News from around the World

News Archive

November 2011

FIREINF and OSH UPDATE: Essential access to worldwide authoritative and validated FIRE and OSH information that is user friendly and cost effective

Keeping up with the latest worldwide OSH and fire information can be a time consuming exercise, but help is available if you subscribe to the ever growing OSH UPDATE collection of 20 databases and the FIREINF collection of 17 databases.

It is worth spending time checking out the latest reports and other guidance and advice that have recently produced from worldwide validated and authoritative sources. You will find many such pieces of advice and guidance in OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com and in FIREINF www.fireinf.com

The electronic services OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com and FIREINF www.fireinf.com will help you and your organisation to keep up-to-date. Remember ignorance of the law is no excuse!

These services continue to bring you the latest information on health, safety, environment, fire and other subjects that you will find useful in your daily work. OSH UPDATE contains over 817,000 records - including CISDOC database and FIREINF over 538,000 records.

OSH UPDATE and FIREINF services contain both full text and bibliographic information are continuously enlarged as new information is published. These services are used by organisations, universities, companies and some ILO CIS Health and Safety Information Centres worldwide.

For a 15 DAY FREE NO OBLIGATION TRIAL contact: Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd | email: sp@sheilapantry.com | or fill in the Interest form www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

USA National Assessment of the Occupational Safety and Health Workforce Released

A national survey and assessment of the occupational safety and health workforce has been completed by Westat under contract with NIOSH. This effort was guided by a multidisciplinary advisory task force of occupational safety and health professional and practitioners.

A key finding is that future national demand for occupational safety and health services will significantly outstrip the number of professionals with the necessary training, education, and experience to provide such services. Next steps include wide dissemination of the results and further analysis of the disparities in the supply and demand for safety and health professionals in the United States. NIOSH plans to make this unique database publically available to help guide action and policy development in occupational safety.

The final Westat report is available at www.cdc.gov/niosh/oshworkforce

The closing event of the Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2010-11 on Safe Maintenance will take place on 22-23 November 2011 at the Bizkaia Aretoa conference centre in Bilbao, Spain

This summit will bring together leading European experts and decision-makers to exchange good practice and discuss future strategies on promoting safe maintenance. At the same time, it will provide an opportunity for the Agency and its partners to evaluate the results of the Campaign and present its main highlights (e.g. national and European Campaign events, the results of its European Good Practice Award and its European Photo Competition).

On the agenda will also be the progress made in the development of the new online risk assessment tool (OiRA) that has the potential of revolutionising risk assessment in Europe, by making it more simple and less of an administrative burden.

And finally, the Agency will also give a short preview of the forthcoming Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2012-13 "Working together for risk prevention", which will focus on the twin concepts of leadership and worker participation.

Participation in closing event is on invitation only.

https://osha.europa.eu/en/healthy-workplaces-campaigns/previous-healthy-workplaces-campaigns

TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™ What Is Total Worker Health™?

Total Worker Health™ is a strategy integrating occupational safety and health protection with health promotion to prevent worker injury and illness and to advance health and well-being.

The protection, preservation, and improvement of the health and well-being of all people who work are goals shared by workers, their families, and employers. Today, more than ever, there is increasing evidence that the work environment and the overall health, safety and well-being of the workers within it are strongly connected. Diminished health and injury, whether caused by work or resulting from non-work activities, reduces quality of life, opportunity, and income for workers and those dependent upon them. Conversely, workplaces with low risk of injury and enhanced opportunities for the total health of workers can lead to a vibrant, engaged and highly performing workforce.

The "Issues Relevant to Total Worker Health™" on the web page graphic is an at-a-glance visual of issues relevant to integrating occupational safety and health protection with health promotion.

The lists below are not meant to be exhaustive, but, rather they illustrate the breadth of issues related to work that have the potential to impact health and should be considered as strategies are developed for integration of health protection and health promotion activities.

NIOSH conducts research on the integration of health protection and health promotion through both internal and external avenues. Extramurally, NIOSH funds three WorkLife Centers of Excellence dedicated to ground-breaking research, translation and best practices of integrative approaches to protecting and promoting health in the workplace. An intramural program will connect related work within NIOSH; elucidate and communicate current knowledge, successful approaches, and challenges; and promote the concepts and practices of total worker health to our partners and stakeholders.

For more information see www.cdc.gov/niosh/TWH/totalhealth.html

Fire-stream

The UK Fire Prevention Association - FPA has now launched fire-stream: an online video streaming and download portal, hosting FPA video content. Supporting materials, such as checklists and handbooks, complement the video material to provide quality, comprehensive content on demand.

Available through annual subscription or weekly access, fire-stream is a one-stop shop for general health and safety/fire safety induction and refresher training, and hosts all current FPA DVDs/video materials. To find out more about fire-stream see the FPA brochure or visit www.fire-stream.net

Increasing demand for environmental qualifications

Figures from international examination body National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) show that increasing numbers of people are seeking an environmental management qualification.

NEBOSH revealed that in the last two years the number of people registering to take its Environmental Management qualifications had more than doubled.

In 2009, around 1,100 people registered for a NEBOSH environmental qualification. Last year, the number of registrations rose to almost 2,200. Registrations so far in 2011 indicate a further rise this year to around 2,700, an increase of almost 150% on 2009.

Research among recently qualified NEBOSH students also showed that nearly three quarters (70%) of those taking one of its environmental management qualifications have their course and examination fees paid for by their employer (1).

"Our figures show that more and more people are seeking a specialist qualification to go with their environmental management responsibilities," said NEBOSH Chief Executive, Teresa Budworth. "And judging by the willingness of employers to fund and support their staff with this, it is clear that more and more employers want them to be qualified in this field."

Around two thirds of those who take a NEBOSH Environmental Management qualification are employed in a health and safety role. The majority of the rest are environmental specialists. Two thirds also already hold another NEBOSH qualification.

NEBOSH currently offers two Environmental Management qualifications - the NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management and the NEBOSH Diploma in Environmental Management.

Further information about all NEBOSH qualifications can be found at www.nebosh.org.uk/Qualifications.

