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News Archive

January 2007

EUROHSE 2007 Conference - Spring into OSH

EurOhse 2007 Conference will be held at the Imperial Hotel, Russell Square, London on Thursday, 19 April 2007 and aims to bring delegates up to date on a number of hot topics, including legislation development.

Benefits of attending

• Guidance and advice on The Hot Topics in the Workplace in 2007
• Challenges in understanding the impact of European and UK recent and impending legislation
• Examples and Case studies
• Networking and hearing what other managers are dealing with
• FREE OSH software

Where and when

Location

Imperial Hotel, Russell Square, London

Date

19th April 2007

Time

Registration opens 08.30am - Conference runs 09.30am to 16.45pm

Cost

£395 (£295 if you are a member of IOSH, RoSPA, IIRSM or BOHS)

Conference Chair

Sheila Pantry OBE

Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd and Angel Business Communications Ltd are delighted to invite you to attend this very topical one-day conference.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse and busy managers need to stop for a short while to assess what they are doing and to ask if they are really keeping up-to-date in their responsibilities in securing good standards of health and safety in their workplaces and to be able to show the cost benefits of doing so.

Who should attend?

• All Occupational Health and Safety Managers aiming to be up-to-date in 2007 with the latest Hot Topics.
• Directors and Senior level Managers who need to be aware about their health and safety responsibilities and the consequences of non-compliance.
• Representatives from organisations wishing to benchmark their own practices against other leading organisations.
• Health and Safety professionals looking to update and improve their own knowledge and skills-base on what is changing.

What will be discussed

• Management of change and the effects on workers including stress, aggression, bullying and violence;
• REACH - the latest legislation, guidance and actions needed
• Overview of the latest health and safety legislation requirements including the implications for smoking, alcohol and drugs at work; the need for setting policies
• Fire risk assessment; the how, why, when and the recent legislation and guidance
• Wider European health and safety scene

Make sure you book early to avoid disappointment.

Horizon scanning - Future health and safety issues

Horizon scanning is the process by which the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ensures that it is aware of developments, trends and changes in the medium to long-term future that could have an impact on its ability to act as an effective and efficient promoter and regulator of health and safety in Britain.

The overall process was outlined in the HSE board paper HSE/04/027.

HSE board paper on horizon scanning HSE/04/027 [PDF, 65kb]

The HSE Horizon Scanning website has been created to make the outputs of that process publicly available. The information is made available so those who are either involved in these developments and changes, or could be affected by them, are made aware of HSE's work in these areas. By making this process open to public scrutiny and comment, HSE aim to draw on the knowledge, experience and ideas of people outside HSE and make its strategic planning more transparent and comprehensive.

In the meantime you might be interested to see five new reports recently added to the Horizon Scanning pages on the HSE website: www.hse.gov.uk/horizons/topic-summaries.htm

The Flixborough 2007 symposium will take place on 13th April 2007

Thirty-three years after the Flixborough disaster, speculation about its cause still rumbles on. For the first time, advocates of alternative causation theories will appear together at a one-day symposium in London on 13th April 2007.

The official Court of Inquiry concluded that an inappropriate temporary by-pass pipe was the sole cause of the explosion in an otherwise "well constructed and designed" plant. The symposium will bring together surviving forensic investigators to discuss the evidence from the Court of Inquiry and previously unavailable material from the National Archives just released to the public.

Dr. John Cox, one of the engineers involved in the accident investigation in 1974-1975 said: "The material just released by National Archives is consistent with eye-witness accounts, the forensic studies and a reconstructed cine-film of the fires taken within 2 minutes of the explosion. What's more, it supports the main alternative* to the disputed explanation endorsed by the Court."

The Flixborough 2007 symposium will take place on 13th April 2007 at University College London. Registrants receive a CD (costing £50) documenting all the main forensic studies, eyewitness accounts and transcripts from the Court of Inquiry.

For further information and registration details, email Flixborough2007@aol.com or telephone Dr. John Cox + 44 (0) 1495 773495

*Outlined at http://business.virgin.net/olwen.cox/pubs/FlixRevisit.htm

Your one stop shop to quality OSH information: OSH UPDATE service growing all the time, keeps you up-to-date - ideal for OSH managers, universities, colleges and research Institutes

OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com - arguably the most informative collection of health and safety information at the lowest cost in the world has over 800,000 records - with an ever-growing percentage linking to full text. Updating is on a regular basis as new information is published.

