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CIS Newsletter

No. 264
September 2011

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CIS Newsletter celebrates 23 years & still going strong!
Bringing news from Members to Members in over 154 countries in the CIS Network!

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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 from the UK. 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.

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Contents

1. Editorial - CIS Newsletter will cease publication with the December 2011 edition
2. ILO news including CIS Annual Meeting
3. FOCUS: Thoughts from Dr Jukka Takala as he leaves the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) on 15 September 2011
4. News, Events and ideas from around the World from Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, and USA to name a few!
5. OSHE websites to explore
6. Diary of Events

CIS Members' links:

• The WHO Network of Collaborating Centre Connection (CCC) e-newsletter: www.cdc.gov/niosh/ccc
• ILO CIS Network Newsletters: www.sheilapantry.com/cis

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Editorial

Dear Colleagues

Two important news items in this edition of the CIS Newsletter from me!

As always many thanks to all who have sent in news for the CIS Newsletter which contains a roundup of information received from many parts of the OSH World.

Please continue to send your News - whatever you are planning - any publications, conferences, seminars or training courses, then please send the 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.

Remember that whilst there is so much occupational safety and health information around the world not all will be trustworthy. Make sure that any information that you use is validated and authoritative and up-to-date.

Will you be Surviving by the end of 2011?... perhaps you will if you make efforts in promotion, publicity and telling the World that CIS and its network exists!

September 2011 will find some CIS Members in Istanbul, Turkey at the CIS Annual Meeting to be held on Sunday 11 September 2011 prior to the opening of the World Congress. Those going should look for inspiration as they listen to news from other countries.

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

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News from CIS HQ

1. CIS Co-ordinator Advertisement now published - have you seen it?

As mentioned in last month's CIS Newsletter... but now you will wish to know that advertisement for the replacement person for Gabor Sandi's job as CIS Co-ordinator has now actually appeared and is on the ILO web site see: https://erecruit.ilo.org/public/hrd-cl-vac-view.asp?jobinfo_uid_c=24986&vaclng=en

It is expected that the person appointed will be announced in December 2011 and that the new appointee will start work in CIS HQ in 2012.

Likewise a CIS Technical Post advert will also be advertised. See the same website.

2. CIS Annual Meeting on 11 September 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey, from 09.00 - 15.30 with short breaks for refreshments

There is still time to register for the annual meeting - you should have had an invitation from CIS HQ. The 49th Annual Meeting of CIS Centres will take place in Fener Hall from 9 am to 3.30 pm in the Haliç Congress Centre. The meeting will be held in English.

Already there are over 50 delegates - mainly from developing countries. Countries already registered include Angola, Botswana, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Kenya, Macedonia, Poland, Zambia.

Contact: Marie-Josée Charliot, CIS Centres Secretariat Email: charliot@ilo.org and Annick Virot virot@ilo.org

3. CIS Centres Annual Reports. Have you sent yours???

Let the World know what you have achieved this past year!

You are encouraged to send your 2010-2011 annual report electronically to Geneva.

Even if you are NOT going to the CIS Meeting in Turkey Annick would still like to receive your latest report please! Please send electronically to Annick Virot virot@ilo.org

Over 40 reports have been received at CIS HQ - which is good - so where are the remaining 114 National Centres' reports??? So the question remains... Have you sent yours???

News from CIS HQ

USE IT OR LOSE IT! Don't forget to continuously promote CIS and the Network!

Do add the CIS logo on the front page of your website would be a good first start. (Checked recently and only a few CIS Centres websites have the logo or links to CIS website).

Please do add the CIS logo on all your publications.

Any views you have on CIS and its work please send into CIS HQ - to Roman Litvyakov litvyakov@ilo.org and Seiji Machida machida@ilo.org

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FOCUS

Thoughts from Dr Jukka Takala as he leaves the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) on 15 September 2011

Dr Jukka Takala took over as Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) in September 2006 and leaves on the 15 September 2011. As Director of the Agency Jukka is the legal representative of the EU-OSHA and responsible for its management and day-to-day running, including all financial, administrative and personnel matters.

Dr Jukka Takala comes from Finland and has worked in the occupational safety and health field for more than 30 years. He is a mechanical engineer by training and holds a doctorate in technology from the Tampere University of Technology.

Before joining EU-OSHA, he worked for the International Labour Organisation as Director of the International Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork), ILO's largest programme in social protection. Earlier he worked for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Government of Finland.

Since its creation in 1996, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has been contributing to safer, healthier and more productive workplaces. People all over Europe have the right to work in a safe and healthy environment and we are working continuously to achieve this. One of our main goals is to identify and share good practice in order to achieve genuine safety and health and promote a risk prevention culture across Europe.

Changing work environments create new risks that need to be addressed in new ways. Service industries are now the main employer in Europe and psychosocial and organisational demands are becoming more and more relevant. Besides accident prevention, in the coming years we need to look more closely at lifetime health issues.

Traditional prevention measures might have to be replaced or complemented by holistic approaches and innovative practices. Health and safety practitioners will need to pay more attention to these areas of health promotion in the workplace. Also, we need to look beyond the established mortality statistics. The real scale of work-related problems, which includes work-related diseases and not just accidents, may be many times greater. The Agency has a key role in making these wider health effects understood.

The ethical component of our message continues to be important, but we also need to emphasise the economic feasibility of what we are advocating. We all have a common goal - to better protect Europe's workers and to nurture and support Europe's enterprises.

Dr Takala says "We at EU-OSHA take prevention very seriously. This is of course part of our corporate social responsibility and we try to provide workers, including me, with the best ergonomic and psychosocial support, as these are the main risks we face in our workplaces.

I am convinced that a holistic approach to good health also includes work-related health. So I try to keep fit and live a healthy life, based on the famous concept of the World Health Organisation: not only absence of illness, but also well-being, in the three dimensions - physical, social and psychological. Good health habits, such as eating a balanced diet, not smoking, and taking regular physical exercise can contribute to this approach.

I love occupational safety and health at work and it has dominated my life for a long time. I believe deeply in fighting to obtain the best possible working conditions for every single worker in Europe and beyond. I find my work particularly rewarding when I can contribute to this major objective".

As Jukka finishes his Directorship at the European Agency he writes the following in answer to the questions posed:

1. How do you see the development towards an ideal condition of occupational safety and health prevention in Europe at present?

   JT: The economic crisis and concentration on the government debt issues in Europe has shifted the emphasis to measures tackling these issues directly. The link between work and working conditions to economic sustainability is not always easily seen. Lifting the age of retirement is a powerful measure to reduce the sustainability deficit. Adding, say, two years of wage earnings rather than the worker obtaining pension benefits creates enormous amounts of wealth. For each person there will be one more "contributor to GDP" rather than one more relying on others' contributions. However, this cannot be done just like that by using administrative measures to lift the pension age.

