are unique in that they are developed by experts in the field, and reviewed by representatives from labour; employers and government to ensure the content and approach are unbiased and credible.

More information about the Telework and Home Office Health and Safety Guide is available on the CCOHS website.

Contact: Eleanor Westwood, Manager - Communications, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) | Tel: +1 905 5722 981, Ext. 4408 | Email: eleanorw@ccohs.ca | www.ccohs.ca

Jennifer Miconi-Howse, Communications Officer, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) | Tel: +1 905 5722 981, Ext. 4121 | Email: jenmh@ccohs.ca | www.ccohs.ca

News from Chile

The new publication BOLETÍN N°1 REDSOCHI 2009 from colleagues in Santiago de Chile del Departamento de Salud Ocupacional, Centro CIS, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile.

www.ispch.cl/redsochi

News from Europe

ETUC wants substances on Candidate List so supply chain information requirements are triggered

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has published a list of 306 chemicals it considers to be substances of very high concern (SVHC). The group wants EU Member States and the European Commission to include all the substances in the REACH Candidate List, in particular 191 that it says are linked to occupational diseases.

ETUC says the Trade Union Priority List - like the NGOs' SIN List - has been drawn up on the basis of the REACH Regulation. Its starting point is all substances produced in quantities greater than 1,000 tonnes/year - approximately 2,700 substances. ETUC then eliminated substances not covered by REACH and ranked the remainder based on their intrinsic hazard properties - using REACH criteria and others such as sensitization properties and neurotoxicity. The worst substance with 43 points is acrylamide. The substances flagged as causing occupational diseases all appear on a list published by the European Commission in 2003.

Tony Musu, senior researcher for ETUC, says the SIN List and its own offering are complementary, as the former is focused on environmental and consumer concerns, and the latter on workplace issues. The two lists have 89 substances in common, and cover 484 substances together.

ETUC is critical of the progress made by the Candidate List - noting that the first edition published by ECHA in October 2008 only contained 15 chemicals out of an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 that were eligible. "The Trade Unions believe that this very low-key start for REACH Authorisation could put the entire procedure's credibility on the line and undermine REACH's substitution aims. The Candidate List is currently expected to grow by 25 chemicals a year, and at this rate, the list could take around 100 years to complete. The Trade Unions want to influence and support companies, legislators, ECHA and workers to accelerate the substitution of these priority chemicals by safer alternatives," ETUC states.

Mr Musu says a key question is what is the purpose of the Candidate List? "For us it has two main objectives. The first one is as a gateway for including substances in the authorisation list. But the other important aim of the Candidate List is to provide better information in the supply chain, from workers to consumers." He adds that it is clear that not all substances on the Candidate List will require authorisation, but according to Article 31 of REACH, inclusion in the Candidate List requires suppliers to provide professional users with a substance's safety data sheet or, if the substance is used in a preparation, with safe handling information.

ETUC is hopeful that the Candidate List will be expanded shortly. Mr Musu notes that at the recent Member State (MS) REACH Competent Authority meeting (CW 20 March 2009) there was clear agreement that the Candidate List did not just feed into the authorisation process, but also aimed to improve information in the supply chain. He adds that MSs also recognised the need to speed up the process. According to Mr Musu, Germany, Austria, France, Sweden and the Netherlands are working together on ECHA's Registry of Intentions - which signals substances that might be added to the Candidate List. This work could see between 100-200 substances added to the registry in the next few weeks, he says. "That is why we have published our list now - we hope to help MSs and the Commission pick the right ones."

In addition to influencing the Candidate List, ETUC hopes its Priority List will give companies a tool for toxic use reduction and help to inform workers on harmful substances widely used at workplaces.

"The most important message with the publication of this list is that we believe if these substances are included in the Candidate List we would cut the incidence of occupational diseases by replacing the substances with safer alternatives.

ETUC Priority List: www.etuc.org/a/6023

News from the European Agency

EU-OSHA Strategy 2009-13

This important publication from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: EU-OSHA Strategy 2009-13 replaces the multi-annual work programme 2005-2008.

The Strategy takes account of the Community Strategy on Health and Safety at Work, 2007-2012, and the recommendations arising from EU-OSHA's second external evaluation.