In today's work life, it is important to keep your knowledge in occupational safety and health (OSH) up-to-date. At the same time, it is useful to look at your own work and to search for new ideas for the future. This is where OSH UPDATE can help!

OSH UPDATE is easy to use and links you direct to the latest sources of information . Keeping up-to-date in worldwide occupational health, safety, hygiene, road safety, water safety, environment trends and the very latest information can be time consuming.

Do budget constraints not allow you to buy all the latest journals, newsletters and documents that contain the latest information? Can't afford the time to search for the latest information, legislation and standards? No staff to search for this information? And no time yourself to spend hours searching for information?

Then this recently launched, very affordable Internet based service OSH UPDATE, from Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd is the answer for you.

With this additional NIOSHTICs database OSH UPDATE now contains about 800,000 records.

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

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

• Publications from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work we have made all the references link direct to full text
• CISDOC the International Labour Office CIS Health and Safety Centre database has many full text links especially to ILO documents and to other documents published in the last couple of years
• ILO Recommendations, Protocols and Conventions has all links to the full text
• European Union legislation has links to full text for the majority of the references
• UK legislation database - links all the references dated from 1987 direct to the full text - i.e. majority of content of this database
• UK Health and Safety Executive HSELINE - we have added nearly 2000 full text links to HSE's own documents
• UK Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), starting to add full text links
• NIOSHTIC-2 US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), strong on full text links -to their own documents and also to some journals
• Canada Ryerson University RILOSH
• OSH standards specifications including those from the British Standards Institution.

Prices on application for a single user or multi users via the Internet

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

A user in Ireland says "easy to navigate and everything I asked for retrieved valuable information".

A user in Poland says "this is a very valuable collection".

A user in Finland says "OSH UPDATE it is excellent and easy to use".

A Hong Kong multi-user group says "it is what we need to keep us up-to-date".

A busy UK consultant says "it is very useful, and saves me a lot of time from having to search many sources elsewhere".

A busy UK OSH Information Service says "However hard the question we can always find an answer in OSH UPDATE".

Why not take a 15-DAY FREE TRIAL of OSH UPDATE and see for yourself?

If you are interested in taking up this service on trial please email/fax with your details, or contact us to ask further questions or simply fill in the Interest Form www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

Sheila Pantry OBE BA FCLIP, Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, 85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1909 771024 Fax: +44 (0) 1909 772829 Email: sp@sheilapantry.com | www.sheilapantry.com | www.oshworld.com | www.shebuyersguide.com | www.oshupdate.com

Don't forget 28 April 2007 - World Safety and Heath Day - start preparing now!

The theme for the International Labour Office (ILO) World Safety and Health Day to be held on 28 April 2007 will be: "Making Decent Work a Reality - Safe and Healthy Workplaces"

The idea behind it is to promote the new convention C. 187 Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006

www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en

New publications from the US National Institute for Occupational safety and Health (NIOSH)

The following new publications may be of interest to readers:

An updated NIOSH study of asbestos-related diseases

An updated NIOSH study of asbestos-related diseases among vermiculite miners, millers, and processors in Libby, Montana, was published on-line by Environmental Health Perspectives, a peer-reviewed research journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, on 3 January 2007. The study followed the Libby workers through 2001 and found that they had significantly higher than expected incidences of fatal asbestosis, lung cancer, and cancer of the pleura. The findings were consistent with previous mortality studies of workers from this cohort, which were published by NIOSH researchers in the 1980s.

The article is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9481

NIOSH information and recommendations for minimizing the generation and inhalation of dust during the handling of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from Libby are on the NIOSH topic Web page at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/vermiculite.

Workplace Solutions: Preventing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Sonography

This document, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006-148, addresses risks that sonographers face for developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The document provides NIOSH recommendations appropriate engineering controls, work practices, hazard communication, and training to prevent these work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2006-148

NIOSH has also released the following mining publications:

• Ergonomics and Mining: Charting a Path to a Safer Workplace, NIOSH Report of Investigation 9491, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006-141.
• Field Evaluation of Seat Designs for Underground Coal Mine Shuttle Cars, NIOSH Information Circular 9491, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2007-100.
• Lower Respirable Dust and Noise Exposure with an Open Structure Design, NIOSH Report of Investigation 9670, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2007-101.