   If someone has a disability, such as a back problem, allergic reactions or depression caused by or contributed by work the person will not be fit to continue working the day the pension age is administratively increased. One cannot just look at the official retirement age, often around 65 or even 68, but what is the real retirement age.

   Due to disabilities caused at an early age, such as burnout and depression in the early 30's, or construction workers unable to continue at work beyond 55 years, the real retirement age is much lower, e.g. in Finland it is 59 years, rather than the expected target 68, and the working career seldom goes beyond 35 years (only in Iceland and Japan more than 40 years). Usually much less.

   To sort out this problem we need to invest in better working conditions, better work environment, better safety and health. This can be done nationally and in any enterprise or organisation by systematic and continuous improvement. This would be also the solution for the national economic sustainability deficits.

2. Why do you think up-to-date OSH information is so important for those in the workplace - directors, managers, supervisors and workers?

   Businesses and individuals should simply behave rationally. Why should anyone carry out work in a poor, inefficient and dangerous way? The question is more that the consequences are not always easily visible and bad behaviour may continue for a reasonably long time without complications. This may go on until an accident occurs, or a work-related illness force workers to stop for a shorter or longer period. Statistical information is, in particular, very difficult to understand: if 1000 workers continue carrying out work in a dangerous way, maybe only 25 are affected in a year. But in this way during a 35 years of working career 875 will have a problem.

   No individual knows all possible complications of poor processes and working methods. Information - whether in the form of a legal requirement, good practice or acquired experience - is the prerequisite for rational behaviour. This must be structural, organised, systematic and continuous. Usually employers have this as their duty while employers rely on the directors, managers, supervisors and workers. Where to find the best solutions and practices is the question. And in correct language, correct source, correct time, and acceptable to the person who needs it.

   Information is like a chain where the weakest link may determine the usefulness. Those who master the information and communication channels best master the world. World of work and the rest.

   Europe will not be unified by guns but with computers (Jean Monnet, Founder of the European institutions, 1948)

3. You are an engineer by training and have worked as an inspector - how much has this influenced your approach in your role as the Director of the Agency and in your previous job as ILO Safework Director?

   If there is anything that one could call "competitive advantage" in any of the jobs what I had it has been information and the way how to use it. Inspectors need to convey what is the legal requirement, but also how to get there. If an inspector cannot tell what measures need to be taken he can fulfil only a part of his/her job. But it is not just one inspector. It is also a culture - or an agreed set of practices - that needs to be properly cultivated. This requires legal measures, educational measures, awareness raising, enforcement and advice, communication and promotion - a toolbox. And some different toolboxes for different stakeholders. You do not use a hammer to kill a fly. Studying engineering is to rely on those solutions and methods that have worked in the past - so it is often simply copying. Inspecting work places is an excellent observation tower to see how things work - and to tell and adapt success stories to slightly different circumstances. Not really rocket science but you still must be credible in advising others. So visibility linked to credibility is vital. If each work place would be at the level of the best of its kind and of their reference group - we could eliminate 80-90 % of accidents and work-related diseases. I have tried to tell these to different listeners. My own secret has been good background education, relying on best information, going a bit further than others and persistence - and good luck.

   I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. (Thomas Jefferson, President of United States)

4. What were the most important decisions during your term of office from your point of view?

   JT: My target in general was to have safety and health higher on the policy agenda, and I tried to lift the importance, visibility and credibility of the Agency. It is difficult to identify any single decision that most contributed to that but rather than cutting and pasting of information created by others I strongly supported some of the agency's own measures and projects. The Enterprise survey has been one such output and this could be kept on the agenda also in future. The campaigns have grown in importance because of longer time span, 2 years, and better involvement of stakeholders and partners. The campaigns are now really impressive, the biggest in safety and health globally, and without really having increased the resources spent.

   Also, in the EU structure we coordinated in 2010 all EU Agencies and lifted our own agency profile when talking constantly to top decision makers in the EU: the Commission, including some Commissioners, the Council and the European Parliament. We do not have 500 co-workers such as the Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), or 600 as the Chemical Safety Agency (ECHA), but we rely on networking.

5. Do you like any project in particular?

   JT: Throughout my working life I have liked indicators and measurements - what is measured gets done! Today we have a new number of 168 000 workers who die every year in EU 27 as a result of work, within the overall number there are slightly less fatalities caused by accidents, slightly more due to work-related diseases.

6. Where didn't you succeed and why?

   JT: I would have liked to have seen at least a 10% increase in staff to better match the manpower of other agencies - how many airline accidents and deaths do you have in a year? Maybe maximum one crash a year in Europe which means some few hundreds killed annually. At work we have 20 million sick and 7 million injured in addition to the 168 000 deaths and millions of disabilities. Where is the balance?

   But it is not easy to convince 27 governments (and in the Member States the employers and workers) and the general population who are more afraid of flying, nuclear power plant safety, and who pay more attention to 100 ml of liquids or nail cutters taken onboard a plane due to terrorism than to workplace problems.

7. If you were to begin today, what would you make differently?

   JT: I have heard some comments along the way about too high a profile, too much talk on high level collaboration and international links. However, this only began during the last two years of my term. But I wish I had started much earlier and pushed for a higher profile from the beginning. Otherwise we are just talking to the technical level, to those who are already converted, always the same groups meeting each other in different circumstances and setups. All that will not create a paradigm change: to seriously tackle the whole working life, to highlight sustainability at work life, to get everyone to retirement in their full health after a motivating and productive working life. For the good of workers and for the good of economies.

8. Is there something that needs to be addressed in the near future?

   JT: Talk to the decision makers, and talk to the public through media, web including the social media. That will have an impact also on the politicians who are concerned about being re-elected.

9. What was your most beautiful moment in your term of office?

   JT: When I realized that I was not alone in my endeavours but supported by a team of highly professional and competent colleagues ranging from my closest associates to everyone in the agency. These 5 years have been a dream period from that point of view.

10. What will you undertake in future?

    JT: I have been so deeply submerged in promoting "sustainable working life" and I cannot stop. I will continue to work on safety, health and well-being at work in different setups. That could be within my adjunct professor post in the Centre for Safety Management and Engineering of the Tampere University of Technology (Finland), internationally with the International Panel for Working Life, advising Singapore as done already in the past, and having perhaps some consultancy jobs. I will miss the close dream team work in Europe but lots of options exist to continue my so far extremely interesting working career of 42 years.

    And I will have - I hope - a bit more time to follow the ramblings of my 5 grandchildren.

On behalf of all CIS Member (past and present) we send All Good Wishes to Jukka as he moves onto the next stage in his OSH Career!