EU-OSHA is the European Union organisation responsible for the collection, analysis and dissemination of relevant information that can serve the needs of people involved in safety and health at work.

http://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/work_programmes/strategy2009-2013/view

News from EuroFound

Eurofound publishes its European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) for the 1st quarter 2009: Job losses outnumber job creations by almost three to one

The European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) recorded a total of 721 cases of restructuring in the European Union between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2009, involving some 220,000 announced job losses and 90,000 announced job gains. The sectors most affected by job loss were financial intermediation, auto manufacture and the retail trade. However, in terms of job creation, retail, and hotels and restaurants figured very strongly, in particular discount stores and fast food outlets, which seem to be benefitting from the downturn.

Evidence that the global recession is worsening and deepening is showing up in the European Restructuring Monitor. Growth forecasts continue to be revised downwards while predictions regarding the inflection point marking a potential recovery of the global economy are increasingly being moved back to 2010, in some cases later. For the first quarter of 2009, the ERM quarterly has recorded the highest number of announced job losses since it started monitoring restructuring in the EU in 2002. Cases of announced job loss outnumbered those of job creation by almost three to one.

During the first quarter of 2009, 219,390 announced job losses were announced across the EU. The UK recorded the highest number of announced job losses (63,314), followed by Poland (38,975), Germany (17,461) and France (11,779). For the third quarter in a row, auto manufacture is the sector with the greatest reported ERM job loss (23,584 jobs). Other sectors with large restructuring-related job loss were retail (21,740) and financial intermediation (16,778) and machinery manufacture (16,432).

Unemployment has also spiked up very sharply in other Member States, notably in the three Baltic Member States (up between 6-9 % over the last twelve months) and Ireland (5%). While the changes are less dramatic in remaining Member States, data for the most recent three months confirm that unemployment is increasing in all Member States with the exception of Germany, France, Austria and the Netherlands where there has been widespread recourse to short-time working, partial unemployment and other forms of working time flexibility.

One small ray of light in recent ERM data is that levels of announced job creation have grown in each of the last two quarters and are now nearly double the level they were at their recent low point in the third quarter 2008. Of the 89,625 announced job gains in the previous quarter, a significant proportion were in bargain retailers and chain restaurants whose fortunes appear to prosper as those of the economy around them deteriorates.

In its latest edition, the quarterly also looks at collective redundancy notices as an alternative data source and analyses their advantages and disadvantages.

www.eurofound.europa.eu/emcc/erm/index.php?template=quarterly

Reassessing the role of older people in Europe

Eurofound launches special website for European Day on Solidarity and Cooperation between Generations, 29 April 2009

Over the last 50 years there has been enormous economic and social progress in Europe and - although there are large regional and social differences - Europeans are living longer than ever before: on average eight to nine years more than in 1960. This coincides with other demographic developments: fewer children are being born, which will mean fewer people paying into state pension and healthcare systems, and a smaller pool of potential carers. The increased lifespan is great news - particularly if accompanied by more years in good health - but also poses many questions for individuals, their families and for social systems. How long do I need to work? When can I afford to retire? Does my employer value my skills? Do governments recognise my contribution in providing care and volunteering?

To mark the occasion of the 'European Day on Solidarity and Cooperation between Generations', on Wednesday 29 April 2009, Eurofound has launched a special website which brings together its recent findings, data and recommendations on issues related to the employment of older people, and active ageing issues, and the solidarity between generations.

These cover reports such as 'Living and Working in Europe', a snapshot of what it means to live and work in Europe at the start of the 21st century; 'Working longer, living better - Europe's coming of age', a fact sheet on pertinent issues, data and recommendations to the European debate on demographics in Europe; 'Working longer, living better - What companies can do', a fact sheet on the different flexible working time options that European companies put in place to meet the needs or preferences of older workers to work'; and 'A guide to good practise in age management', a report that reviews case studies from a range of organisations across the EU that have instituted good practice in recruiting, supporting and retaining older workers.

29 April 2009 will be the first European Day on Solidarity and Cooperation between Generations, as proposed during the Slovenian EU Presidency. This day will raise awareness about the need to promote intergenerational solidarity.