(1) Research carried out among 46 recently qualified NEBOSH environmental management students in September 2011.

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) was formed in 1979 and is an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status. NEBOSH offers a comprehensive range of globally-recognised, vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet the health, safety, environmental and risk management needs of all places of work in both the private and public sectors.

Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract around 35,000 candidates annually and are offered by over 450 course providers around the world. NEBOSH examinations have been taken in over 91 countries. NEBOSH qualifications are recognised by the relevant professional membership bodies including the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

Contact: Julia Whiting, Communications Co-ordinator, NEBOSH | Tel: +44(0)116 263 4724 | Email: julia.whiting@nebosh.org.uk

Road Safety Communication from Interactive Driving Systems: RiskCOACH Sharing the road

No matter what type of road user you are, it is possible for you to put others at risk if you don't take care.

Looking out for other road users and displaying considerate behaviour is an important part of everyday travel. Sadly, road users often fail to look out for each other, which can lead to avoidable collisions, injury and death.

Just by being aware of other road users - particularly those more vulnerable than yourself - you can decrease your chances of causing or being involved in a collision.

There are a few things you should remember when you're on the road:

• Be aware of the size and limitations of your own vehicle.
• Be understanding if other drivers cause problems or hold you up - they may be inexperienced or may not know the area well.
• Never allow yourself to become agitated with other drivers, even if they display dangerous driving behaviour.
• Be alert to what is happening around you at all times. This means avoiding distractions such as cell/ mobile phones.
• Remember that everyone has an equal right to be on the road.
• Never drive when stressed as you'll be a danger to yourself and to others.
• Pay particular attention to the most vulnerable road users such as pedestrians (particularly the elderly and children), cyclists and motorcyclists.

One example of where we could be better at sharing the road is in relation to tailgating - or driving too close. Tailgating is highly dangerous, and easily avoided. Tailgating a truck or bus is especially dangerous. If you are too close, the driver will not be able to see you in their mirror, as bigger vehicles have larger blind spots. A simple rule to remember is that if you can't see the driver in their side mirror then they can't see you either.

Ed Dubens CEO at Interactive Driving Systems said that: "Between 70-75% of all truck-related auto fatalities are caused by the car driver, according to figures from the US Department of Transportation. Of these, 35% occur in a truck's blind spots."

Another reason for keeping your distance is that if you drive too close you will reduce your ability to see the road ahead. This is particularly problematic if the road surface is wet, causing surface spray to affect your vision.

Drivers should also bear in mind that the stopping distance of a truck is much greater than that of a car. The normal stopping distance of a family-sized car travelling at 50 mph (80 kph) is 13 car lengths. This assumes dry weather and good tyres. A truck can need up to three times this distance - and even more in wet weather.

For managers, it is important to show leadership in relation to sharing the road, through your own actions and by communicating its importance to your teams to build it into the DNA of the organisation.

www.virtualriskmanager.net and www.fleetsafetybenchmarking.net

Health and Safety Executive HSE Chair named president-elect of IChemE

HSE is pleased to announce that its chair, Judith Hackitt, has been named as the president-elect of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) for 2013/14.

Judith, already an IChemE Council member, will first take up the role of deputy president in 2012-2013.

IChemE is the global professional membership organisation for people who have an interest in and relevant experience in chemical engineering. It is the only organisation to award Chartered Chemical engineer status.

Judith graduated from Imperial College London, UK, in 1975 as one of only four female chemical engineers in her cohort. She initially joined Exxon Chemical as a graduate engineer and moved up through the ranks, in several operations management roles at Fawley refinery, the largest in the UK.

Judith also worked at the Chemicals Industry Association (CIA) and was appointed its director general from 2002-2006. She then became the implementation director for the Chemistry for Europe project at the European Chemical Industry Council, taking a leading role in developing the EU's REACH chemicals regulations.

Judith has played an important role in IChemE's Flash Bang campaign to promote more exciting science experiments in schools.

Judith said: "I am absolutely delighted to have been asked to take on the role of President in 2013. I certainly intend to continue to champion the importance of chemical engineers around the world delivering process safety, but this is only one of several challenges facing our profession and over the next year I will be giving careful thought to what I want to achieve during my presidency,"

REACH Glossary

To help you understand more about REACH and some of the terminology used within the Health and Safety Executive website, HSE has compiled a helpful glossary of terms for you to reference.

www.hse.gov.uk/reach/definitions.htm

New International and British standards for water safety signs

Providing safety information is an important part of any risk management strategy, whether reinforcing other control measures or standing alone as the key means of protection

There have been changes to the standards which relate to Water safety signage, the old British standards have been replaced by new British and International standards (BS ISO):

• BS ISO 20712-1:2008, Water safety signs and beach safety flags - Specifications for water safety signs used in workplaces and public areas (September 2011)
• BS ISO 3864-1:2011 Graphical symbols. Safety colours and safety signs. Design principles for safety signs and safety markings (September 2011)

www.bsigroup.com/en/Standards-and-Publications

Small and medium business case studies

Read how these small businesses reaped the benefits of implementing good health and safety practice:

IT: Cougar Automation Ltd

Cougar Automation more than halved sickness absence and improved staff retention by putting health and safety at the heart of their business

Construction: Data Scaffolding Services Ltd

Investment in high quality equipment and training enabled Data Scaffolding to move from the domestic housing market to major construction projects with higher returns. They have also more than halved their insurance premiums

Printing: Dolphin Printers

Rewriting the COSHH manual helped this print company to reduce operating costs, improve morale and keep insurance premiums static

Building materials: Huntsmans Quarries Ltd

Improvement initiatives led to a prestigious Quarry Products Association (QPA) Health and Safety award, and reduced time lost through accidents, and improved productivity

Building materials: Ibstock Brick Ltd

Working with an osteopath to taking a new approach to manual handling injuries, the company has reduced injuries and absences

Engineering: Mech-Tool Engineering Ltd

Upgrading the company management systems to ISO 9001:2000 has improved customer confidence, increased orders, and a tenfold increase in productivity. It also means that this company can pre-qualify for tender opportunities.