Sheila Pantry OBE
CIS Newsletter Editor

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News from around the World

News from Australia

Call for Papers: Safety in Workplaces Australia Limited invite you to apply to speak at WA Safety Conference 7th - 9th August, 2012, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

Building on the successes of 2008 and 2010, Safety in Workplaces Australia (SIWA Limited) is pleased to again bring you another professional Safety Conference opportunity. As a leading occupational safety and health organisation, SIWA Ltd is again helping delegates maximise and enhance their career investment through this internationally promoted Safety & Health conference, to explore challenges around safety law, issue solutions, audit & event analysis, research and training experiences enhancing sustainability in businesses through the real life experience of practitioners and professionals.

The following themes are being promoted for this three-day conference:

Stream Title	Suggested Topics	Potential Audience
Safety at Law - enforcement directions and good governance	Implementing Harmonisation and its cross jurisdictional management. ASX principals and recommendations for good governance Legal cases and their impact on businesses, communities & individuals Enforcement from a regulators perspective, successes & failures	Lawyers, directors, executives, managers, regulators & Safety professionals
Safety in Practice - In the workplace	Case studies; techniques & processes, innovations - hazard & risk management in practice - performance management, communications, workplace culture, manual handling etc for general workplace practices	General, supervisors, safety practitioners & HSRs
Road and Transport Safety - workplaces on the move	Issues and impact of motor vehicle design & road construction on commercial and public users. - Road / rail & air transport intermodal issues - Dangerous & hazardous goods transport & Security. Competencies, laws and practice.	Civil Contractors, logistics, consultants, regulators
Contract & Contractor Management	Law related to contracts and contractors - audits & auditing for safety - risks - the value adding role of OSH practitioners and professionals in National and International company management	Lawyers, executives, managers, supervisor, engineers & consultants
Occupational Health & fitness	Pre-employment medicals - health & health ownership - bullying & dealing with difficult people - BBS/Culture & Leadership in Safety, Physiological & psychological fitness for work, issue Ageing in the workforce & gender balance issues	Safety & Human Resource & Injury Managers, Return to Work coordinators
Future Safety - education, research training & knowledge	Critical Incidents case study/management for future prevention or amelioration - Investigation Techniques - Research - Design, instructions, training and education case studies. Making OSH a recognised profession.	General Trainers & Educators RTO's
Risk Management - insurance and business continuity	Emergency events and corporate recovery - Workplaces and their business from an Insurer Perspective - Value adding from your Insurer - Mine disaster, cyclones, tsunami, flooding, bushfires, and volcanic ash and more	Corporate Risk Managers
Workers Compensation & Rehabilitation	Applying & managing Workers Compensation, rehabilitation and return to work. Effective therapies and practices - Protecting and promoting both the employer & employee, after injury and back to full capacity return to work.	Medical practitioners, HR, Injury Managers, Work coordinators
Healthy Workplaces	Occupational Health assessment, risk and management. Effects & illness attributable to physical and psychological workplace factors. Personal & community health impacting. Health Ownership across community and workplace boundaries	Managers, Health practitioners, community supporters

If you wish to present a paper, please submit an abstract in no more than 150 words & noting your preferred stream to Gavin.Waugh@siwa.org.au by 20th December, 2011.

www.siwa.org.au/News/Pages/WA-Safety-Conference---Call-for-Papers.aspx

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News from Brazil

Petrobras intends to establish high training standards for platform operators in all its plants across Brazil and is evaluating the IPAF course. It is one of the largest companies in Latin America in terms of market capitalisation and revenue.

The operator course was delivered by IPAF-approved training centre Mills Rental. On the day of the training, Romina Vanzi, IPAF's representative in Latin America, visited the Petrobras plant together with Marcelo Yamane, technical manager of Mills Rental.

"Oil refineries are another important work at height sector, where safety and best practice are paramount," said Romina Vanzi. "We are pleased that Petrobras recognises the high quality of the IPAF operator training programme and that it is raising the standard for operator training across all its plants."

Those who successfully complete the IPAF training receive a PAL Card (Powered Access Licence), which is valid for five years. The PAL Card is proof of training and shows the machine categories that the holder has been trained to operate.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) is a not-for-profit members' organisation that promotes the safe and effective use of powered access equipment worldwide. Members include rental companies, manufacturers, distributors and equipment owners. More information is at www.ipaf.org

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News from Israel

Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene (IIOSH) announces new areas of information on their website

The following new sections have been made during the last few months on the IIOSH website www.osh.org.il and will be of interest to readers.

1. New site section on Biological Safety and Health, jointly with the Israel Biological Safety Association:
   www.osh.org.il/site/bio_page.asp
2. New site section Safety and Health of Workers with Disabilities, including an interactive guide for employers and OSH specialists:
   http://osh.org.il/site/meyuhadim_main.asp
3. New image gallery Vintage Health and Safety Posters, by Joseph Bau, a renowned Israeli artist:
   http://osh.org.il//Site/virtual_gallery/example-1.html
4. Upgraded site section on Electrical Safety, now containing over 500 articles, books, presentations etc.:
   www.osh.org.il/site/hashmal_n_2.asp
5. New Facebook page and updated YouTube video channel, targeting a wide - mainly young - audience:
   www.facebook.com/safeworkil and www.youtube.com/user/safeworkil

IIOSH is also working on additional web features, like producing a series of OSH podcasts, upgrading the daily OSH News web channel, adjusting the web content for mobile media, and building a new IIOSH website in English.

Israel Shreibman, Acting Director, Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene (IIOSH), P.O. Box 1122, Tel Aviv 61010, Israel | Tel: (+)972 35266430 | Israel@osh.org.il | www.osh.org.il

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News from KOREA

ILO-KOSHA Workshop for Improving Working and Employment Conditions
Organized by KOSHA, 29 August - 2 September, 2011

From August 29 to September 2, 2011, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA; President: Baek, Hun-Ki) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) co-organizes a workshop on "Participatory Approaches to Improve Working and Employment Conditions" in the headquarters of KOSHA, in Incheon, Korea.

Eight experts will give presentations on 17 topics including best practices of improving working and employment conditions, and 'Work Improvements in Small Enterprise (WISE)' program. The participants of the workshop are some 18 officials in labour-related Ministries in seven Asian countries including the Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia. Through the workshop, the participants will have the chance to share their countries' experiences on occupational safety and health, and have group discussions.

Four experts from the ILO are to take the leading roles in the workshop, to explain the ILO's standards on OSH and working conditions. In addition, discussions and presentations will be made on topics including small-scale construction sites, job stress and working hours of domestic workers, and ways to improve working conditions.