To find out more, go to www.eurofound.europa.eu/areas/populationandsociety/eurdaysolidarity2009.htm

For further information, contact Måns Mårtensson, Press Officer, on telephone +353-1-204 3124, mobile +353-876-593 507, or email mma@eurofound.europa.eu

News from France

INRS, 'speechless' cartoons on occupational driving

INRS has now available for downloading a series of four cartoon films designed to encourage safe driving. The films, which are short, humorous and contain no spoken text, are well suited for use in awareness-raising programmes or as training material. "The parcel", "The appointment", "The vehicle fleet" and "The telephone" deal respectively with how to stow loads, how to organise a trip, how to tailor the use of a vehicle fleet to a company's needs, and how to use a mobile phone.

www.inrs.fr/news/drivingatwork.html

News from Ireland

New guidance from Ireland's Health and Safety Authority

Guidance for Homeworkers Undertaking Construction Work
This short guide outlines the responsibilities of a homeowner in relation to a construction project on their property.
http://publications.hsa.ie/index.asp?locID=32&docID=326

Explosives in Construction
This guide has been developed to provide general information to site management on issues dealing with safe use of explosives on construction sites.
Gives information on following key areas; appointments, shotfiring rules, planning/blast specification, risk assessment, charging, danger zones and misfires. Persons must have sufficient experience, knowledge, training to carry out their roles safely; on acceptance of their appointments they must confirm this in writing to the contractor.
http://publications.hsa.ie/index.asp?locID=32&docID=325

News from Italy

Prevention Today / Prevenzione Oggi

ISPESL has released the latest edition of Prevention Today / Prevenzione Oggi, on their web site. This edition contains a range topics and is published in both English and Italian.

Prevenzione Oggi - Prevention Today is the most widely distributed bilingual journal in the field of occupational safety and health. Published by ISPESL on a quarterly basis with an intended readership of researchers and people involved in company safety, it publishes original scientific papers.

ISPESL - Instituto Superiore per la Prevenzione e la Sicurezza del Lavoro, Department of Organization Processes, Via Alessandria 220/E, 00198 Rome, Italy.

http://prevenzioneoggi.ispesl.it/Nindex.asp?lang=_en

News from the Maquiladora Health and Safety Support Network (MHSSN)

Increasing numbers of workers around the world are employed by international companies, exploiting tax and regulatory exemptions to produce goods for export.

Health and safety is frequently a casualty.

The Maquiladora Health and Safety Support Network (MHSSN) newsletter - Border/Line Health & Safety - is the single best source on the issue.

Maquiladora are foreign-owned production plants. MHSSN's work started with Mexican workers in the proliferation of factories just over the US border, but has expanded to coverage of the health and safety problems arising out of deregulated global trade worldwide.

Border/Line Health and Safety: http://mhssn.igc.org/news.pdf

Maquiladora Health and Safety Support Network (MHSSN): http://mhssn.igc.org

News from Poland's National CIS Centre

See the report on the 2009 50th Anniversary of CIS. CIOP is Poland's National CIS Centre.

www.ciop.pl/7293.html

News from the USA

New NIOSH Publications

New NIOSH Document Addresses Crane Operators to Prevent Electrocution
On March 3, NIOSH issued technical findings from research evaluating two alarm systems, called "proximity warning devices," for preventing crane operators' risk of electrocution from the unintended contact of cranes with overhead power lines. Contacts between cranes and energized power lines account for 20 percent of work-related electrocutions.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pubreference/outputid3068.htm

Got germs? Zap 'em the High Tech Way!
New NIOSH document offers new, research-based guidelines for healthcare facilities on the use of UV light to kill tuberculosis bacteria as part of strategic systems to protect employees from risk of work-related infection.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-105

New Health Hazard Evaluation Report Now Available - The NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program evaluated potential chemical exposures at a metal furniture manufacturing facility
Investigators recommended that the facility use powder paints that do not contain 1,3,5-triglycidyl isocyanurate and welding wire that does not contain manganese. It was also recommended that spot cooling fans and exhaust fans be installed in the paint booth room to control heat stress and exhaust fans be installed in the welding area to remove welding fumes. Employees were instructed to notify their supervisor about any work-related health problems.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2007-0199-3075.pdf

Quotes to remember when striving to raise standards in OSH

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein

If you do what you've always done, you will get what you've always got.
If you don't like what you're getting, you must change what you're doing. Tony Robbins

If you have nothing to lose by trying and everything to gain if successful, by all means, try! Robert Pausch

So how did you celebrate World Day for Safety and Health 28 April 2009?

2009: Health and life at work: A basic human right

World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an international campaign to promote safe, healthy, and decent work.

This year, as in previous years, tripartite events took place worldwide, and to support the event a number of products are available from the ILO Web page www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/worldday

Any interesting events occur in your country? Do you wish to share these ideas with others... all contributions welcomed by your Editor.

OSH BRIEF - UK

Business Risk Management - getting health and safety firmly on the agenda

This 22 page publication from the UK Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) was published in November 2008.

