News from around the World

News Archive

April 2003

April 28 2003 - "World Day for Safety and Health at Work"

April 28 2003 is going to be declared the "World Day for Safety and Health at Work", for which the International Labour Office Health and Safety Information Centre in Geneva, Switzerland have special Web pages www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/worldday/index.htm

Also check out www.ilo.org/public/english/support/publ/online.htm for other supporting publications. You can order items online www.ilo.org/global/publications or from Publications Bureau, International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, fax +41 22 799 6938 email: pubvente@ilo.org

Constant Communication is a Health Risk for the UK's Multi-tasking Office Workers

Constant communication by email and telephone is making the UK's office population increasingly deskbound and giving rise to a string of health complaints, as well as having a negative impact upon efficiency in the office. These are the findings of new research, commissioned by GN Netcom, a leader in cordless communications.

The research, conducted in January 2003, questioned 252 office-based workers in a variety of administration, finance, helpdesk, sales & marketing and management roles. It discovered that:

• Email now takes up almost as much time as telephone calls for the majority of the UK's office workers. The huge majority, 61% spend more than an hour per day on emails with 37% devoting one to three hours to the task. This compares with 75% who spend more than one hour per day on the phone and 43% who spend one to three hours on the phone
• Multi-tasking while on the 'phone has become a way of life for 82% of office workers, so it is no surprise that 39% experience neck and shoulder ache
• One in three workers is deskbound for more than seven hours per day
• Two thirds of office workers report health problems as a result of their deskbound roles, with 47% suffering from stress, 39% experiencing neck and shoulder ache and 28% suffering back ache
• Helpdesk staff are most deskbound and most likely to complain of stress (53%), neck and shoulder ache (49%) and backache (44%). One in five helpdesk staff said the ability to take calls while moving around the desk would improve their performance.
• Sales and marketing professionals are most likely to wear a headset (32%) and least likely to complain of neck and shoulder ache (29%)
• Incoming phone calls top the list of office gripes with 29% of office workers saying fewer interruptions from phone calls would have the greatest impact on their performance at work, ahead of getting the last gadgets (29%) and having a personal assistant (20%)
• 37% said that having to hot-desk and share a phone or computer would upset them, although this figure rose to 50% for sales and marketing staff and 46% amongst management

A truly cordless headset for today's office professionals
In conjunction with the research, GN Netcom is launching the GN 9120, a truly cordless headset designed especially for the demanding needs of today' s office professionals.

More information can be found at www.gnnetcom.com

New Director General of the Romanian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety

Newly appointed Director General of the Romanian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety is Andrei Serban Stanescu.

Institutul National de Cercetare Dezvoltare pentru Protectia Muncii, Str General Budisteanu 15, Sector 1, 79629 Bucuresti, Romania | Tel: + 401 315 78 22 | Fax: + 401 315 78 22 | Email: cis-inpm@rnc.ro

UK Occupational Exposure Limits updated

The UK Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has approved an updated list of Occupational Exposure Standards (OESs) and Maximum Exposure Limits (MELs). These will be formally published in May in the 2003 supplement to the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) list of OELs in Occupational Exposure Limits 2002 (EH40/2002).

The revisions include:

• three new MELs for substances formerly assigned as OESs: chloroethane, hydroquinone and manganese and its inorganic compounds;
• withdrawal of 16 OESs: dichlorvos, divinylbenzene (mixed isomers), furfuryl alcohol (FA), glycerol trinitrate, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, sulphur dioxide, propylene dinitrate,
• no change to the OES for para-phenylenediamine, but an introduction of a skin notation for this substance; and narrowing the criteria applying to the OES for mineral oil mists in order to exclude metal working fluids.

Employers have a duty under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 to control workplace exposures to hazardous substances. HSC sets MELs and OESs to help them do this. The 2003 Supplement will detail changes to some of the MELs and OESs listed in EH40/2002. Both documents are complementary and will need to be read together.

The withdrawal of the OESs happened after HSC's Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances (ACTS) concluded that they were not scientifically robust and were therefore inadequate to protect health.

HSE has published chemical hazard alert notices (CHANs) for nine of the 16 withdrawn OESs to help employers control exposure: divinylbenzene (mixed isomers), furfuryl alcohol (FA), glycerol trinitrate, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, sulphur dioxide, ethylene dinitrate, subtilisins and sulphuric acid. The others are not widely used.