"I believe the workshop will be beneficial to all participants as they can share with the neighbouring countries, the exemplary cases and experiences on OSH. By sharing the experiences and know-how with the international community, KOSHA will strive to strengthen OSH capacities in countries around the world," said an official from KOSHA.

OSH Specialists from the ILO and presentation topics

• Dr. Kazutaka Kogi (President, International Commission on Occupational Health)
  Improving work environment in small and medium-sized enterprises and the Basic Occupational Health Services
• Dr. Ton That Khai (ILO OSH Specialist)
  ILO Standards relating to OSH and working conditions
• Ms. Sudthida Krungkraiwong (ILO Regional OSH Specialist)
  WISE Sessions
• Ms. Sandra Yu (ILO Regional OSH Specialist)
  Local economic development and participatory approaches to improving the working conditions

OSH Specialists from Korea

• Dr. Myung-Suk Lee (Korean Industrial Health Association) & Dr. Kuck-Hyeun Woo (Soonchunhyang University)
  Korean experiences in participatory training methodologies & Good practice photo contest
• Dr. Jung-Sun Park (Occupational Health Department, KOSHA)
  National OSH System in Korea and the Roles of PAOT
• Mr. Byoung-Nam Choi (Deputy Director, International Cooperation Center - KOSHA)
  Seoul Declaration
• Mr. Dong-Chan Kim (Senior Manager, International Cooperation Center - KOSHA)
  Accident Prevention in the Manufacturing Industry in Korea - Technical Support System and 4M risk Assessment

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News from New Zealand

Tragedy leads to high hazards action

Unions in New Zealand have welcomed the creation of a new High Hazards Unit in the official health and safety enforcement agency, focusing on petroleum production and mining industries. The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) saying a beefed up inspectorate is absolutely necessary, as has been evident from the first phase of the official inquiry into the November 2010 explosion at Pike River in which 29 miners died.

But CTU president Helen Kelly added that the real concern, inadequate regulation and the absence of worker inspectors in mines, remained to be addressed. She added 'in the first phase of the inquiry it was plain to all except perhaps the minister that the regulation of mining is inadequate and the removal of standard practices such as check inspectors had been a major error. Having a site inspector for the purpose of enabling inspections to be carried out at a coal operation on behalf of the people at work at the coal operation is a core part of good mining regulations and these inspectors will always be more available, more alert and are completely complementary to Labour Department inspectors.'

She said CTU had been calling for improvements to mining regulations and inspection since well before the explosion at Pike River. The CTU leader added 'we can't wait and risk another disaster when we already know that other measures are also necessary, we need to do everything we can to make sure this does not happen again.' The unit will be created with a NZ$ 15 million (£761,000) annual funding boost to the official safety inspectorate.

• NZCTU news release
• NZ Department of Labour news release
• Pike River web pages

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News from Poland

Polish National CIS Centre: Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB) Warsaw, Poland

The Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB), Warsaw, Poland, Library, a part of the CIOP-PIB Centre for Scientific Information and Documentation, helps users in getting reliable OSH information.

The public specialist scientific library is opened to the public. The collection consists of about 31,000 volumes on many topics connected with OSH and related subjects. The Library also has an extensive collection of books of a general nature such as encyclopaedias, lexicons and guidebooks, dictionaries as well as archival publications of historical significance from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The subjects of archival publications include: psychology, physiology, medicine, chemistry, toxicology, occupational safety etc. The interdisciplinary nature of OSH means that the library resources covers almost all areas of science, human, technical and social sciences. The Library receives about 86 foreign journals as well as 180 Polish journals, (including about 105 scientific and specialist ones). The ALEPH computer system is used to form an electronic catalogue of the whole collection and descriptions of all new books and other materials are entered into it. The work on developing and maintaining 7 library databases as well as on the electronic lending system continues as well as work on the CIOP-PIB Thesaurus, prepared on the basis of the CIS thesaurus. The website of the library has been broaden and new information are entered. The bibliographical subject publications, as 4th issue of the Library on the safety of machine exploitation are published and inserted also on the website. Cooperation in the frame of the Polish Consortium of ALEPH system is continued.

CIS activities, information, library

In 2010 these activities were conducted by the Centre for Scientific Information and Documentation. The Centre consists of the Library and the Centre of Documentation and Information. The Centre also plays the role of the National Occupational and Safety Information Centre (CIS) as well as Poland's National Focal Point of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The whole Centre works to help users with access to current, reliable Polish and international information on OSH. It exchanges and disseminates information on OSH and the environment as well as on the CIS network as an important world source of information.

CIS

The Institute has always understood the great role of international exchange of OSH information and since 1960 (only one year after the organization of CISHQ and the network) started to play the role the Polish National CIS Centre. It is a member of the CIS-ILO network of more than 150 National, Collaborating and Regional CIS Centres, located in more than 100 countries.

In 2010 the Polish National CIS Centre participated in the international development of OSH information sources cooperating with the CIS network to promote Polish OSH literature and achievements on the international arena and to help Polish users to remain up-to-date with foreign publications and data.

In the frame of cooperation with the International CIS Centre in Geneva, about 500 descriptions of Polish OSH literature were prepared. To acquire the latest Polish publications for abstracting the Polish Centre cooperated with a group of Polish OSH institutions and journal publishers. Selected by the International CIS Centre abstracts were inserted into the Internet CISDOC database and the Virtual Bulletin of ILO-CIS. This gave an opportunity to promote them at the international level. Short texts on Polish OSH events were also prepared for foreign databases (e.g. CIS Centres News), publications (e.g. CIS Newsletter) and websites.

In 2010 the Polish National CIS Centre continued work on its database OSH-BHP. It contains descriptions prepared in English of Polish OSH literature - books, reports, journal articles, legal documents. The aim to prepare this database was helping foreign users to obtain information on Polish OSH achievements. Developing OSH-BHP in English gives international users as well as English-speaking Polish specialists an opportunity to access its information.

Work on changes, inputting new records (more that 300 that year), broadening the old ones etc. was run that year. At the end of 2010 this database consisted of more than 1650 records. OSH-BHP is accessible from the Polish and English versions of the websites of the Polish National CIS Centre (www.ciop.pl/7293.html) and CIOP-PIB Library (www.ciop.pl/1223.html). Spreading information on this database was also continued.

For foreign and Polish users were also prepared answers for their requests on selected subjects connected with occupational safety and health, lists of literature were developed, full texts of documents were provided. More and more users run their Internet searches personally, but still help in their work was provided on request.

In 2010 using the Internet is a modern, prompt and worldwide way to promote OSH. The Polish CIS Centre continued to broaden its website (www.ciop.pl/1568.html - Polish version; www.ciop.pl/7293.html - English version). Latest information on selected Polish and foreign OSH events were inserted as well as on interesting websites of the most important OSH institutions in Poland and abroad, on new Internet products etc. The part consisting of links to more important OSH websites was greatly extended. The websites were also used to promote in Poland ILO and CIS products as well as other CIS - OSH institutions.

