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Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd

News from around the World

News Archive

September 2022

Contents
  1. HSE Biocides ebulletin – Issued 22 September 2022
  2. US National Day of Service and Remembrance 2022
  3. IWMA Award 2022
  4. HSE Inspectors’ Guide to Electrical Safety
  5. Unions threaten strike over plans to “drive workers back to the workhouse” in government plans to curb industrial action
  6. Extreme heat: What are my rights at work? Health and Safety Executive (HSE) shares guidance
  7. Improving Flood Resilience in the UK: Ensuring UK Flood Preparedness in a Changing Climate webinar
  8. Healthy Tip: Healthy Bank Holidays
  9. International Conference on Occupational Radiation Protection – Strengthening Radiation Protection of Workers – Twenty Years of Progress and the Way Forward

HSE Biocides ebulletin – Issued: 22 September 2022

This ebulletin contains information on regulating biocides in Northern Ireland (NI).

The EU Biocidal Products Regulation (EU BPR) operates independently from the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR), which applies in Great Britain.

Separate ebulletins containing information specific to regulating biocides in Great Britain are issued as appropriate.

Reminder – upcoming EU active substance approval date

Apply for product authorisation by the deadline to keep your products on the NI market

The following EU BPR active substance approval date is coming up:

If you supply biocidal products containing this active substance in the relevant product types, don’t forget to apply for EU BPR product authorisation by the date above to keep them on the NI market.

Reminder – upcoming EU active substance renewal submission deadlines

Apply for active substance renewal by the deadlines to keep products on the NI market

Under the EU BPR, active substance approvals will expire unless a renewal application is submitted at least 550 days before their expiry date.

The 550-day deadlines are coming up for the following active substance/product type combinations under EU BPR. This affects NI:

Any person, company or taskforce/consortium can support an active substance/product type combination for renewal – it doesn’t have to be the original supporter.

Check the EU Article 95 List to see who the original supporters were.

If a renewal application is not submitted for the above active substance/product type combinations under EU BPR, the approvals will expire. This means the active substances can no longer be used in biocidal products of the relevant product types in NI.

Are your contact details up to date?

Make sure you are receiving important information about your product authorisations and approvals

If you hold product authorisations and approvals in Northern Ireland under the EU BPR or the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR), you should make sure HSE has the right contact details for you.

If the details we hold are out of date, you may not receive important information about your product authorisation or approval.

Update your details

US National Day of Service and Remembrance 2022

Each year the USA country observes a National Day of Service and Remembrance to reflect on the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the lives lost, and the bravery and resilience shown on that day and in the years after.

A statement from WTC Health Program Administrator John Howard, M.D. commemorating 21 years since September 11, 2001 is available on the NIOSH Science Blog: https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2022/09/09/sept-11-2022

IWMA Award 2022

In 2022, the (International Water Mist Association) IWMA scientific council had the pleasure to evaluate four master theses dealing with water mist – all of them on a very high level which made the decision difficult.

After a two-month-long evaluation process, council chairman Hong-Zeng Yu (FM Global) and his colleagues have now published their decision to honour Haydn Lewis, a young scientist from Australia.

Haydn graduated from Lund University, Division of Fire Safety Engineering and was supervised by Dr Nils Johansson. The title of his thesis is: “Factors influencing the generation of carbon monoxide in fires partially suppressed through water mist application”.

Haydn says: “It is an honour to have received this recognition for my thesis. Firstly, I would like to thank the IWMA’s scientific council for their efforts in reviewing and adjudicating the works of the finalists, all of which sound very interesting. I would also like to thank my supervisor Dr Nils Johansson for his interest and encouragement to translate my rough concept into a formal research project.”

Haydn has been invited to the 21st International Water Mist Conference which will take place in Madrid on 9th and 10th November 2022. Having been given a speaker slot, he will get the opportunity to introduce his work to a wider audience and is looking forward to the following discussion.

More information: https://www.iwma.net

HSE Inspectors’ Guide to Electrical Safety

This workshop provides a practical understanding of what HSE inspectors are looking for in the control of electrical safety risks, including reviewing known high-risk electrical safety issues.

Find out more: https://solutions.hse.gov.uk/health-and-safety-training-courses/hse-inspectors%e2%80%99-guide-to-electrical-safety

Unions threaten strike over plans to “drive workers back to the workhouse” in government plans to curb industrial action

If Liz Truss becomes prime minister and enacts “Victorian” plans to restrict the right to industrial action, union leaders have threatened a general strike this year.

Truss has promised “militant action” from trade unions can no longer “paralyse” the economy if she replaces outgoing Tory leader Boris Johnson. Truss has said her government would introduce legislation in the first 30 days of parliament to guarantee a minimum level of service on vital national infrastructure.

Read more: https://www.ier.org.uk/news/unions-threaten-strike-over-plans-to-drive-workers-back-to-the-workhouse-in-government-plans-to-curb-industrial-action

Extreme heat: What are my rights at work? Health and Safety Executive (HSE) shares guidance

Employers must make sure indoor workplaces remain at a reasonable temperature and manage the risk of working outdoors in hot environments, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The workplace regulator is sharing guidance ahead of the extreme warm weather predicted for Great Britain at the start of next week.

A heatwave warning is in place until Tuesday (19 July) so HSE is reminding employers of their legal duty to ensure employees can work in reasonable temperatures in indoor workplaces. What is reasonable varies, and will depend upon the nature of the individual workplace.

There is no maximum temperature for workplaces, but all workers are entitled to an environment where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Heat is classed as a hazard and comes with legal obligations like any other hazard.

Workers should also take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions at work.

More information: https://press.hse.gov.uk/2022/07/15/extreme-heat-what-are-my-rights-at-work

Improving Flood Resilience in the UK: Ensuring UK Flood Preparedness in a Changing Climate webinar

Tuesday, November 1st 2022, 9:30-13:00

Programme

More information: https://www.publicpolicyexchange.co.uk/event.php?eventUID=LJ19%E2%80%93PPE

Healthy Tip: Healthy Bank Holidays

This Monday marked the last bank holiday of the summer. How about reducing the end-of-summer blues by kicking off autumn on a positive note? With that in mind, you may want to resist the temptation to have a boozy one and indulge in too many unhealthy foods as this will leave you feeling less than your best as we head into September. Why not make a few healthy changes this bank holiday and start September feeling great and ready to tackle the month ahead?

Heart Research UK have put together a few tips to give you a helping hand:

Full details: https://heartresearch.org.uk/ht-healthy-bank-holiday

International Conference on Occupational Radiation Protection – Strengthening Radiation Protection of Workers – Twenty Years of Progress and the Way Forward

5-9 September 2022, Geneva, Switzerland

The conference will be organized by the IAEA, hosted by the Government of Switzerland and co-sponsored by the ILO and in cooperation with other international organizations.

The increasing use of medical procedures utilizing ionizing radiation and better access to this health technology resulted in rapid increase in the number of occupationally exposed workers in medicine over the years. Substantial occupational exposure may occur in certain medical procedures. It is a continuing challenge, in particular for exposure control and training of healthcare professionals in radiation protection issues.

There is an increasing awareness of the need to protect workers in industries involving Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and to apply a graded approach by regulators and operators’ resources for the management of worker protection. Experience exchange is needed to establish regulatory requirements for radiation protection in industrial processes involving NORM. Regulation and management of radon exposure in workplaces is also an important topic.

More information: https://www.iaea.org/events/occupational-radiation-protection-2022/news

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