Increasingly, organisations are taking a holistic approach to managing risk and this represents both a challenge and an opportunity for health and safety professionals. If you're unfamiliar with the principles and language of business risk management (BRM), you may be marginalised and left behind.

If you understand and apply its principles - and can communicate with other business disciplines - you have the opportunity to be more effective. Well-informed health and safety professionals are more able to make the case for considering health and safety risks within the wider context of business risk.

This document aims to help health and safety professionals to understand the concept of BRM and where managing health and safety risks sits within the business risk framework. It also encourages practitioners to use this knowledge to influence the decision making process.

Full text: www.iosh.co.uk/information_and_resources/guidance_and_tools.aspx#Managing

OSH BRIEF - UK

Reporting performance - guidance on including health and safety performance in company's annual reports

Another publication from the UK Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). This guidance is aimed at occupational safety and health professionals, and others responsible for internal and public reporting of health and safety performance of organisations.

Annual reports provide organisations with a vehicle for describing their risk profile and performance in managing significant risks, including health and safety risks.

As an incentive for continual improvement, IOSH recommend that all organisations include a summary of their health and safety performance results in their annual report (already a UK government recommendation for public bodies). This guidance document outlines three standards of reporting. For each of the standards, there's a common basis:

As an organisation increases its commitment to managing workplace health and safety hazards, it is expected that it will build from the first level, through the second, and ultimately to the third level. And as an organisation gains experience, a Level 2 reporting system will most likely influence the Level 1 report contents, while Level 3 will influence both Level 1 and Level 2 contents.

Full text: www.iosh.co.uk/information_and_resources/guidance_and_tools.aspx#Managing

OSH BRIEFS

Why waste time chasing around the Internet for quality safety and health information? Save time and money by taking OSH UPDATE!

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

OSH UPDATE - produced by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd now has 19 databases containing validated and authoritative worldwide information on all aspects of health and safety at work.

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During 2008, over 50,000 new records containing 4,715 URL links to full text including 842 full text documents were added.

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Websites www.sheilapantry.com | www.oshworld.com | www.shebuyersguide.com | www.oshupdate.com | www.fireinf.com

OSHE web sites to explore...

We look at websites in different parts of the world that are offering quality information. This month we look at a variety of websites.

Also look in www.oshworld.com/links.html for hundreds of links to authoritative and validated web sites... constantly updated.

If we do not have your web site please send it to me sp@sheilapantry.com

GREECE

Hellenic Institute for Health and Safety at Work (Elinyae)   GREECE
www.elinyae.gr
Hellenic Institute for Health and Safety at Work (Elinyae) in Athens. Gives only the address and contact details.

HONG KONG

Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC)   HONG KONG
www.amrc.org.hk
The Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC) is an independent, non-government organisation (NGO) that focuses on Asian labour concerns. It provides information, training, research and support to NGOs, labour and women's organizations with a wide range of online resources.

Hong Kong Government Labour Department Occupational Safety and Health Branch   HONG KONG
www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content.htm
Hong Kong Government Labour Department Occupational Safety and Health Branch site contains details on the Occupational Safety Service, the Occupational Health Service, Boiler and Pressure Vessels Division, OSH Training Centre and courses available, talks, Occupational Health Clinic, statistics and Internet links.

Occupational Safety and Health Council OSHC   HONG KONG
www.oshc.org.uk
Occupational Safety and Health Council in Hong Kong site contains details of the Council's activities and links to many other Hong Kong sites. Bilingual index in English and Chinese.

HUNGARY

Hungarian Institute of Occupational Health OMFI   HUNGARY
www.omfi.hu
Hungarian Institute of Occupational Health OMFI, within the framework of its primary activity, participates in the preparation of government decisions, strategies related to occupational hygiene, occupational health activities, surveys in connection with these, environmental (work environmental) monitoring, risk analysis, in carrying out scientific research, analysis, education, training, further education, information, organization and service tasks related to the improvement of the health of workers and the prevention of diseases, as well as helps the Hungarian Labour Inspectorate in carrying out its official tasks. It has undertaken a role in the processes related to the functioning as a Member State in the European Union, in the Community legal harmonization, as well as in the decision making processes of the European Union in the area of occupational hygiene and occupational health. The Institute carries out tasks related to the professional methodological management, preparation of regulations, professional training and continuing education in the area of occupational health (occupational hygiene and occupational health), liaises with national and international sister institutions. Its main tasks are the examination, treatment of referred out- and inpatients, as well as recognition of occupational diseases reported in the country. It also acts as the Centre of the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) Network.