Broad activities were also run by the Polish National CIS Centre to promote in Poland the World Day for Safety and Health at Work - 28 April. Information on the Day as well as the links to other information sources were inserted into the English and Polish versions of the CIOP-PIB portal and Polish National CIS Centre website, into other Polish/English language websites connected with OSH as e.g. www.wypadek.pl ; www.bhp.com.pl ; http://osha.europa.eu/pl/oshnetwork/focal-points/poland

An article on this Day was published in a Polish OSH journal (Bezpieczeństwo Pracy, no 4, 2010, p. 4-7). Short texts on the Day were sent electronically to many Polish specialists in the networks of:

• the users of the Polish National CIS Centre
• Polish National Partners of the Polish Focal Point of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
• Leaders' Forum of Safety Work
• OSH Experts Network
• Polish OSH journals publishers
• other OSH specialists and scientists

One of the users of Polish CIS Centre sends our information to about 5000 users of his Forum on the Internet.

The documents of ILO, ITUC and other OSH institutions and organizations, connected with the Day and with OSH subjects, were also spread electronically and in print. Printed documents were distributed among the participants of national events connected with the Day, e.g. solemn session of the Labour Protection Council (Rada Ochrony Pracy) affiliated to the Parliament, and the Council of Ministers, at Polish events connected with 28 April Day celebrations, organized among others by firms, schools and trade unions in several towns (Warsaw, Wrocław). These materials were also disseminated at CIOP-PIB training courses, workshops, among users of the library and others interested as well as at conferences, workshops, and seminars, where CIOP-PIB experts took part (e.g. Inowrocław, Jurata). Contacts with organizers of 28 April Day events in schools, private and government firms, trade unions, inspectorates were sustained, helping them with email and printed information and documents.

In 2010 the Polish CIS Centre was active in promoting in Poland the International CIS-ILO Centre, other CIS Centres and the whole CIS network as a reliable foreign OSH information source. Information materials, including Polish-language leaflets, were promoted and were available to participants of several national OSH events, such as trade fairs, conferences seminars, etc., on OSH and scientific information.

Three articles among others on the CIS network were prepared and published in the following journals: "Bezpieczeństwo Pracy" (Occupational Safety) and in "Praktyka i Teoria Informacji Naukowej i Technicznej" (Practice and Theory of Scientific and Technical Information). A presentation at the conference of the Polish Society of Scientific Information allowed us also to promote CIS among Polish librarians and information specialists.

Close cooperation with the International CIS Centre and other institutions connected with CIS network was strengthened. The working visit in Geneva helped to exchange information and to form the development rules of future cooperation. The Polish National CIS Centre representatives participated also in an International CIS Meeting in Beijing and in the 5th China Forum on Work Safety and in the European CIS Meeting in London in November 2010.

Taking part in these events and other activities of the Polish National CIS Centre provided an opportunity to promote Polish OSH publications on OSH abroad as well as acquire information on the latest foreign achievements for Polish OSH specialists and all persons interested in this subject.

CIOP-PIB: www.ciop.pl

Library: www.ciop.pl/1223.html

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News from Serbia

Information on the activities of the Serbia Labour Inspectorate (Project, Expert Meetings, International Relations)

The Serbia Labour Inspectorate is a body integral to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy tasked with inspection activities and related field-specific activities in the field of labour relation and occupational safety and health.

The Labour Inspectorate consists of 28 individual units (Divisions, Sections and Groups) of labour inspection located across administrative districts and in the City of Belgrade, as well as two Divisions in the Labour Inspectorate Headquarters. The Inspectorate employees in total 280 employees, of which 259 are labour inspectors - 144 lawyers, 113 engineers of different technical vocations and 2 economists.

The labour inspectors undertake measures and carry out activities across the Republic of Serbia in the fields of labour relation and safety and health at work to primarily ensure enforcement of the legal provisions of the Labour Law and Occupational Safety and Health Law, other Laws and by-laws and collective agreements. Also the aim of these measures and activities is to reduce the number of injuries at work, violations of legal and other regulations governing employment relation and occupational safety and health, as well as to eliminate unreported / illegal employment/work.

The achievement of all the said goals is exercised by way of inspection visits performed ex officio (regular, control inspection visits resulting from injuries at work) and at clients' requests, as well as by way of prevention interventions and activities (direct provision of information to employers, employees, trade union representatives, and via media/means of public information, roundtables to exchange information on labour inspection operations and activities).

Improvement of Occupational Safety and Health in the Republic of Serbia Project

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy - Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Directorate and Division for International Relations, European Integration and Projects has prepared the Project titled Improvement of Occupational Safety and Health in the Republic of Serbia focused to the implementation of the EU OSH standards in the Republic of Serbia. The Project is donation i.e. it is supported by the Norwegian Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The implementation of the Project, which is implemented in two phases, started on 11 November 2010. It includes training on the matters of occupational safety and health (with particular focus to risk assessment at workplace and in working environment) for the occupational safety and health representatives, selected experts and persons licensed to perform activities of occupational safety and health, representatives of social partners in the construction, wood-processing and chemical industries; development of the feasibility study on modalities of establishment of OSH Training Centre; development and implementation of the grant scheme to assist employers (ten selected plants) involved in production of textile, leather and footwear aimed at improved working conditions at workplace (better climatisation, ventilation, lighting, etc.); OSH and OHSAS 18001 and OHSAS 18002 standard application training for textile industry workers, as well as media campaign.

The Labour Inspectorate Activities related to Celebration of the Occupational Safety Day in Serbia

In line with its 2011 agenda, the Labour Inspectorate has actively been involved in the activities envisaged to mark the Occupational Safety Day in Serbia (28 April 2011), which is simultaneously the World Day of Safety and Health at Work. Also, the Labour Inspectorate has been actively participating in the promotional campaign of healthy, safe and decent work aimed at drawing attention to need for prevention of work-related injuries and occupational diseases. On that occasion, the Labour Inspectorate Headquarters, its Divisions, Sections and Groups located within administrative districts of Serbia and in the City of Belgrade organised the roundtables, media appearances and events with social partners and other institutions dealing with OSH to inform the public on importance of the application of the OSH measures pursuant to the law and by-law.