Engineering: Rosh Engineering Ltd

Rosh implemented a programme to ensure achievement of the high standards of health and safety required by centralised procurement processes. This has given them a competitive advantage

www.hse.gov.uk/business/sme-case-studies.htm

Handbook of Occupational Safety and Health

Edited by Professor Danuta Koradecka

Occupational safety and health - safe work in a safe environment. The challenge, of course, is how to make this happen and make it happen economically. A comprehensive study presenting the state of the art in the field, Handbook of Occupational Safety and Health provides a wide range of methods along with specific criteria for assessing hazard and exposure in the workplace environment. More importantly, it also offers ways to reduce these hazards. The book supplies a compendium of interdisciplinary knowledge that includes physical, chemical, and psychosocial risk factors in the working environment, highlighting issues in Occupational Safety and Health management. The book discusses the ergonomic principles of shaping products, workstands, and work processes, highlighting the significance of international requirements for competitiveness in world economy. It presents the scientific basis for each safety and health issue, followed by well-illustrated case studies to demonstrate the concepts and theories and their application in real-world situations. Based on the results of international research, the book covers:

• Psychological capabilities of humans in the working environment
• Basic risk factors in the working environment
• Law-based protection of labour
• The effects of hazards in work processes
• Basic directions in shaping conditions of occupational safety and ergonomics

Developed by a team of renowned contributors, the book includes strategies for creating safe working conditions, accurately assessing hazards posed by harmful environmental factors, and preventing occupational accidents and diseases. Meticulously designed to be user-friendly, it provides the tools to create a safety culture beginning at the enterprise level through to the individual employee. Covers:

Legal Labour Protection

Legal Labour Protection, B. Krzyśków

Psychophysical Capabilities of Humans in the Working Environment

The Physiology of Work, J. Bugajska

Selected Issues of Occupational Biomechanics, D. Roman-Liu

Psychosocial Risk in the Workplace and Its Reduction, M. Widerszal-Bazyl

The Physiology of Stress, M. Konarska

Basic Hazards in the Work Environment

Harmful Chemical Agents in the Work Environment, M. Pośniak and J. Skowroń

Dusts, E. Jankowska

Vibroacoustic Hazards, Z. Engel, D. Koradecka, D. Augustyńska, P. Kowalski, L. Morzyński, and J. Żera

Electromagnetic Hazards in the Workplace, J. Karpowicz and K. Gryz

Static Electricity, Z. J. Grabarczyk

Electric Current, M. Dźwiarek

Electric Lighting for Indoor Workplaces and Workstations, A. Wolska

Noncoherent Optical Radiation, A. Wolska and W. Dybczyński

Laser Radiation, G. Owczarek and A. Wolska

Ionising Radiation, K. A. Pachocki

Thermal Loads at Workstations, A. Bogdan and I. Sudoł-Szopińska

Atmospheric Pressure (Increase and Decrease), W. G. Kowalski

Mechanical Hazards, K. Myrcha and J. Gierasimiuk

Biological Agents, J. Dutkiewicz

The Effects of Hazards on Work Processes

Occupational Diseases, K. Marek and J. Bugajska

Accidents at Work, R. Studenski, G. Dudka, and R. Bojanowski

Major Industrial Accidents, J. S. Michalik

Basic Directions for Shaping Occupational Safety and Ergonomics

Occupational Risk Assessment, Z. Pawłowska

Work-Related Activities: Rules and Methods for Assessment, D. Roman-Liu

Shift Work, K. Zuńewicz

Personal Protective Equipment, K. Majchrzycka, G. Bartkowiak, A. Stefko, W. Kamińska, G. Owczarek, P. Pietrowski, and K. Baszczyński

Shaping the Safety and Ergonomics of Machinery in the Process of Design and Use, J. Gierasimiuk and K. Myrcha

Basic Principles for Protective Equipment Application, M. Dźwiarek

Methods, Standards, and Models of Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems, D. Podgórski

Education in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, S. M. Kwiatkowski and K. Świder

Routledge: Taylor and Francis Group, 2010, 662 pages
ISBN 9781439806845

www.routledge.com/books/details/9781439806845

European Week for Safety and Health at Work puts spotlight on safe maintenance

Safe maintenance was the focus of the European Week for Safety and Health at Work, which this year was marked from 24 to 28 October 2012 with a series of awareness-raising events, including workshops, seminars and exhibitions. The week is part of the Healthy Workplaces campaign, organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and its partners across the EU and beyond.

'The safe maintenance campaign has drawn record levels of involvement with our Europe-wide network of focal points and more than 50 companies and organisations that joined as Official Campaign Partners', explains Dr Christa Sedlatschek, Director of EU-OSHA. 'Since April 2010, the campaign has mobilised some 10,000 people though more than a hundred partnership meetings and a series of media activities, to bring safe maintenance to the fore. Benefits for organisations of being a campaign partner include greater employee engagement (43%) and better networking activities (64%)', she continues.

The European Week consolidated these activities, with many of the Healthy Workplaces Campaign events focused around this week.

The new Safe Maintenance Magazine features articles demonstrating a wide range of maintenance-related issues that impact safety and health in the workplace, including maintenance organisation and planning, risk assessment, human behaviour, chemical safety, design, subcontracting, communication and inspection of personal protective equipment.

A wide variety of campaign material is available in 24 languages to download from the Healthy Workplaces Campaign website.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) contributes to making Europe a safer, healthier and more productive place to work. The Agency researches, develops, and distributes reliable, balanced, and impartial safety and health information and organises pan-European awareness raising campaigns. Set up by the European Union in 1996 and based in Bilbao, Spain, the Agency brings together representatives from the European Commission, Member State governments, employers' and workers' organisations, as well as leading experts in each of the EU-27 Member States and beyond.

http://osha.europa.eu

The Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2010/11, which is co-ordinated by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and its partners in the 27 EU Member States, supports a wide range of activities at the national and European level that promote safe maintenance. It highlights the importance of maintenance to eliminate workplace hazards, and to provide safer and healthier working conditions in workplaces throughout Europe.