The CHANS, which provide information on the health effects associated with exposure to the substances at work and good practice, are available on HSE's website at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/chindex.htm

The 2003 Supplement to EH40/2002 will be available in late May to download, free of charge from HSE's website www.hse.gov.uk. It will also be available as a paper copy, for a small charge, from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1787 881165 or fax: +44 (0) 1787-313995. The 2003 Supplement is designed to be read in conjunction with EH40/2002 Occupational Exposure Limits 2002, price £10.50, which remains available from HSE Books, available online at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books

International round up on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

SARS - from Medical Services Overseas (MSO)

Medical Services Overseas MSO advises organisations with staff working in other countries, and provide health solutions for them. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SARS is causing concern for all travellers and MSO's website covers:

• medical evacuation: not an option in SARS
• quarantine enforcement
• formal restrictions on travel to Malaysia
• concerns over community spread in China
• corporate policy guidance

This report is provided free of charge on the website. Further advice can be provided on application from Dr Andrew Dickson, Medical Services Overseas, UK | dr@mso-uk.com | www.mso-uk.com

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OSH-IRELAND
OSH-IRELAND has become the essential OSH source for organisations and practitioners seeking up-to-date information on all aspects of health and safety in Ireland. OSH-IRELAND is published with the co-operation of the Health and Safety Authority, Ireland and other organisations. Includes RoSPA's. extensive bibliographic database of records to a wide range of journal articles, guidance and advice from worldwide organisations.

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Also check out the following websites

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keeps you up-to-date with what the rest of the world is doing. FOC and no membership is needed.

www.shebuyersguide.com
Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Buyer's Guide Web Service......

www.sheilapantry.com
website gives you a range of information. It also gives samples the content of the databases.

Contact:
Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, 85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK | Tel: +44 (0)1909 771024 | Fax: +44 (0)1909 772829 | email: sp@sheilapantry.com

Why go to extremes? . . . Register for FREE now! . . . for the SHE show, 19-22 May 2003, Birmingham National Exhibition Centre, UK

Whether it's to meet up to 300 suppliers of safety & health products and services including the EurOhs team; to sit in on a FREE informative presentation within The Information Theatre; to congratulate the winners of the Product Innovation Awards or simply to keep up to date or source new suppliers - you need to attend Safety & Health Expo 2003 which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, UK from 19th - 22nd May 2003.

To get your free entry ticket contact: www.safety-health-expo.co.uk or telephone Ticket Hotline +44 (0) 870 429 4328

Be a winner with RoSPA at the SAFETY & HEALTH EXPO 2003

Running alongside the exhibition is the annual Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
(RoSPA) Congress. This year's theme "Strengthening the Team Approach" tackles the latest thinking on many issues including, Team based target setting, Changing Cultures, Improving safety learning and sharing to name a few. For more information and the full programme contact RoSPA for a congress brochure on +44 (0) 870 777 2120

Visitors to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents stand at Safety & Health Expo 2003 will have a chance to win a prize worth more than £6,500. A free draw winner will be given a place on RoSPA's NEBOSH National Diploma Part 1 - full course, including five weeks accommodation sponsored by Moathouse Hotels, and the examination fee.

RoSPA is co-sponsor of the event at the NEC, Birmingham, May 19-22, and will be offering the broadest range of products and services available for organisations to ensure they manage health and safety correctly.

The Society will be based at stand U46 in Hall 12. Visitors will find information about training and consultancy, signs, posters and publications. It will be the place to tap RoSPA's experience and expertise for those who want the complete health and safety solution.

RoSPA members will be told about new products and services and how to make even better use of their membership package.

Applications for membership will be welcomed at the exhibition. Benefits include technical advice and substantial discounts on most RoSPA products and services, including health and safety training. The Society's training covers everything from practical skills courses to management and professional qualifications, including NEBOSH Diplomas.

