Editorial

OSH-IRELAND... aiming to help Ireland's organisations achieve higher standards of occupational health and safety in their workplaces

October 2005
Sheila Pantry OBE

OSH-IRELAND is a collection of information that has, over the years become the essential source for organisations and practitioners seeking up-to-date information on all aspects of occupational safety and health (OSH) in Ireland.

Much time is spent these days searching the Internet for validated and authoritative information often resulting in out-of date sources. In this fast moving world it is essential to have quick access to validated, authoritative and constantly updated information collections. The ones, such as OSH-IRELAND that are brought together and maintained by information specialists are one sure way of getting good quality data.

As new research and new ways of working, with the attendant alterations in products, services and technology developments means that no-one, especially those responsible for securing good standards good standards of health and safety in their workplaces of all kinds, should be without the latest information.

Information Searchers should also be aware that the myth abounding in the world that everything is published on the Internet and is free is just not true!

Easy to use and very affordable, OSH-IRELAND is published by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd with the co-operation of the Health and Safety Authority, Dublin, Ireland and other prominent OSH organisations, and contains the following complementary databases providing full text information:

Occupational safety and health and related Acts of the Oireachtas and Statutory Instruments
Appropriate European Health, Safety and Environment Directives
Health and Safety Authority's (HSA) current publications, reports, guidance, advice and annual reports
Standard Forms, Certificates of Exemption and Exception
Other relevant Government Department publications
Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) health and safety guides and "Your Questions Answered"
National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) health and safety standards
National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) publications and NISO e-Newsletter
UK Health and Safety Executive guidance and advice
OSH Ireland contains these other bibliographic references: appropriate National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) OSH standards (in addition to those included as full text documents), appropriate health and safety British Standards, and The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), an extensive bibliographic database of records to a wide range of journal articles, guidance and advice from worldwide organisations.

OSH-IRELAND contains thousands of full text pages of information - see the contents on www.sheilapantry.com or why not take a FREE 30-DAY TRIAL now? Send your request for either an Internet or CD-ROM trial now.

A 30-day trial free of charge means that, in the case of CD-ROMs, you will be sent the database you have requested for evaluation over a period of 30 days. If you decide to keep the database, Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd will invoice you.
If you decide that you do not wish to purchase the database, simply return it to Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd and there will be no charge.
In the case of Internet trials, access will be timed out after 30 days.

FOCUS ON A DECADE OF WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH

New book from the UK Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents looks at a decade of workplace safety

Ideas and thinking that have helped to shape the world of health and safety during the past decade have been brought together in a new book "Parting Shots" by Roger Bibbings, Occupational Safety Adviser for the UK Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

One of the most respected names in his field, Roger Bibbings has published a collection of his monthly comments on the health and safety scene on the Internet as a reference tool for professionals and those studying the subject at degree level.

The articles were originally printed in the "Parting Shot" column of RoSPA's "OS&H" journal and began at Christmas 1995. It is hoped the E-book format will make them easily accessible to those interested in how health and safety thinking developed and how it can move forward in the future. The book can be found at www.rospa.com/occupational-safety/resources/parting-shots.

Part of Roger Bibbings' role has been to keep a "weather eye" on the work of the UK Health and Safety Commission and Health and Safety Executive, but the influences that led to the development of RoSPA's key issues on managing occupational road risk, director action on safety and health, accident investigation and corporate target setting are also revealed.

The articles are grouped together under broad subject headings including political strategy, Europe, small firms, motivation, consultation and employee involvement, health, risk assessment and safety philosophy. In the foreword, Richard Booth, Professor of Occupational Safety and Health at Aston University, says that many of the articles are of historical interest and a reminder of the debates that were going on only a few years ago.

But he says others are more forward looking and raise questions which have still not even begun to be satisfactorily answered. These include: What is it that really prevents accidents and injury to health? The effective management of health and safety goes right to right to the heart of operations, so why is it persistently marginalised? Where does the enhancement of health and safety risk management and regulation sit alongside other important developments in society and the economy?

For more information about and produced by RoSPA see www.rospa.com

Your OSHWorld Portal

We hope that you find the information in OSHWORLD useful in your daily work. Globally there are continually new titles, news items, new products so remember to look at the News to find the latest information from a number of sources.

Use OSHWORLD as your portal to many hundreds of validated and authoritative web sites which you can find in the Country and Subject links we offer. New subject topics are constantly brought together on web sites, e.g. drugs and alcohol abuse in the workplace.

This month's FOCUS has two articles - one looks ahead to 2006 and informs that The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has already started planning for the European Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Campaign 2006 aimed at young people.

The other FOCUS article reminds organisations and OSH Practitioners that fire, emergency, planning and preparedness are essential parts of their daily lives, and draws attention the ever increasing amount of legislation, guidance and advice available in one collection.

Remember to look at the Products and Services on this web site and see what is new and updated, such as newly launched OSH UPDATE which has attracted users not only from the UK but around the world. It is a unique combination of authoritative databases that offer links to full text documents in occupational safety and health. Why not ask for a free 30 day trial?

Training and conferences ... for your 2005 Diary

Look at the latest additions to the Diary of Events and you will see plans have been made already worldwide up to 2006 to have training courses, symposiums and conferences in many places in the world on a wide range of subjects.

Remember that even if you cannot attend these many events, speakers and organisers are often willing to share their knowledge. Look at the details - where possible, we add in the web sites of these events so you can request further information. And do let me know if you are organising any OSHE events so that I can add them to the Diary.

To hear many eminent speakers who will be talking about ways of achieving higher standards in the workplace, why not make a booking for the EurOhse2005 conference: creating a winning OSH culture, www.eurohse2005.com to be held on 30 November - 1 December 2005 at the Stratford Manor Hotel, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire, UK. This is the third year for this very popular, informative conference that keeps you up-to-date and provides excellent networking opportunities.

EurOHSE 2005 conference will provide key points for future activities for all those responsible for securing good standards of health and safety in the workplace, and excellent networking opportunities. 14 eminent speakers with backgrounds in government, inspectorates, industry, research and education will discuss a range of topics. The programme will cover four main areas:

Global activities in Occupational Safety and Health in the Workplace
Creating a healthy workforce
The Reality of OSH in the workplace
The Future OSH World

Most information services have a reference shelf where you can quickly check the reference sources - so OSHWORLD brings you a collection of Reference sources and also how to Search the Internet.

Click onto the various Bookshops to order any new document as they are being published. Many of these Bookshops have a constant stream of new titles available.

Please send any suggestions or comments about OSHWORLD - your portal to validated and authoritative information. Remember also to look at our other really useful sites - www.sheilapantry.com and why not make a free entry in www.shebuyersguide.com.

Most of all why not try out a 30-day free trial to www.oshupdate.com.

Don't work harder - work smarter!

Have a zero accident and incident-free year in 2005 in your workplace!