The campaign concludes with the Healthy Workplaces Summit 2011 in Bilbao on 22 and 23 November. http://hw.osha.europa.eu

Construction - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from HSE

Various improvements are being made to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website to coincide with the closure of HSE's Infoline telephone service on 30 September 2011.

New and updated construction FAQs have been added to the construction web pages.

www.hse.gov.uk/construction

There are specific question and answers on the following topics;

• CDM
• Construction general issues
• Safety
• Health risks

Need the latest health, safety, environment, fire and other information in your daily work? Are you using OSH UPDATE? If not, why not? Worker smarter not harder and let OSH UPDATE help you

More information on health and safety at work - not only from Europe but from around the World, including advice, guidance, research results and legislation and much more can be found by checking out the OSH UPDATE electronic collection of information sources. Information Seekers will find a wealth of authoritative and validated advice from around the world. Best practices, case studies, journal articles, reports and knowledge of systems are in OSH UPDATE.

OSH UPDATE is CONTINUOUSLY expanding and has 20 databases of full text and bibliographic records. It is a unique collection of quality information from major OSH sources.

A recent addition is the MHAID database containing major hazards accidents and incidents reports which complements the many thousands of similar reports within OSH UPDATE collection.

Why not try OSH UPDATE for yourself? Take a 15 day free trial to a collection of over 821,000 sources of authoritative and validated information and many thousands of full text documents including legislation, guidance, advice, journal articles and much more.

The electronic services OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com and FIREINF www.fireinf.com will help you and your organisation to keep up-to-date. These services continue to bring you the latest information on health, safety, environment, fire and other subjects that you will find useful in your daily work.

OSH UPDATE and FIREINF services contain both full text and bibliographic information are continuously enlarged as new information is published. These services are used by organisations, universities and companies worldwide.

For a 15 DAY FREE NO OBLIGATION TRIAL contact: Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd | email: sp@sheilapantry.com | or fill in the Interest form www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

Silica information from US NIOSH

Silica is the most abundant compound in the earth's crust. Inhalation of crystalline silica is the only cause of silicosis, a preventable but incurable type of lung fibrosis. Inhalation has also been associated with lung cancer, tuberculosis, COPD and other conditions.

Read more about this hazard and how its adverse effects on health can be prevented. Read more on the NIOSH Science Blog.

BOHS - OH12 - Occupational Hygiene 2012 will be held on 24-26 April 2012 at the Mercure Holland House Hotel, Cardiff, UK

OH2012 is already on the horizon and will be held in Cardiff. Cardiff offers everything from vibrant city life to the peace and tranquillity of the nearby coast and countryside. As the capital city of Wales it is home to many national institutions including the National Museum of Wales and the much-admired Millennium Stadium. The city centre skyline is testimony to its heritage and ambition, with landmark buildings ranging from the ornate civic centre to the historic Cardiff Castle.

We are pleased to announce that Lawrence Waterman will be our Warner Lecturer for OH2012. Lawrence is currently Head of Health and Safety for the Olympic Delivery Authority, Head of Health & Safety for the Olympic Park Legacy Company and Chairman of Sypol, one of the UK's leading health, safety and environmental consultancies. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (CFIOSH) and a Member of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene (MFOH).

The BOHS Team | Tel: +44 (0)1332 250713

You can join BOHS by visiting www.bohs.org where there is an online application form and details of membership benefits.

Eurofound publishes Shifts in the job structure in Europe during the Great Recession report - The shrinking middle: where jobs were lost during the recession

The first report of the European Jobs Monitor finds that despite a net loss of over five million jobs between 2008 and 2010, employment continued to grow in top-paying jobs, largely in knowledge-intensive services and business services. Meanwhile, sharp losses in medium-paying jobs in construction and manufacturing led to a shrinking of employment in the middle of the wage spectrum. More jobs were lost to men than to women and employment levels of older workers grew while those of younger workers declined.

The new Shifts in the job structure in Europe during the Great Recession report describes the impact of the recession on the structure of employment in terms of occupations and sectors in the EU27, both at the aggregate and national level, during the 2008-2010 period.

The report identified three main patterns of employment shifts at Member State level during the recession: upgrading, in which job growth was skewed to the top of the wage distribution; polarization, identified as growth in employment at the lower and upper ends of the wage spectrum, but contraction in the middle; and downgrading, in which job destruction was greater in higher-paid jobs while lower-paid employment either grew or suffered only relatively small declines. The report offers detailed comparative data on developments on the labour market at national level during the period.

Women fared better on the labour market than did men during the recession, the report found, both in qualitative and quantitative terms. During the crisis, four male jobs were lost for every one female job. In fact, almost all the employment growth in the top quintile in the EU27 has gone to women. This was a result of the continued expansion of professional-grade jobs in the health and education sectors. Meanwhile, net female job losses have been exclusively in middle- and low-paid jobs: employment losses for females were highest in four bottom-quintile jobs, including retail salespersons, blue-collar workers in textiles/clothing manufacture and in agriculture. Job losses were particularly concentrated in male-dominated sectors such as construction and manufacturing in the middle of the wage spectrum.

During the recession, there was a significant increase in employment among those aged between 50 and 64 years 1.7 million new jobs. This employment growth took place across the wage spectrum, but was skewed towards top-paying jobs. For younger workers, those aged under 30 years, jobs were lost across the wage spectrum.

There was a mixed picture in terms of employment status. There were marked losses in temporary jobs in the early phase of the recession; however, the greater part of employment growth from 2009 onwards took place in temporary jobs, though this growth has tended to be in lower-paying jobs. Part-time work has expanded across the wage spectrum, with gains more or less equally distributed between men and women.

The Shifts in the job structure in Europe during the Great Recession report is available here

www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef1141.htm

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

www.eurofound.europa.eu

Virtual Risk Manager Road Safety Alert: Northern Hemisphere Winter is here - travel safely!

Winter is one of the most dangerous times of year to travel, meaning that now is good time to focus on staying safe on the road this winter - whether you are driving on work business or in your own time.