To learn more about RoSPA visit www.rospa.com

News from Japan

Latest Annual report from JISHA

Recently published is the 2002 edition of the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA) which covers the many activities including:

• assistance to small and medium enterprises for which JISHA produced "A Guide to introduce risk assessment method for small and medium-enterprises"
• technical services; research and surveys
• total health promotion; promotion of comfortable workplaces
• education and training, including the National Industrial Safety and Health Convention in Tokyo in which 12,000 took part
• Zero-accident Total Participation Campaign
• safety and health publications- many published in English language and
• JISHA's international co-operation activities.

Contact:
International Cooperation Division, Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA), 5-35-1 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0014 Japan | e-mail: kokusai@jisha.or.jp | Tel & Fax: +81-3-3454-4596

All Russian Meeting 19 - 21 May 2003 "Problems of occupational Safety and Health at the current stage of the labour relations' development and their solutions"

This meeting is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development of the Russian Federation and is being totally organised by the All Russian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health on the "Problems of occupational Safety and Health at the current stage of the labour relations' development and their solutions".

It is expected that over 400 people will attend, including specialists, practitioners, experts and scientists dealing with occupational safety and health, including leading figures from the Federal Ministries and Departments, Heads of Regional Administrations, representatives of executive organisations dealing with issues of labour conditions and occupational safety. Workers and employers' organisations will also take part.

Contact: Evgenvy Reshetnikov, Head, InfoCIS and Foreign Relations Unit, VCOT,- All Russian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health, 4, Parkovaia ul., 29, 105043 MOSCOW, Russian Fedaration | Tel. (095) 164 93 64 | Fax (095) 367 13 09 | Email: vcot@mintrud.ru | vcot@mail.ru | vcot@vescom.ru | www.vcot.info

Title you may have missed.......

NORA News Spring 2003

The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published the latest edition of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) News. It contains details of

• special populations at risk
• ageing workers
• New study: Work, Ageing and Cognitive Ability
• Minority workers
• Recent research findings and upcoming research

Contact:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Education and Information Division, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998, USA | www.cdc.gov/niosh

European Green Week, 2- 5 June 2003

Business leader, policy maker, representative of an NGO and local and regional, authorities, teachers, scientists and young people, can now register on-line for the 2003 edition of Green Week that will take place 2-5 June 2003!

Green Week 2003 intends bringing people together to debate, as a follow-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg on key environmental issues of sustainable consumption and production, renewable energy & climate change and water.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/greenweek

European Foundation welcomes new Deputy Director Willy Buschak

Willy Buschak, former Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), took up the reins as Deputy Director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions on 1 April 2003. Willy Buschak succeeds Eric Verborgh, who retires from the Dublin-based EU Agency after 18 years.

After studying history and philosophy at the Ruhr-Universität in Bochum, Germany, Willy Buschak started work as a research manager with the German Trade Union for Food, Beverages and Restaurant Workers. His early career involved research on trade union subjects for the Hans Böckler Foundation and the Institute for the History of the Labour Movement in Germany. In 1991, Willy Buschak started his career at the European Trade Union Confederation as Confederal Secretary, where his fields of responsibility included democratisation of the economy, health and safety at the workplace, the environment, research, consumer and industrial policy. He was appointed Managing Director of the ETUC in 2000.

Willy Buschak is no newcomer to the Foundation and its work. Over an eight-year period up to 2000, he played an important part in the Foundation's progress through his role as coordinator for the workers' group in the administrative board. He thus brings with him a deep knowledge and understanding of the Foundation's key areas of work.

The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions is a tripartite EU body, whose role is to provide key actors in social policy making with findings, knowledge and advice drawn from comparative research. The Foundation was established by Council Regulation EEC No 1365/75 of 26 May 1975. More information about the Foundation is available on www.eurofound.europa.eu.

'Enlargement is set to be a big challenge for the Foundation, as for all other EU bodies, but the Foundation is in a strong position to meet those challenges,' says Willy Buschak. 'My role will be to support the Director in building on the successes of the past as we move to tackle this new future.'

Further information on Willy Buschak (curriculum vitae, photographs, etc) is available at www.eurofound.europa.eu/press/presspack/general

Keep up with news from the European Foundation in the newsroom at http://eurofound.europa.eu/news

Further information regarding any other information from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, please contact Mr. Måns Mårtensson, Press Officer | Tel: +353-1-204 3124 | mobile: +353-876-593 507 | e-mail: press.officer@eurofound.eu.int