Hungarian Labour Inspectorate - Az Országos Munkabiztonsági és Munkaügyi Főfelügyelőség (OMMF)   HUNGARY
www.ommf.gov.hu
Hungarian Labour Inspectorate (HLI).Az Országos Munkabiztonsági és Munkaügyi Főfelügyelőség (OMMF) site contains information on safety at work in Hungary and links to organisations that deal with safety matters. The Hungarian Labour Inspectorate is an independent national authority under the supervision of the Minister of Employment and Labour, and was set up in 1984 to carry out occupational safety tasks of governance and defined official occupational safety tasks; its regional authorities are the Occupational Safety and Labour Inspectorates. Its legal status, responsibilities and powers are determined in the Act CXIII of 1993 on the labour safety (LSA) and in the Act LXXV of 1996 on labour inspections. The powers of Hungarian Labour Inspectorate are realised by the occupational safety and labour inspectors and directors who are working in the general competent centre and the county (capital) competent regional authorities (inspectorates). This is the ILO CIS National Centre for Hungary.

ICELAND

National Occupational Health and Safety   ICELAND
www.vinnueftirlit.is
National Occupational Health and Safety contains a wealth of information including an overview of the occupational health and safety regulatory system in Iceland, provide access to up-to-date national OSH information on legislation and regulations, good practice solutions to workplace safety problems, research, statistics, training and other fields.

Diary of Events

These events may inspire you and your organisation to offer similar type of events.
If you have a seminar, conference or exhibition that you would like to promote - please send details to your Editor. Also look in www.oshworld.com/diary.html

2-4 June 2009 - 4th International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries
Hilton Montreal Bonaventure Hotel, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Contact: IRSST, 505, blvd. De Maisonneuve West, 15th floor, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3A 3C2 | Tel: +1 514 288-1551 | Fax: +1 514 288-7636 | Email: Vibrations2009@irsst.qc.ca | www.irsst.qc.ca

2-5 June 2009 - The Safe and Healthy Professional Driver - The human factor in traffic safety (4904)
Majvik Congress Hotel, Kirkkonummi (25 km from Helsinki), Finland
Contact: Pirjo Turtiainen, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A 00250 Helsinki, FINLAND | Tel: +358 30 474 2349 | Fax: +358 30 474 2497 | Email: pirjo.turtiainen@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

4 June 2009 - British Safety Council Breakfast Briefing: corporate manslaughter law, director and senior management oversight of health and safety & recent changes to health and safety penalties offences laws
Hammersmith, London W6 9RS
Contact: British Safety Council, 70 Chancellors Road, London W6 9RS | Tel: (0208) 741 1231 | www.britsafe.org/events/breakfast.aspx

4-6 June 2009 - International Congress of the Polish Institute of Maritime Medicine and Tropical Diseases: Present challenges of occupational health and safety; work, tourism and leisure in the tropics
This Congress is organized on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Institute
Gdynia, Poland
Contact: Polish Institute of Maritime Medicine and Tropical Diseases, 9B Powstania Styczniowego Street, PL-81-519, Poland | Tel: +48 58 6998 593 | Fax: +48 58 622 3354 | Email: leszekm@acmmit.gdynia.pl | www.ptmmit.acmmit.gdynia.pl
Readers may also like to take a free trial of OSH UPDATE: www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

8-10 June 2009 - Quality of the Working Environment and Productivity (4905)
First week: 8-10 June 2009, Prevent Academy for Working Life, Leuven, Belgium
Contact: Pirjo Turtiainen, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A 00250 Helsinki, FINLAND | Tel: +358 30 474 2349 | Fax: +358 30 474 2497 | Email: pirjo.turtiainen@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

22 June 2009 - Health and Well-being at Work: Practical guidance on dealing with occupational health hazards in the current economic climate
London, UK
Contact: Butterworths Conferences, London, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7347 3573

9-14 August 2009 - 17th World Congress on Ergonomics - IEA 2009
Beijing, China
Contact: Information: Congress Secretariat: Chinese Ergonomics Society, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100083, China.| Tel: +86-10-8280 1728 | Fax: +86-10-8280 5315 | Email: iea09secretariat@bjmu.edu.cn | www.iea2009.org

24-27 August 2009 - Positive psychology at work: towards flourishing workplaces (4906)
Hotel Eckerö, Åland, Finland
Contact: Gunilla Rasi, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 2498 | Fax +358 30 474 2497 | Email: gunilla.rasi@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