Workers' health under discussion at WHO

Workers' health: draft global plan of action was submitted to the 120th Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board taking place from 22 to 30 January 2007.

The plan of action follows up WHO's Global strategy on occupational health for all endorsed by resolution WHA49.12 of the World Health Assembly.

The proposed plan provides a framework for concerted actions to improve the health of workers, in particular with regard to policy instruments, protection and promotion of health at work, and access to occupational services. Actions are designed for implementation at national level, and through intercountry and interregional cooperation. Its implementation is to be supported by the network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Occupational Health in partnerships with ILO where relevant.

The draft plan is accompanied by a resolution urging members to: devise national policies and plans for implementation of the global plan of action on workers' health; work towards full coverage of all workers; take measures to establish and strengthen capacities and resources; ensure collaboration and concerted action by all national health programmes; and encourage incorporation of workers' health in national policies for sustainable development and poverty reduction among others. It also requests the WHO Director-General to promote the implementation of the global plan at national and international levels.

After its examination by the Executive Board, a global plan of action on workers' health is expected to be submitted for adoption to the Sixtieth World Health Assembly to be held from 14 to 23 May 2007.

www.ilo.org/safework/lang--en/index.htm

European NanOSH Conference - Nanotechnologies: A Critical Area in Occupational Safety and Health 3-5 December 2007, Marina Congress Center, Helsinki, Finland

The Conference will discuss global safety issues surrounding nanoparticles and nanotechnologies, in occupational safety and health in particular; and will provide an insight into future actions for assuring the safety, and thereby the future success of nanotechnology

Why it is critical now?

Nanoparticles provide a qualitatively new basis for a number of industries. The technologies that utilize them, i.e. deal with matter on a nanometer scale, do so in a large number of industrial and consumer applications. These applications present huge potential for both technological and economic benefits. Nanotechnologies may also provide important means to save raw materials and to promote sustainable development. The growth rate of nanoparticle research, the rapidity of nanotechnology development, and the speed of new industrial and consumer products is dramatic. This area is currently critical, because we are surrounded by nanoparticles all the time, and must hence act without delay.

Because of their small size, small nanoparticles have practically free access to all parts of the body, mainly through the lungs, the gastrointestinal tract, the skin, and even neuronal pathways. Several nanoparticles cause harmful health effects in experimental conditions, mainly pulmonary inflammation, but they also affect neuronal cells. Nowadays, there is no systematic information on health effects or safety, of any given nanoparticles. Even the scanty knowledge of nanoparticle safety cannot be assessed because information on exposure to them is not available. Not even methods to assess exposure to nanoparticles in occupational environments exist, and there are no standards or rules for the manufacturing or safety assessment of nanoparticles.

Thus, there is an obvious need to assess our present position in the progress of nanoparticles and nanotechnologies. We need to identify the next steps required to assure safe research, as well as their safe use in occupational environments and consumer products. Safety is the key for the future success of nanoparticles and nanotechnologies worldwide.

Main themes of the Conference

• A global view of the significance and safety of nanotechnologies, particularly in occupational environments
• Toxicity of given nanoparticles, including carbon nanotubes, metal nanoparticles, quantum dots and photocatalytic nanoparticles, and the characterization and evaluation of the critical features of nanoparticles, the so-called 'metrics'
• Chemical and physical characterization of selected (above) nanoparticles, and how these characteristics affect exposure assessment and its interpretation
• Views on the safety of nanoparticles in different parts of the world.

Who should attend?

Scientists and experts interested in the safety and health effects of NPs; those interested in their characterization and exposure assessment; representatives from the NP-NT industry; industry and employee organizations; regulators at national, regional and international levels, organizations funding NP-NT research, and other key-stakeholders in the NP-NT area.

Organizer

The Conference is organized by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

More information: EuroNanOSH Secretariat, Leila Ahlström, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 A a, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 474 2851 | Email: euronanosh@ttl.fi | www.ttl.fi/en/international/conferences