Ed Dubens CEO of Interactive Driving Systems said: 'For many of the fleets we work with winter is a critical time for the provision of their goods and services, meaning that their vehicles and drivers can sometimes find themselves on the road in the worst possible driving conditions. For this reason, we are urging organisations to be aware of and plan for the risks of winter driving.'

In support of this year's Drive Safely Work Week in the US, Road Safety Week in the UK and European Health & Safety Week, Interactive Driving Systems is providing the following eight winter driving tips.

Eight Winter Driving Tips from Interactive Driving Systems

We at Interactive Driving Systems are advising drivers to follow a few simple tips to make their journeys as safe as possible.

(1) Mobility and Journey management:

• Assuming that you absolutely have to travel, and there is no alternative, make sure your journey well planned.
• Check that your planned route is OK.
• Allow realistic travel times for the conditions.
• Ensure others are aware of your journey.

(2) Check your vehicle:

• Has been maintained/serviced and you have a good battery. Your battery has to work much harder in the winter (working lights and wipers, for example) and can fail completely with hardly any warning.
• Tyres have a good tread depth and are inflated correctly (including the spare).
• Cooling system contains antifreeze at the correct strength.
• Windscreen wipers and washers are working properly - in cold temperatures use high strength screen-wash.
• Lights are clean and working.

(3) Check the weather conditions:

• Look at local and national TV and Radio for travel and weather information.
• See that all your vehicle windows, mirrors and lights are clear from mist, frost and snow. Snow and ice reduce what you can see, and can be dangerous to other road users as it falls off your vehicle.

(4) In extreme weather conditions such as falling snow:

• Ask yourself is my journey essential?
• Check to see if you have a full tank of fuel.
• Let someone know your destination and your expected time of arrival.
• Take a mobile phone if you have one, but remember you could break down in a 'dead area', so take warm high visibility clothing, hot drinks, food, boots, a torch and shovel as well - it could be a long walk to a phone.

(5) If you are out on the roads in poor conditions:

• Use the main roads which have been salted as much as possible. Map of routes that Councils salt are normally available on their websites.
• Allow extra time for your journey.
• Avoid the rush hour to help reduce congestion.

(6) Generally, when driving in wintry weather:

• Drive according to the conditions - on treated and untreated roads.
• Reduce speed in poor visibility, where there is snow, or if ice may have formed.
• Use the highest gear possible to help keep control of the vehicle and avoid harsh braking and acceleration.
• Maintain larger safer stopping distances - two seconds between vehicles is for good conditions! A wet road surface means you'll take twice as long to stop, so you need to be at least four seconds behind the vehicle in front.
• Use dipped headlights in poor visibility and snow, so others can see you!
• Use rear fog lights in poor visibility but remember to switch them off when conditions improve.
• Watch out for other road users, including motorbikes, pushbikes, pedestrians and children, who may also be having difficulties in the conditions.

(7) If you do break down:

• If you get into trouble, stay with your vehicle if possible, until help arrives.
• If you do have to leave your vehicle, make yourself visible to others.
• If you have to abandon your vehicle, give local police the details and park safely to avoid obstruction to maintenance vehicles such as snow ploughs when they are trying to treat the roads.

(8) Advice for particular weather conditions:

Fog is especially a danger in autumn and winter, and is a major cause of collisions.

• Slow down, keep your distance, and turn your lights on in fog.
• Drive very slowly using dipped headlights. Use fog lights if visibility is seriously reduced, but remember to switch them off when visibility improves.
• Don't hang on the tail lights of the vehicle in front - this gives you a false sense of security and means you may be driving too close.
• Don't speed up suddenly - even if it seems to be clearing, you can suddenly find yourself back in thick fog.

Ice, snow and slush drastically reduce the ability of your tyres to grip the road, which means that slowing down, speeding up, or changing direction all become hazardous. The trick to driving in these conditions is to be as smooth as possible.

• Drive slowly, allowing extra room to slow down and stop.
• It can take ten times longer to stop in icy conditions than on a dry road.
• Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin, manoeuvre gently, and avoid harsh braking and acceleration.
• To brake on ice and snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall, and use the brake pedal gently.
• If you skid, ease off the accelerator but do not brake suddenly.

Floods: It is best not to enter floodwater at all - if you can take an alternative route, do so. If you enter floodwater:

• Drive slowly in first gear, but keep the engine speed high by slipping the clutch - this will stop you from stalling.
• Go through the water one vehicle at a time.
• Avoid the deepest water, which is generally near the kerb. Don't attempt to cross if the water seems too deep. Watch others!
• Remember - test your brakes a few times after you are through the flood before you drive at normal speed.

REMEMBER:

• Be sure to give cyclists and motorcyclists extra room in bad weather.
• Dazzle from the low winter sun can be dangerous. Carry a pair of sunglasses in the car just in case it's too low for the visor.
• It takes twice as long to stop on a wet road as it does on a dry one, and up to ten times longer in icy conditions.

Interactive Driving Systems wishes you safe and happy travels.

Contact: Dr Will Murray, Research Director, Interactive Driving Systems®, Visiting Fellow, Loughborough University & CARRS-Q | Tel (office): + 44 (0) 1484 551060 | Tel (direct line): + 44 (0) 115 846 2994 | Mobile: +44 (0) 7713 415454 | Email: will.murray@virtualriskmanager.net | Web: www.virtualriskmanager.net | Fleet Safety Benchmarking: www.fleetsafetybenchmarking.net

Best of the Best Conference 2012

This is an essential event for fleet professionals. The 9th annual Fleet Safety Forum Conference will provide you with an opportunity to hear detailed case studies from fleet safety managers and suppliers who have won Fleet Safety Forum Awards for best practice in 2011.

Tuesday 28 February 2012
9 am - 4 pm
National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, UK

For more information about speakers and topics see: www.brakepro.org/take-part

Speakers will include:

Dave Abbott - Technical Director, Cardinus

Road risk management: the rewards of continuous assessment

Rory Morgan - National Logistics General Manager, Iron Mountain

Safe and secure with Iron Mountain

Tyler Stilwell - Global Road Safety Leader, Cummins Inc.