25-29 August 2009 - 2009 Fire-Rescue International Conference
Dallas, Texas, USA
Contact: www.iafc.org/fri

26-29 August 2009 - 4th International Conference on Nanotechnology - Occupational and Environmental Health (NanOEH2009)
Characteristics of engineered nanoparticles; exposure assessment to engineered nanoparticles; toxicity and health effects of engineered nanoparticles; effects of engineered nanoparticles on the environment; control technologies and instrumentation: synthesis and characterization of exposure assessment; risk assessment of engineered nanoparticles; management and prevention of risks of engineered nanoparticles: reduction of exposure to engineered nanoparticles; regulatory framework
Helsinki, Finland
Contact: NanOEH2009 Secretariat, Ms Leila Ahlström, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 285 | Email: nanoeh2009@ttl.fi | www.ttl.fi/en

31 August - 2 September 2009 - Occupational health and alcohol: Prevention of alcohol-related harm at work-places (4907)
Hanasaari Cultural Centre, Espoo (Helsinki area), Finland
Contact: Pirjo Turtiainen, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 2349 | Fax +358 30 474 2497 | Email: pirjo.turtiainen@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

6-9 September 2009 - National Safety Symposium 09
Hilton Watford Hotel, Elton Way, Watford WD25 8HA
Contact: IOSH, Wigston, Leicestershire, UK | www.iosh.co.uk

6-10 September 2009 - 7th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries (7CTDC)
Sun City, South Africa
Contact: Rina du Toit, PO Box 4788, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2000 | Tel: +27 (0)82 785 351 or +27(0)12 331 3404 | Fax: +27 11 712 6552/6532 | Email: rdutoit@yebo.co.za | www.7ctdc.co.za

7-9 September 2009 - International Fire India 2009 Exhibition and Conference
Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, India
Contact: Institution of Fire Engineers (India) 719, Jaina Towers - 1, District Centre, Janak Puri, New Delhi- 110 058, India | Tel: 011- 25502024, 25502025 | Fax: 011-25502024 | E-mail: ifeispbd@del3.vsnl.net.in; contact@ifeindia.org; ifetatl@gmail.com | www.ifeindia.org
Readers may also wish to take a free trial of FIREINF www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

7-10 September 2009 - ESREL 2009 Annual Conference: covering theory, methods and applications in the fields of risk, safety and reliability to a wide range of sectors and problem areas
Prague, Czech Republic
Contact: European Safety and Reliability Association (ESRA) | www.esrel2009.org

7-11 September 2009 - 4th International Course on Bullying and Harassment at Work (4908)
Hotel Bristol, Opatija, Croatia
Contact: Gunilla Rasi, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 2498 | Fax +358 30 474 2497 | Email: gunilla.rasi@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

13-18 September 2009 - Psychosocial epidemiology in the Workplace (4909)
Schæffergården Conference Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
Contact: Annika Bärlund, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 2333 | Email: annika.barlund@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

23-25 September 2009 - Safety Climate Concepts, Measurement and Intervention (4910)
Lo-Skolen, Elsinore, Denmark
Contact: Annika Bärlund, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 2333 | Email: annika.barlund@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

27-30 September 2009 - 5th International Conference on Work Environment and Cardiovascular Diseases
Organized by the ICOH Scientific Committee of Cardiology in Occupational Health and the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM).
Cracow, Poland
Contact: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, 8 Teresy St., 91-384 Lodz, Poland | Tel: +48-42-6314 903 | Fax: +48-42-6568 331 | Email: alad@sunlib.p.lodz.pl | www.imp.lodz.pl

28 September - 2 October 2009 - Obstructive airway diseases in the workplace: asthmas and COPD (4013)
Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden, Saltsjöbaden, Sweden
Contact: Annika Bärlund, NIVA Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A 00250 Helsinki, FINLAND | Tel: +358 30 474 2498 | Fax: +358 30 474 2497 | Email: annika.barlund@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

30 September 2009 - 1 October 2009 - REACH: Registration and Beyond: Exposure Scenarios and safe handling advice; 2nd European Workshop & Conference
Husa President Park Hotel, Brussels, Belgium
Contact: conferences@bohs.org | www.bohs.org

30 September - 2 October 2009 - IV Annual Conference on Industrial Safety 2009 and Expo Safe. Organised by MCE Consultores Asociados. Theme: Occupational Safety and Health.
Lima, Peru
Contact: Email: mceinformesperu@mceconsultoresasociados.com | www.mceconsultoresasociados.com/ivsafety/SeguridadIndustrial2009.htm