Expert Meeting Fight against Illegal Work - Legislative Framework and Practice

Within the Cooperation Programme between GiP International - Public Interest Group for Labour and Employment Technical Assistance and International Cooperation the Republic of France and Republic of Serbia signed on 16 April 2010, a seminar was held in Belgrade, on Fight against Illegal Work - Legislative Framework and Practice aimed at exchange of experience in relation to legislative framework and existing practice in combating illegal work and hidden employment. The Seminar was held on 5 May 2011 in Belgrade when the goal was to define the essence of the illegal and hidden employment - undeclared work (black and grey work). At this seminar, the representatives of the Republic of France held presentations on legislative framework and modalities of cooperation between different institutions - administrations encountering irregularities in relation to illegal work. Also, they spoke of joint inspection practice - integrated controls performed by different institutions (French experience).

The lecturers from the Republic of France who delivered their lectures on the topic of Fight against Illegal Work - Legislative Framework and Practice at one-day seminar, were:

• Marie-Christine Baudaure, Ministere du Travail, de l'Emplioi et de la Sante
• Daniel Xsirau, Chef de la mission, Mission des Action Europennes et Internationales, Institute National du Travail, de l'Emploim et de la Formation Professionelle (L'INTEFP), Lyon
• Chantalle Brillet, Direction generale du travail - DGT, Inspecteur du Travail a l'OCLTI (Office Central de Lutte contre le Travail Illegal)
• Veronique Care, l'OCLTI

In the capacity of lecturers from the Republic of Serbia the convocation was addressed by Predrag Perunicic, Director, Labour Inspectorate (subject: Inspection in the field of employment relation in the Republic of Serbia), and Dragan Djukic from the National Employment Service (subject: Labour Market Situation and Trends in the Republic of Serbia). This expert meeting was held to enable exchange of opinions, experience and ideas on approaches to fight against illegal work and hidden employment and possible improved solutions to the existing legislation and identification of good practice in the field of illegal work and hidden employment.

The seminar was intended for the representatives of the Labour Inspectorate- Headquarters and from Divisions and Sections of the labour inspection across Serbia, social partners (Union of Employers of Serbia, Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia, Trade Union Confederation "Nezavisnost"), Republic Pension and Disability Fund, Tax Administration, National Employment Service as well as responsible persons from different organisations and institutions the programmes of which contain fight against illegal work component.

The Activities of the Labour Inspectorate on the International Level

The Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Serbia is a member of the RALI - Regional Alliance of Labour Inspectorates of the South-East Europe, Azerbaijan and Ukraine and a member of its Executive Committee. From 24 to 28 May 2011 in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan Republic, Mr. Fisuli Alakbarov and with the support of the International Alliance of Labour Inspection, World Bank and International Labour Organisation, the training for the RALI member countries on Labour Inspection Tools for Preventive Action, attended also by the representatives of the Labour Inspectorate of the Republic Serbia.

In line with the Declaration from Sofia adopted at the First RALI Conference (Sofia, 2008), Conclusions adopted at the Second RALI Conference (Belgrade, 2009), and Declaration adopted at the Third RALI Conference (Baku, 2010) the training was focused to strengthening of the network and cooperation of labour inspections in the Region, with particular emphasis on prevention with view to strengthened role of the Labour Inspectorate, modernisation of the OSH system and social dialogue by way of exchange of experience and good practice of labour inspections under reform, EU Member States' experience and significant partnership, international institutions such as International Labour Organisation and International Alliance of Labour Inspections.

Also, the topics presented at the training referred to provision of safe and healthy conditions of work, protection of the workers' rights in the field of occupational safety and health and employment relation, insurance from injuries at work and occupational diseases, risk assessment at workplace and working environment, uniform enforcement of law and the ILO standards, and promotion of social partners' active role.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan Republic invited the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Serbia - Labour Inspectorate to take active part in the said training since it was the Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Serbia that was presiding the RALI in period October 2009 - November 2010, and in 2011 it has been a member of the Executive Committee of the RALI. Also, at this RALI training-seminar that was held in Azerbaijan, the Labour Inspectorate of the Republic of Serbia had the task to inform the congregation on the activities (implemented Action Plan), cooperation and coordination of the RALI activities, as well as about forthcoming implementation of the Action Plan adopted in Baku, in November 2010.

Given that the exchange of experience, knowledge and good practice in the field of enforcement of law, exercise of inspection tasks in the field of occupational safety and health and employment relations and role of the Labour Inspectorate in the capacity of a RALI member is of key significance for the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Serbia, the said training was fully beneficial from the aspect of professional advancement.

Predrag Perunicic, Director, Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy - Labour Inspectorate, Ruzveltova 61, Belgrade, Serbia.

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News from South Africa

South Africa and the ILO team up to promote public employment and community work programmes

With an official unemployment rate of 25 per cent, the South African government knows that employment creation cannot be left to the private sector alone. There is a huge gap between the jobs that are needed and the jobs that the market can generate. The State has the responsibility to fill that gap.

Today South Africa has become a prime example of a country where public employment programmes (PEPs) and its Community Work Programme (CWP) are playing a key role in providing a minimum level of employment where markets are failing to do so. The CWP, although not universal in coverage, is being designed to test an employment guarantee.

www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-media-centre/insight/WCMS_160220/lang--en/index.htm

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News from Spain

EU-OSHA Annual Report 2010: a healthy workforce is key to a sustainable economic recovery

The wellbeing of the European workforce is key to a sustainable economic recovery, according to the head of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).

Correction (07/07/2011)

An earlier version of this news release contained typing errors concerning the costs of people being excluded from work in some language versions - the sentence should read: 'For the whole of the EU, we can estimate the production loss from people being excluded from work on health and disability grounds at 3,000 billion Euros - every year. For comparison, the emergency measures that were introduced to stabilise the Greek economy cost in the range of 110 billion Euros, and those for Ireland 85 billion, just as a one-off.'

3,000 billion Euros is equal to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of Germany, the biggest economy in Europe in 2010.

Introducing his last Annual Report as Agency Director, Dr Jukka Takala emphasised the danger that the economic crisis might push people out of employment permanently, and that huge numbers might find themselves excluded from the job market, because of long-term ill health. 'For the whole of the EU, we can estimate the production loss from people being excluded from work on health and disability grounds at 3,000 billion Euros - every year. For comparison, the emergency measures that were introduced to stabilise the Greek economy cost in the range of 110 billion Euros, and those for Ireland 85 billion, just as a one-off.'

For Dr Takala, it is important that future economic growth should be inclusive, creating conditions that enable people to continue at work, safely and healthily. 'We need to ensure not just that current jobs are safe, healthy and productive; we should strive towards a safe, healthy, productive, sustainable, satisfying and motivating working life.'

The Annual Report for 2010 emphasises the ways in which the Agency has continued to work to protect the safety and health of European workers, in spite of these difficult economic conditions. One highlight has been the opening of the Healthy Workplaces Campaign on Safe Maintenance - the Agency's two-year health and safety campaigns are now the largest of their kind in the world. The Safe Maintenance Campaign has seen record numbers of partner organisations being involved in it.