Cummins driver safety program - taking safety beyond the walls

Julie Welch - Health and Safety Manager, Cemex

Sharing Our Roads Safely

Dale Eynon - Head of Fleet Operations, Environment Agency

Andrew Kemp - Occupational Road Risk Manager, Tesco Dotcom

Contact: Amy Horsley, Brake, the road safety charity, PO Box 548, Huddersfield HD1 2XZ, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1484 559909 | Email: ahorsley@brake.org.uk | Email: forum@brake.org.uk | www.brake.org.uk | www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk | www.2young2die.org.uk

Very Successful A+A 2011

A+A 2011 in Düsseldorf held on 18-21 October 2011 kicked off with record exhibitor numbers and exhibition space the leading International Trade Fair with Congress for Safety, Security and Health at Work can also post top visitor numbers. 60,100 trade visitors, more than ever before in the event's history (2009: 55,800), gathered information on current trends and product innovations in the field of occupational health and safety and experienced at first hand the smooth-running operational efficiencies of the 1,600 exhibitors from 54 nations featured at the fair.

One in four visitors came from abroad. The event saw a significant rise here particularly from countries in South and Central America.

"This result has further extended A+A's global standing as 'Safety's No. 1'. No other sectoral event offers such a complete product overview and sets so many trends in the sector thanks to its opportunity for intense exchange between experts," says Messe Düsseldorf Managing Director Joachim Schäfer summing up the result and variety of innovations on show.

Klaus Bornack, Chairman of the Trade Fair Advisory Board and Managing Director at Bornack GmbH & Co. KG, also reported on the constructive talks held here between suppliers and their customers: "No corners are cut when it comes to staff health and safety. High-quality safety products not only provide better protection, they also enjoy greater user acceptance levels which means they are also in greater demand. The intense exchange with customers at A+A also provided valuable input in terms of further product development."

Exhibitors at A+A displayed great innovative flair showcasing a wealth of new products and services. Product highlights this time included protective clothing and products especially for women (e.g. protective overshoes with steel caps for high heels, feminine overalls or even safety helmets in fashionable colours with decorative appliqués), the ergonomically perfect office or assembly work station - adaptable to individual physical, acoustic and visual requirements - as well as compact and yet very high-performing measuring equipment for gauging levels of pollutants.

The A+A Congress attracted over 5,000 participants and offered a range of topical themes on social developments, upcoming reforms at national and international level, technical and organisational innovations as well as new scientific findings. For instance, the Autumn Conference of the Society of Ergonomics (Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaften - GfA) held as part of the A+A Congress discussed to what extent new concepts on work schedules and organisation can meet increasing staff demands in terms of flexibility and mobility.

Adding an international touch was the conference organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO - a specialist agency within the UN) featuring several hundred participants and the "German-Polish Dialogue on Occupational Safety". In focus here were the two countries' national occupational safety strategies and the convergence of the markets for personal protective equipment, for instance in terms of overriding norms and guidelines within the European internal market. Poland was the partner country at A+A 2011.

The next A+A will be held in Düsseldorf from 5 - 8 November 2013.

Information on the A+A 2011, as well as on the exhibitors and their products, is available online at: www.AplusA.de

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH

UK Press contact: Paul Evans | Tel: +44 01442 288281 | Fax: + 44 01442 230012 | Email: paul@itsluk.com

NEBOSH accredits its 100th and 101st international course provider

Health, safety and environmental examinations body NEBOSH based in the UK has reached another important milestone in its global development, having now accredited more than 100 international course providers.

While NEBOSH itself puts together syllabuses and sets exams and assessments, it does not deliver courses leading to its qualifications. These are offered by training companies and educational establishments who must meet rigorous standards in order to become a NEBOSH Accredited Course Provider.

There are more than 350 such course providers in the UK. However, in recent years there has been a surge in demand for NEBOSH qualifications worldwide, which has in turn led to increasing numbers of applications from overseas organisations seeking to achieve NEBOSH course provider status.

NEBOSH International manager, Stuart Naylor, said: "Ten years ago we had fewer than five course providers in three countries. Today about 40% of our assessments are taken outside of the UK and we now have more than 100 international providers. These course providers cover 32 different countries and our distance learning providers make our qualifications accessible around the world. Last year NEBOSH qualifications were taken in 91 countries."

"We're delighted to have achieved this. The UK is highly respected overseas for its approach to health, safety, environmental and risk management. Our qualifications are fast becoming an international mark of excellence in these fields."

Stuart went on to confirm that in October of this year NEBOSH accredited its 100th and 101st international course provider on the same day. One is based in Saudi Arabia, the other in India.

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) was formed in 1979 and is an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status. NEBOSH offers a comprehensive range of globally-recognised, vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet the health, safety, environmental and risk management needs of all places of work in both the private and public sectors.

Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract around 30,000 candidates annually and are offered by over 450 course providers around the world. NEBOSH examinations have been taken in over 91 countries. NEBOSH qualifications are recognised by the relevant professional membership bodies including the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

Contact: Julia Whiting, Communications Co-ordinator, NEBOSH | Tel: +44 (0)116 263 4724 | Email: julia.whiting@nebosh.org.uk

NEBOSH, Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, LEICESTER LE19 1QW | Tel: 0116 263 4764 | www.nebosh.org.uk

Do you know about SAFENANO?

SAFENANO is Europe's Centre of Excellence in Nanotechnology Hazard and Risk, based at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) in the UK. Sources of information for nanotechnology include Recommended Reading List, which outlines key papers and reports related to nanoEHS.

SAFENANO staff have also written a lot of background information relating to Nanotechnology Guidance, Regulation and Standards, which can be accessed through the Knowledge Base.

Latest news is that SAFENANO reports that the European Commission (EC) has adopted Recommendation on the definition of a nanomaterial.

FABIG event covering 'Re-assessment and Upgrade of Existing Facilities' on the 30th Nov & 1st Dec 2011 in Aberdeen, London and via webcast

The meeting will cover "Re-assessment and Upgrade of Existing Facilities" and will be a half day event held on Wednesday the 30th of November 2011 in Aberdeen and on Thursday the 1st of December in London and via webcast (registering for the webcast also enables subsequent access to a video recording of the event for 2 weeks).

The programme will include the following presentations (final programme to be issued shortly):

Structural Assessment of Occupied Buildings on Petrochemical Sites, Refurbishment and Replacement Case Studies

Ian Maclachlan - IKM Consulting

Development, Design & Installation of a Novel, Retrofitted, Fire and Blast Wall

Richard Holliday and Michael Hasson - MMI Engineering

(title to be confirmed)

Ramsay Fraser - Atkins

Optimization of Flame Detector Layouts using Genetic Algorithms

Oliver Heynes - MMI Engineering

It is expected that the meeting will start with registration and lunch at 12.40 and the presentations will take place between 13.40 and 17.15.

Members of most engineering institutions can count FABIG Technical Meetings as Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Attendance certificates are issued to delegates upon request.

You can find more information and register for the event online at the FABIG website at www.fabig.com/events. Attendance is free of charge for FABIG members and £350 + VAT per person for non members. For non members, the fee to attend the live webcast is £200 + VAT per person.

For more information regarding registration, contact Lis Oliver by email at fabig@steel-sci.com or by phone at +44 (0) 1344 636 537.

Ireland's upcoming OSH Training and conference events

We are delighted to invite you to attend Health and Safety Ireland which is a free 2 day conference programme and dedicated exhibition.

The event is supported by a number of organisations including NISO. This event will be of benefit to safety professionals and all those responsible for protecting their staff from work related illness or injury.

It is a valuable way to stay up to date on the latest legislation and market developments without incurring significant costs. Attending both the exhibition and conference is free and may help you accrue CPD credits.

Car parking and entry are both free at The National Show Centre which is located just a short distance from Dublin Airport, and is well serviced by bus routes.

The organisers have asked that you pre-register via the event website to guarantee your free delegate place for the seminar program which is available online at www.healthandsafetyevents.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you at the NISO stand no. 71 should you attend the event.

Upcoming NISO Events

Manual Handling Instructor Course FETAC Level 6

7, 8, 9, 14 and 15 November 2011

Health and Safety Representation, FETAC Level 5

7, 8, 9 November 2011

Occupational First Aid, FETAC level 5

22, 23, 24 November 2011

Events in the region

For NISO members only: Regional AGMs

Midland Region - 22 November 2011 - a breakfast seminar will precede the AGM

9.45 Hrs, Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore

North Eastern Region - 28 November 2011

20.00 Hrs, Fairways Hotel, Dundalk

Western Region - 5 December 2011

18.00 Hrs - Oranmore Lodge Hotel, Oranmore, Co Galway

Eastern Region - 8 December 2011 - a seminar will precede the AGM

16.30 Hrs - Gresham Hotel, Dublin 1

Seminars and Workshops

Western Region - 14.00 Hrs, 10 November 2011, Oranmore Lodge Hotel, Oranmore, Co Galway

'Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders'

Midland Region - 8.30 Hrs, 22 November 2011, Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore

'Making Use of SDS & Labelling'

Eastern Region - 14.00 Hrs, 8 December 2011, Gresham Hotel, Dublin 1

'Health and Safety in Schools'

Contact: National Irish Safety Organisation, A11 Calmount Park, Ballymount, Dublin 12, Ireland | Tel: +353 1 465 9760 | Fax: +353 1 465 9765 | Email: info@niso.ie | Web: www.niso.ie

New USA study says texting doubles a driver's reaction time

Researchers at the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University, USA have determined that a driver's reaction time is doubled when distracted by reading or sending a text message. The study [PDF] reveals how the texting impairment is even greater than many experts believed, and demonstrates how texting drivers are less able to react to sudden roadway hazards.

In addition to the reaction-time element, researchers also measured each driver's ability to maintain proper lane position and a constant speed. Major findings further documented the impairment of texting when compared to the controlled driving conditions. Drivers were less able to:

• Safely maintain their position in the driving lane when they were texting and their swerving was worse in the open sections of the course than in barrelled sections.
• Maintain a constant speed while texting, tending to slow down in an effort to reduce the demand of the multiple tasks. By slowing down, a driver gains more time to correct for driving errors (such as the tendency to swerve while texting). Speed variance was also greater for texting drivers than for non-texting drivers.

The fact that the study was conducted in an actual driving environment is important, the researchers say. While simulators are useful, the dynamics of an actual vehicle are different, and some driver cues can't be replicated in a simulator.

The total distance covered by each driver in the study was slightly less than 11 miles. In the interest of safety for both participants and the research staff, researchers minimized the complexity of the driving task, using a straight-line course that contained no hills, traffic or potential conflicts other than the construction zone barrels. Consequently, the driving demands that participants encountered were considerably lower than those they would encounter under real-world conditions.

Ed Dubens CEO at Interactive Driving Systems said: 'Driver distraction has been an emerging issue in US driver safety research and practice over the last few years, this study emphasizes the reasons why organizations requiring their drivers to travel for work purposes should take the issue very seriously as part of their worker health, wellbeing and safety programs.'

Federal statistics suggest that distracted driving contributes to as much as 20 percent of all fatal crashes, and that cell phones constitute the primary source of driver distraction. Researchers point to two numbers to illustrate the magnitude of the texting while driving problem: an estimated 5 billion text messages are sent each day in the United States, and at least 20 percent of all drivers have admitted to texting while driving.

Read the full story and research paper at http://tti.tamu.edu/group/cts/texting-and-driving/

Interactive Driving Systems - more details about our work are available at www.virtualriskmanager.net and www.fleetsafetybenchmarking.net

The Independent Fire Engineering and Distributors Association has elected a new Chairman for the association at their recent AGM

Nigel Walton, Director at Abbot Fire Group, steps into the role having been an active member of the association for the past nine years. Walton said: "I am thrilled to accept this new role. It's an honour to have received the backing from my industry colleagues with their unanimous votes of support. My thanks go to the previous Chairman for his work and commitment, and I look forward to enhancing the work IFEDA does. Working with both members of the association, and the fire industry as a whole, I look forward to achieving IFEDA's aim of continually raising standards and procedures within the fire industry."

The AGM was followed by the IFEDA Annual Conference, where the association members benefit from talks by key industry speakers and presenters about information and legislation relevant to their industry.

Graham Ferris, General Manager at IFEDA, commented: "This year we received a huge amount of positive feedback from those members who attended the information sessions, not only in relation to the very varied topics, but also how the information can help with the running of their own businesses."

Rui Soreto, from Everlux Masterlux, flew in from Portugal to give a timely presentation on the recently published BS ISO 7010: 2011 which covers graphical symbols, safety colours and signs, and registered safety signs.

Speakers also included Ron Reid from Shoosmiths, the law firm, who commented: "It was clear to me that members took a real interest in the presentations and asked intelligent and searching questions of presenters to broaden not only their own knowledge but for the benefit of all."

IFEDA members also benefitted from a presentation from Stephen Adams, General and Marketing Manager, from BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment), who discussed the latest schemes and marketing news.

IFEDA, as an independent trade association, promotes quality standards and procedures within the fire safety industry.

Further details can be found at www.ifeda.org

ECHA Management Board adopts Work Programme for 2012 and policy on avoiding potential conflicts of interest

On 29 and 30 September, ECHA's Management Board held its 23rd plenary meeting and took a number of important strategic decisions.

The Management Board adopted the ECHA Work Programme for 2012. It describes ECHA's activities in the year before the 2013 REACH registration deadline. Apart from ensuring the readiness for the 2013 deadline, the priorities for ECHA in 2012 will be to live up to the expectations on evaluation, authorisation applications as well as preparation for the new Biocides and PIC regulations. Providing information for the public will also be a focus of the Agency's attention in 2012. The Programme is based on the assumption that ECHA will receive approval from the EU Budgetary Authority for ten new posts. If this is not approved, the Programme will be reviewed by the Management Board in December 2011.

The Board also adopted a Policy for avoiding and managing potential conflicts of interest. The new policy will shortly be available on the ECHA website. It demonstrates the importance of transparency and independence of decision-making: two of ECHA's core values.

Concerning international relations, the Management Board decided to invite Croatia as an observer to ECHA's Committees and Forum. In addition, Serbia was invited as guest to the next HelpNet Steering Group meeting. The Board will decide on the inclusion of Serbia as an observer in the work of the HelpNet at its next meeting, by when the further developments regarding Serbia's candidate status for EU accession are expected to become clearer.

As an appointing authority of the Executive Director, the Management Board also agreed at the meeting to initiate a procedure to prolong the Executive Director's mandate. The Commission was informed that a new selection procedure is thus not required.

The Chairman of the Management Board, Dr. Thomas Jakl commented: "After the first REACH registration deadline was impressively managed by ECHA in 2010, there is no time to rest on our laurels. Challenging further steps of the REACH and CLP implementation lie ahead and the legislator is in the process of entrusting important new regulatory tasks to the Agency. The continuation decision with regard to a selection process for the Executive Director reflects the high satisfaction of the Board with his achievements since 2007."

The meeting was hosted by the Maltese Government. The Management Board Members were welcomed by Dr Chris Said, the Parliamentary Secretary for Consumers, Fair Competition and Public Dialogue and held an exchange of views with representatives of the national competent authority for REACH and CLP.

The minutes of the meeting will be published on the ECHA website after their adoption at the next Management Board meeting which will be held in Helsinki from 15-16 December 2011.

Further Information

Preliminary conclusions of the 23rd Management Board Meeting: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13608/prelim_conclusions_mb_23_en.pdf

ECHA Work Programme for 2012: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13608/mb_56_2011_echa_work_programme_2012_revised_en.pdf

Safety watchdog challenges construction industry to learn from London 2012

Britain's safety watchdog is challenging the construction industry to learn from the London 2012 construction project and improve the safety record of one of the most dangerous occupations in Britain.

The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Leadership and worker involvement on the Olympic Park research, just published shows how the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) adopted an inclusive no scapegoating approach to managing risks that could be adapted to any project - irrespective of its size or budget. It is the first in a series of research reports that HSE will publish as part of the London 2012 Learning Legacy.

HSE started working with the ODA soon after London was awarded the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and set out very clear targets of what standards were expected, encouraging strong leadership and sharing of good practice. The ODA's top level commitment to health and safety was made clear from the outset and helped create a safe working environment for the thousands of workers on site.

The London 2012 Games construction project has shown that building projects on time and within budget does not mean compromising on the health and safety of your workers. HSE has received reports of only 114 injuries and eight dangerous occurrences that occurred during the 66 million hours of work, as of October 2011.

Stephen Williams, HSE's Director for London 2012, said:

"The report shows how strong leadership and worker involvement are key to a safer working environment. The ODA's creation of a no scapegoating culture allowed workers to raise issues without fear of reprisal, learning lessons to apply across the site and reducing the risk in hazardous activities.

"The construction industry has for many years been one of the most dangerous in which to earn a living. London 2012 is important because it shows it doesn't have to be that way. No matter what size your organisation, no matter what size your project, small changes in the way you operate can have a huge impact on the health and safety of your workers.

I want the rest of the construction industry to follow London's lead.

"London 2012 is entering the final stages of preparation and it is important that all those involved continue to manage risks sensibly until the whole project is across the finishing line."

The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to prevent death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk

Leadership and worker involvement on the Olympic Park is one of seven reports that will be published over the coming months on lessons that can be learned for the whole construction industry.

The research was conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES). www.employment-studies.co.uk

The research report sets out how project leaders engaged with the supply chain to develop a more collaborative, challenging and learning culture where each contractor assumed accountability for health and safety not only for their own area, but across the whole site. Multiple opportunities for two-way dialogue complemented with supervisor training, behavioural safety initiatives, reward and recognition for positive health and safety behaviour, and a 'fair blame' culture, helped create an environment where workers felt comfortable raising health and safety issues and could participate in solving problems.

The full report can be accessed via the revamped HSE London 2012 website