The Agency has also published the results of the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER), which, for the first time, provides real-time data from enterprises across Europe on what they are doing to tackle occupational risks (specifically psychosocial risks).

Another highlight of 2010 was the Agency's piloting of the Online interactive Risk Assessment tool (OiRA), which is the legacy of the Healthy Workplaces Campaign on Risk Assessment 2008-09. The OiRA tool, which the Agency is making available for free, will help many thousands of small companies across the EU to carry out risk assessments in a simple and cost-effective way.

Looking ahead, highlights of 2011 include the second year of the Safe Maintenance Campaign, including the closing event in November. The Agency continues with the detailed study of the results of the ESENER survey, and planning is being carried out for the next Healthy Workplaces Campaign - for 2012-2013 - on the subject of working together for risk prevention.

Links

Annual Report 2010 (English)

Summary (available in 24 languages)

The mission of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is to make Europe a safer, healthier and more productive place to work. EU-OSHA was set up by the European Union to help meet the information needs in the field of occupational safety and health. Based in Bilbao, Spain, EU-OSHA aims to improve the lives of people at work by stimulating the flow of technical, scientific and economic information between all those involved in occupational safety and health issues. http://osha.europa.eu

Now you can follow us on Twitter, visit the Agency's blog or subscribe to our monthly newsletter OSHmail. You can also register for regular news and information from EU-OSHA via RSS feeds.

http://osha.europa.eu

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News from the USA

USA: ITUC Calls on Verizon to Negotiate with Unions As 45,000 Workers Strike

Brussels, 19 August 2011 (ITUC OnLine): The ITUC has called on US communications giant Verizon to negotiate in good faith with the unions representing 45,000 striking workers to resolve the largest strike in the USA for several years.

Despite record profits, Verizon is demanding $1 billion in concessions from its workforce to slash sick days, eliminate benefits for workers who get hurt on the job and cut the healthcare benefits promised to retirees. It is refusing to bargain with the CWA www.cwa-union.org and IBEW www.ibew.org, unions which represent Verizon employees, and the strike is now in its 13th day.

In the last four years alone, Verizon has made more than $19 billion in profits, and its top five executives have received more than $250 million in compensation and benefits.

In a letter www.ituc-csi.org/letter-to-verizon.html to the Verizon President and Chief Operating Officer Lowell McAdam, the ITUC is urging the company to return to the bargaining table and uphold its code of conduct and 50-year history of collective bargaining.

"The strike by CWA and IBEW members is the biggest strike in recent US labour history, " said ITUC General Secretary Sharon Burrow. "At a time when working people in the US and elsewhere are paying a heavy price for decades of corporate excess, Verizon should be seeking ways to uphold the working and living standards of its employees, rather than refusing to negotiate in good faith with the CWA and IBEW."

The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 151 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates.

www.ituc-csi.org and www.youtube.com/user/ITUCCSI

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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 from the USA.

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

This collection of authoritative and validated organisations' websites are listed first alphabetically under country name and then alphabetically under the first word of the organisation. The subject index expands the information of these websites, especially where there are many important sources of information which may not be apparent from a first look at a particular web site.

If you have a favourite site which should be included in this list please email details to: sp@sheilapantry.com

And if we do not have your web site listed in www.oshworld.com please send it to me sp@sheilapantry.com

SafeUSA   USA
www.firstgov.gov
Firstgov is an excellent, innovative one stop portal gives access to millions of pages of US Government information from local, state and federal government agency web sites. All the Government information available on the Internet will be added as agencies continue to post new information on their web sites. In particular there is a major link to SafeUSA which envisions a nation in which people are safe wherever they are: Safe at Home, School, in the Community, on the Move and at Work. It also lists the New Federal Safety Hotline - toll-free 1 888 252 7751 for answers to any safety question. A live person will answer questions or refer to someone who can. There is also a World Factbook linking from a main heading The US in the World giving extensive details about countries around the world.

Small Business Emergency Preparedness and Response Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA   USA
www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness
Small Business Emergency Preparedness and Response Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) site details basic steps to handle emergencies in the workplace, including accidental releases of toxic gases, chemical spills, fires, explosions, and bodily harm and trauma caused workplace violence.

Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC)   USA
www.schs.org
Society for Chemical Hazard Communication site contains news, meetings, contacts for the exchange of information.

South Dakota Health Department: Legionella in ornamental fountains   USA
www.legionellae.org/guidelines/guidelines.htm
USA South Dakota Health Department guidelines for control of legionella in ornamental fountains.

US Government   USA
www.firstgov.gov
This excellent, innovative one stop portal gives access to millions of pages of US Government information from local, state and federal government agency web sites. All the Government information available on the Internet will be added as agencies continue to post new information on their web sites. In particular there is a major link to SafeUSA which envisions a nation in which people are safe wherever they are: Safe at Home, School, in the Community, on the Move and at Work. It also lists the New Federal Safety Hotline - toll-free 1 888 252 7751 for answers to any safety question. A live person will answer questions or refer to someone who can. There is also a World Factbook linking from a main heading The US in the World giving extensive details about countries around the world.

University of Berkeley - Carcinogens database   USA
http://potency.berkeley.edu/cpdb.html
University of Berkeley carcinogens database looks at the results of long term cancer tests, and the database workplace applications in the workplace. This reports explains many terms and also gives a biohazard summary.

University of Berkeley Ergonomics Program   USA
http://ergo.berkeley.edu
University of Berkeley Ergonomics pages explore the causes of musculoskeletal disorders and preventative practices. They have also included links to related resources and training in ergonomics.

University of California UCLA   USA
www.chem.ucla.edu/chempointers.html
University of California chemical information.

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Digital Information Service EDIS   USA
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Digital Information Service EDIS

University of Indiana Chemistry Resources   USA
www.indiana.edu:80/~cheminfo
University of Indiana Chemistry Resources worldwide listed - regularly updated

University of Louisville, Center for Industrial Ergonomics   USA
http://louisville.edu/speed/ergonomics
University of Louisville, Center for Industrial Ergonomics is an integral unit of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Louisville. The Center's research and educational activities focus on integrating people, organization and technology at work, and improving quality and productivity through ergonomics and safety management. Examples on the extensive web site include workplace design, office ergonomics/work with VDTs, system/product usability testing and evaluation, ergonomics audits, prevention of musculoskeletal injury low back and carpal tunnel disease problems, development of ergonomics programs in harmonization with Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA, and other ergonomic and safety issues at work.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Musicians' Repetitive Strain Injuries   USA
http://eeshop.unl.edu/music.html
University of Nebraska-Lincoln website on repetitive strain injuries in musicians. Extensive pages giving advice and guidance for all types of musicians and conductors suffering from RSI. Links to the Paul Marxhausen site which has articles, bulletins, Frequently Asked Questions.

University of Texas   USA
http://library.uthct.edu/chem.htm
University of Texas Department of Occupational Environment Medicine and Department of Occupational Health web pages cover their latest programs and activities including recycling, Material safety datasheets MSDS, chemical fact sheets, and The Institutional Biosafety Committee Handbook.

University of Washington UW - Construction Noise   USA
http://staff.washington.edu/rneitzel/index.htm
Results of research and reports from the University of Washington Department of Environmental Health and contains information on construction noise, details on occupational noise exposure standards from a variety of agencies and countries, related links construction noise, hearing loss and general safety and health.

University of Washington, Department of Environmental Health   USA
http://depts.washington.edu/envhlth
University of Washington, Department of Environmental Health Environmental Health News newsletter in full text containing articles, details of ongoing projects, publications, news, and other details.

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Diary of Events

These events may inspire you to create similar training courses and conferences/seminars in your own country.

These are taken from the OSHWORLD Diary of Events see www.oshworld.com/diary.html which is intended as a guide to the wide range of Health, Safety, Fire, Chemical, Environment events, conferences, seminars, training courses and other related activities worldwide. It is updated during the first week of the month, and includes validated Internet links to further information. If you cannot attend these events the organisers are usually willing to let you have papers and other information, if you contact them.

3-4 October 2011 - New to Management, UK
IChemE, One Portland Place, London, W1B 1PN, UK
Contact: IChemE Courses Department | Tel: +44 (0)1788 534431 | Email: courses@icheme.org | www.icheme.org/ntm

4-5 October 2011 - IRF Offshore Summit Conference
Clarion Hall, Stavanger, Norway
Contact: More information on the IRF Summit Conference: www.irfconference2011.org/hjem.cfm

6 October 2011 - Health and Safety Training for Managers and Supervisors in the Canadian Federal Jurisdiction
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Contact: Escalade Services Group Inc., 320 Hawkcliff Way NW, Calgary AB T3G 2E7, Canada | Tel: + 1 403 818 8118 or +1 866 374 1766 | Fax: +1 866 831 9645 | Email: cjodouin@escalade.ca | www.EscaladeTraining.ca

9-14 October 2011 - The Global Forum on Sanitation and Hygiene 2011: Sanitation and Hygiene in Developing Countries
Mumbai, India
Contact: For more information, or to join the mailing list for regular updates, visit www.wsscc.org/node/1251
Readers may also wish to take a free trial of FIREINF and OSH UPDATE www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

13-15 October 2011 - PROTEXPO-EXPOPROTECTION
Casablanca Maroc
Contact: le Salon International de la Prévention et de la Maîtrise des Risques (avec /with Ergonoma Journal) | www.protexpo-expoprotection.ma

16-21 October 2011 - RIXOS IX Conference of the International Society of Trace Element Research in Humans (ISTERH)
Premium Hotel, Belek (Antalya), Turkey
Contact: ISTERH | Email: isterh11@isterh.com | www.isterh.com | Flyer: www.icohweb.org/site_new/multimedia/events/pdf/ISTERH_2011_invitation_2010-11.pdf

18-20 October 2011 - Healthcare Canada Conference & Exhibition
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Contact: Diversified Business Communications - Canada, 110 Cochrane Drive, Unit 1, Markham, Ontario, L3R 9S1, UK | Tel +1 905 948 0470 | Fax: +1 905 479 1364 | www.ithealthcare.ca

18-20 October 2011 - World Class Process Safety Management for Power Generation: Delivering a First Class Process Safety and Asset Integrity Management Strategy for New-Build, Mid-Life and Maturing Assets
Birmingham, UK
Contact: www.tacook.co.uk/tagungen_kongresse_progr.php?id=00132

18-21 October 2011 - A+A 2011
Düsseldorf, Germany
Contact: i. A. Martin-Ulf Koch, G2-PR/ Presseabteilung - Press Department | Tel: +49 (0) 211 4560 444 | Fax: +49 (0) 211 4560 8548 | Email: KochM@messe-duesseldorf.de | www.aplusa.de

18-21 October 2011 - International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) International Conference on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises - Learning from Good Practices in Small Workplaces
Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Ridge, Accra, Ghana
Organised by: Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Society of Occupational and Environmental Health (GHASOEH) and Ghana Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare
Contact: Head of Occupational and Environmental Health Department Ghana Health Service (Headquarters), Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra, Ghana | Tel: +233-0302-660693 | Fax: +233-0302-660693 | Email: edith.clarke@ghsmail.org

19-20 October 2011 - Naidex South
ExCeL, London
Contact: Emily Fordham, Emap Connect, Greater London House, Hampstead Road, London NW1 7EJ, UK | Tel: +44 (0)20 7728 4623 | Email: Emily.fordham@emap.com | www.naidexsouth.com

26-29 October 2011 - First International Symposium on Mine Safety Science and Engineering
Beijing, China
The symposium is authorized by the State Administration of Work Safety and is sponsored by China Academy of Safety Science & Technology (CASST), China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing) (CUMTB), McGill University (Canada) and University of Wollongong (Australia) with participation from several other universities from round the world, research institutes, professional associations and large enterprises.
Contact: Tel: +86-10-84911521-805 or +86-10-82375620 | Email: ismsse2011@chinasafety.ac.cn | www.chinasafety.ac.cn/ismsse2011

27 October 2011 - Leading Performance Conference 2011: Bridging People, Safety and Profits
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Contact: FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance of BC, 106-8615 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC. V2P 4P3 Canada | Tel: + 1604.701.0261 | Fax: +1 604.701.0262 | Email: safety@fmiosa.com | www.fmiosa.com

30 October - 4 November 2011 - National Safety Council (NSC) 2011 Congress & Expo
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Contact: www.congress.nsc.org/nsc2011/public/enter.aspx

21-27 November 2011 - UK Road Safety Week 2011 - 2young2die
UK
Contact: www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk for tips and ideas on getting involved and to complete an online form telling the charity your plans for the week.

7-8 December 2011 Tank Storage Expo and Conference
Kuala Lumpur Conference Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Contact: Nike Ajibode | Tel: +44 (0) 203002 9117 | Email: nike@tankstorageevents.com

7-10 December 2011 - 34th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes
Themes: Rescue and Disaster Management; Safety engineering and management; Mine environment and occupational health
New Delhi, India
Contact: Department of Mining Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India | Email: safetyconference11@gmail.com | www.icsmri34.in

Contact: sp@sheilapantry.com

Copyright © 2011, Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd.