CIS Newsletter

No. 173
February 2004

CIS Newsletter celebrates 16 years & still going strong! Bringing news to over 135 countries in the CIS Network

Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. News from Geneva. Half price cut for Encyclopaedia
  3. Special Offer from SilverPlatter/Croner OSH databases
  4. News from around the world... OSH-ROM, Asbestos, DSE compliance, EU Safety first - new laws for product recalls. MSO: Influenza. Lighter seed bags aids agriculture manual handling. News from JISHA, IOHA 2005 conference, NIOSH, Agency, China, Canada and more
  5. Focus on Poland
  6. OSHE web sites to explore
  7. Diary of Events

Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

Well, that was January - we progress on with the New Year. There are some interesting news items from around the world in this edition, and further news from CIS HQ Geneva regarding the 2004 annual meeting.

I hope that this year will see more CIS Members able to receive this newsletter by email. If you are reading this in print format and wish to receive it via email please let me know. I am checking out the emails listed in the ILO CIS Bulletin that comes out 4 times per year, and will send to those who as yet have not opted for this way of receiving it. I am very aware that when compiling this newsletter there are still Centres who do not have computer equipment, email facilities and FULL Internet accessibility.

If any of you have had success in promoting CIS in your country please let me know - you will be interested in the story from Poland in this edition. We should all make greater efforts in our own country to promote CIS activities and products and try to get some of the income streams back for CIS.

Thanks to all the contributors to this edition of your Newsletter - all news however small is most welcomed. If you are planning any publications, seminars or training courses, then please send your details to me so that we can share your efforts with others. Don't forget to send me your latest news! It is amazing how much the CIS Newsletter content gets re-used around the world.

You know I welcome ideas for inclusion in the future editions of this Newsletter. Let me know if there are any areas you would wish to see covered in future.

Remember the back issues of the CIS Newsletter are available at the click of the mouse on www.sheilapantry.com/cis. Please note that my new email.

Best wishes to you and your colleagues.

Sheila Pantry, OBE
85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK
Tel: +441909 771024
Fax: +441909 772829
Email: sp@sheilapantry.com
www.oshworld.com
www.sheilapantry.com
www.shebuyersguide.com

CIS NETWORK OF NATIONAL INFORMATION CENTRES.........
WORKING TOGETHER AND HELPING EACH OTHER....

News from Geneva

CIS Centres AGM 2004

Emmert Clevenstine says that the 2004 CIS Annual Meeting will take place in the 3rd quarter of 2004 - perhaps early September 2004. As yet the location is not specified, but may be Geneva.

So, CIS colleagues, remember that this is your network, think about the future for CIS Centres, the networking, what YOU want to see happening. Start to be vocal and communicate ideas now to CIS HQ.

Report of 2003 CIS Meeting

The report of last year's CIS Centres meeting in London is just off the press and will be mailed in the next few days.

Price of the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety cut in half!

The ILO's Bureau of Publications has started the New Year off right by cutting the price of the Encyclopaedia (both English and French) in half. Visitors to their Web site www.ilo.org/global/publications will find that it is now $250, Sw.Fr.275, £150 or 175Euros - ISBN 92 2 109203 9 and the single-user CD-ROM ISBN 92-2-109818-4 is just £105.

The 4th and final volume of the French version of the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety arrived in Geneva from the printer on Friday Jan. 23rd 2004

Full details on www.ilo.org/safework/info/databases/lang--en/WCMS_113329/index.htm

Contact: Nick Evans, Head of Publications, ILO-London, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London SW1P 4QP | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7828 6401 Ext 203 | Fax: +44 (0) 20 7233 5925 | Mobile: 07793 559992 | Website: www.ilo.org/public/english/region/eurpro/london_r

Special Offer on SilverPlatter H&S Databases from Croner

Until the end of March 2004, our readers will be entitled to substantial discounts on new orders of SilverPlatter Health & Safety information products published by Croner. Working in conjunction with Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, Croner is delighted to offer special pricing for a limited period to readers of ILO CIS Newsletter

Part of Wolters Kluwer UK, Croner (www.croner.co.uk) is one the UK's leading providers of business information, advice and support. Croner publishes over 250 information packages in the areas of compliance and best practice. SilverPlatter Health & Safety information products offer a wealth of full-text legislation and guidance, bibliographic research content and hazardous chemicals data. Croner's international SilverPlatter publishing team draws on expertise from H&S industry specialists, as well as many years' experience meeting the needs of health and safety professionals and knowledge seekers.

The SilverPlatter database format offers regularly updated, cross-searchable data using acclaimed retrieval technologies on CD-ROM, across networks and via the Internet. Key products include:

Data is carefully validated and annual subscriptions are available for single or multiple sites, according to the number of simultaneous users accessing the data. Please contact Katherine.Moore@croner.co.uk to order a subscription or to take out a free 30-day product trial via the Internet. Or telephone +44(0) 20 8247 1633

OSH-ROM brings together six complementary bibliographic databases covering critical international occupational health and safety information. The individual databases contain over one and a half million citations from over 5000 journals and 100,000 monographs and technical reports, making OSH-ROM a unique and vital resource.

CISDOC from the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO): Includes references from over 35 countries.

HSELINE from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Information Services: contains citations to all HSE and Health and Safety Commission (HSC) publications, together with documents, journal articles, conference proceedings, legislation and a range of extra information from other countries.

MEDLINE: Occupational and Environmental Medicine (MOEM). A time-saving extract of OEM records from the U.S. National Library of Medicine's (NLM) vast MEDLINE database, which indexes and abstracts such journals as The American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, Annals of Occupational Hygiene and International Journal of Occupational Medicine, as well as most other specialist OEM and general medical periodicals.

MHIDAS the Major Hazard Incident Data Service, created by AEA Technology plc on behalf of the Major Hazards Assessment Unit of the UK Health and Safety Executive, records dangerous incidents involving hazardous materials, to aid risk identification for these substances.

NIOSHTIC and NIOSHTIC-2 from the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Technical Information Center, contains the large NIOSHTIC database of references to workplace safety and health literature, plus NIOSHTIC-2, which indexes NIOSH created or funded documents.

RILOSH Ryerson International Labour Occupational Safety and Health Index is produced by the Ryerson Technical University Library, Canada. RILOSH covers health and safety, chemical toxicology, environmental health, safety engineering, biotechnology, biohazards and a range of labour relations, employment practices and personnel management topics.

Source: International Labour Organization, U.K. Atomic Energy Authority, U.K. Health & Safety Executive, U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd/Ryerson Polytechnic University
Access Options: Internet; CD-ROM; Hard Disk
Coverage: 1966-Present
Online Equivalent: NIOSHTIC; NIOSHTIC-2; HSELINE; CISDOC; MHIDAS; MEDLINE
Print Equivalent: None
Data Type: Bibliographic
Number of Records: 1,400,000+
Records Added Annually: 40,000+
Subjects: Health & Safety, Government Regulations, Chemicals

TUC comment on BMJ asbestos study

Commenting on a study out 30 January 2004 in this week's BMJ which suggests that the UK is facing an epidemic of mesothelioma, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "The BMJ figures reinforce what unions have been saying for many years. Many thousands of workers have already suffered long, slow and painful deaths because of exposure to asbestos. Many tens of thousands more who have worked with asbestos in the past face an uncertain future, not knowing if they too will one day become mesothelioma victims.

"For too long people who develop mesothelioma have been written off as untreatable. We need more research into possible cures for this dreadful illness. The use of asbestos might now be banned in the UK, but this is not the end of the problem.

"Half a million workplaces still contain asbestos, much of it sitting there forgotten about until it gets disturbed during maintenance or demolition work. The best legacy that we can give to those whose lives have been destroyed and ended by this killer dust is to ensure that is managed safely so that no more workers are unwittingly exposed."

The study published in the BMJ says that there are now over 1800 mesothelioma deaths per year in Britain (more than one in 200 of all deaths in men and almost one in 1000 in women) and the number is still increasing. It says that as exposure in the UK continued until 1980, the peak of the epidemic is still to come, and that a strategy is needed to manage these patients.

All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

News from Ireland

Make DSE compliance your New Year's resolution

Is compliance with the DSE regulations on your list of New Year's resolutions? Or are you going to continue grappling with the problem in 2004 and beyond?

More and more organisations are facing up to the fact that to get anywhere near compliance with the DSE regulations you need to use a computer-based system. EssentialSkillz DSE solution, Workstation Essentials, is a beautifully illustrated and easy to use online course and risk assessment that provides you with an efficient and easy to implement solution to your DSE requirements. After completing the course employees are asked to complete an online risk assessment of their workstation. EssentialSkillz risk assessment software is unique in the market.

EssentialSkillz, Manor House, Spiddal, Galway, Ireland | Tel: +353 (0) 91 504050

And at: 130 Oxford Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire K11 8JG, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 79092 221122 | Email: info@essentalskillz | www.essentialskillz.com

EU Safety first new laws for product recalls

Rules applicable from 15 January 2004 are designed to improve the safety of consumer products. The revised General Product Safety Directive (GSPD - 2001/95/EC), adopted in 2001 and entering into force today concerns safety controls of all consumer products (except food). It sets safety requirements for consumer products such as sports- and playground equipment, child-care articles, lighters and most household products such as textiles and furniture.

The Commission receives around 150 notifications of dangerous products annually, most often associated to risks of choking and suffocation, electric shocks and fires. The category of products more often notified is toys, followed by electric appliances and products. David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, said: "For the first time manufacturers have the legal obligation to inform authorities if a product is unsafe. These are recalled and taken of the market. Also for the first time the Commission can even now initiate recalls and provisional bans to assure the same level of protection for the entire EU. This is very good news for consumers." The new rules are:

Clarifying the rules
There is the legal obligation to inform authorities if a product is unsafe. These are recalled and taken of the market. Also for the first time the Commission can even now initiate recalls and provisional bans to assure the same level of protection for the entire EU. This is very good news for consumers. The EU's rules on product safety are a mixture of laws applying to specific products or sectors and general laws applying to all products. The revised GPSD clarifies the relationship between its general rules on product safety and product or sector specific laws. Detailed guidance on how the GPSD relates to the Toys Directive, the Directive on Equipment with Voltage Limits, the Directive on Personal Protective Equipment and the Cosmetics Directive is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/gpsd/guidance_gpsd_en.pdf

The revised GPSD further clarifies that products that "migrate" from professional to consumer use for example, power tools primarily intended for builders that become available for sale or rent to consumers in DIY shops are covered by its rules, as are products supplied to or used by consumers as part of a service.

More effective use of standards
Compliance costs for businesses should fall as the revised GPSD makes more effective use of standards from bodies such as CEN and CENELEC. Products complying with certain Europe-wide standards will be deemed to meet safety requirements in all Member States. An initial list of these standards will be published later this year. It is likely to include standards relating to childcare products such as cradles, cots and baby-soothers.

European Product Safety Network
The Directive establishes a European Product Safety Network, enabling national consumer protection authorities to pool expertise and share information. The Commission hosted several preparatory meetings of this Network, the last on 19 December 2003, in anticipation of the new GPSD coming into force. Work is underway on establishing a list of potentially dangerous products of EU-wide concern, with a view to Member States dividing up the work of monitoring and testing them. This should mean more products being scrutinised more quickly at little or no extra cost to tax payers around Europe.

Further information about the revised General Product Safety Directive see: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/safety/rapex/index_en.htm

MSO: Influenza

Staff working in S.E. Asia may be concerned about reports of virulent strains of influenza in the region. This short review assesses the current status of the influenza epidemic in Europe, the USA and S.E. Asia with particular reference to the emerging epidemic in bird populations in Asia and the possibility of this developing into a human-to-human epidemic. Data is taken from current WHO reports.

Three new Influenza virus strains are causing concern in S.E. Asia. All are avian (bird) viruses but have the propensity to cause severe infection in humans. Bird to-human infections can be expected to cause limited and controllable outbreaks of human disease. The concern, however is that "mixing" in pigs, birds or human reservoirs could add human antigens to viruses enabling them to spread from human-to-human. This could result in a major epidemic of human disease with high mortality.

MSO (Medical Services Overseas Ltd.) does not consider that any specific action is required at present, though expatriates and business travellers should all be immunised against the less pathogenic strains current in the Northern Hemisphere and elsewhere. WHO is testing vaccines effective against these avian strains: current vaccines are not likely to be effective. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Of particular concern is the H5N1 strain. H5N1 has shown itself to be highly pathogenic and is now causing a spreading epidemic [in birds] in S.E. Asia. The epidemic began in mid-December 2003 in the Republic of Korea and is now being seen in other Asian countries. Human infections and deaths were reported by WHO in Viet Nam in January 2004. In February 2003, this strain caused 2 human cases and 1 death in Hong Kong in members of a family who had recently travelled to southern China. H5N1 mutates rapidly and has a documented propensity to acquire genes from viruses infecting other animal species. Its ability to cause severe disease in humans has now been documented on two occasions.

Two other avian influenza viruses have recently caused illness in humans. An outbreak of highly pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza, which began in the Netherlands in February 2003, caused the death of one veterinarian two months later, and mild illness in 83 other humans. Mild cases of avian influenza H9N2 in children occurred in Hong Kong in 1999 (two cases) and in mid-December 2003 (one case).

Less pathogenic stains of Influenza have caused almost all of the cases seen in Europe and the USA. Deaths have been limited and the vaccine (Northern Hemisphere type) has been largely very effective in preventing serious illness and deaths. H3N2 continues to be widespread in Europe (Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway and Switzerland) and in the USA though activity is generally levelling off (except in from Croatia, Latvia and Switzerland where more cases are still being reported).

Immunisation with current Influenza vaccines does not provide protection against the avian strains though it remains important in preventing other circulating strains of Influenza (for which the antigenic match has generally been good). WHO is now testing vaccines against H5N1 and H7N7 strains.

Dr Andrew Dickson, Medical Services Overseas Ltd | dr@mso-uk.com

NEDERMAN literature library on CD-ROM

Nederman is a world leader in dust and fume extraction equipment and systems, hose reels and personal protection equipment. The company's services range from design and specification through to installation and maintenance. Nederman product information, including technical specifications, is now available on CD-ROM, which details the company's brochures formatted as Adobe Acrobat portable document format (pdf) files.

As with the Nederman web site www.nederman.com the new CD provides complete details of the extensive Nederman product range.

For a free copy of the CD call Nederman Marketing on Tel: +44 (0)1772 332177 or email info@nederman.co.uk

Nederman UK, PO Box 503, 91 Walton Summit, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancashire PR5 8A, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1772 334721 | Fax: + 44(0) 1772 332106 | Email: info@nederman.co.uk | www.nederman.com

Lighter seed bags to reduce agricultural handling problems

There should be fewer bad backs among workers in agriculture when an agreement to switch to smaller bags for seed comes into effect. The agreement was initiated by the Health and Safety Commission's Health in Agriculture Group (HIAG).

Certified seed suppliers and farm-saved seed mobile cleaners have agreed to stop using 50kg bags by the autumn of 2007. The move comes following discussions between the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) and HIAG.

Roger Nourish, Acting Chief Inspector of Agriculture and chair of HIAG, said 'More workers in agriculture suffer from bad backs than in any other industry and there is wide agreement that we need to move people away from handling bags of seed weighing 50 kg.'

The 2001/02 self-reported work-related injury survey shows that of those who have worked in agriculture in the past eight years, 3.8% have sustained a musculoskeletal injury, compared with 2.3% in general manufacturing and 3.6% in construction.

He went on to say 'HIAG asked the AIC to investigate the scope for reducing the weight of bagged seed and they have responded with positive proposals to move away from 50kg bags. This is a good example of collaborative working where the risk of injury is being addressed at source.'

The AIC found an ongoing shift from manual to bulk handling of agricultural seed, particularly in arable areas. However they also identified a continuing demand for bagged seed especially amongst livestock farmers growing small acreages of cereals.

Paul Rooke of the AIC said 'With a general move towards bulk handling on the one hand and smaller pack sizes at the other, our members felt they could play their part in reducing the risk of injury amongst their customers. The lead-in time allows suppliers to spread the cost of changes to capital equipment.

Jill Hewitt speaking of behalf of the NAAC's mobile seed processors group said: 'Our members felt that there was a sufficiently strong case for discontinuing supply in 50 kg bags and support this move.'

Action on the manual handling of loads is part of a programme to reduce injuries from musculo-skeletal disorders, which is one of eight key programmes in the Health and Safety Commission's strategy up to 2010.

The Health in Agriculture Group (HIAG) is a working group of the Commission's Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee, the main consultative committee on health and safety in agriculture.

News from Japan

JISHA 2003 report available

The Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA) have published their 2003 Annual report that covers a wide range of activities both on the domestic and international fronts and includes descriptions of such as technical services, research, total health promotion, education and training, the Zero-Accident Total Participation Campaign, safety and health publications and international co-operation.

The report also lists the JISHA English Publication and well as the web sites and JOHSA safety signs. Notification is also given of the

27-29 October 2004 - 63rd National Industrial Safety and Health Convention
Osaka, Japan
Contact: Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association, 5035-1 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 1080014 Japan | Tel/Fax: +81 3 3454 4596 | Email: kokusai@jisha.or.jp | www.jisha.or.jp

News from South Africa

IOHA 2005 Conference

IOHA 6th International Scientific Conference, 19-23 September 2005, Pilanesberg National Park, North West Province, South Africa

The theme is "Promoting Occupational Hygiene in Africa and Globally" The web has the initial announcement and call for papers.

IOHA look forward to any suggestions you may wish to make on the Guestbook with regard to the IOHA 2005 Conference, Professional Development and Poster Sessions, Workshops, Exhibition and Social Programme. Alternatively Email suggestions to ioha2005@asosh.org.

News the USA

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards and other databases on CD-ROM

CIS Members will wish to know that the latest CD edition of these well-known sources is now available. The CD contains a sel3ection of databases and documents that are available on the NIOSH website www.cdc.gov/niosh

In addition, this CD contains the OSHA Sampling and Analytical Methods and the 2000 Emergency Response Guidebook, which are available on the OSH website www.osha.gov and the Department of Transportation website http://hazmat.dot.gov

The NPG is intended as a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes for workers, employers, and occupational health professionals. The NPG does not contain an analysis of all pertinent data, rather it presents key information and data in abbreviated or tabular form for chemicals or substance groupings (e.g. cyanides, fluorides, manganese compounds) that are found in the work environment. The information found in the NPG should help users recognize and control occupational chemical hazards.

The CD also includes the following:

And other data sources

Latest edition of this collection is dated October 2003 - red cover, NIOSH Publication No. 92004-103.

Contact: NIOSH | Tel:1-800-356-4674 | Outside the U.S. + 1513-533-8328 | www.cdc.gov/niosh

Poster and leaflet campaign aims to prevent falls in UK classrooms

Teachers and classroom assistants from schools in Sheffield, Trafford and Glasgow this week start a safety campaign to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by falls in the classroom. In the last six years there have been five deaths and over three thousand injuries in the education sector alone.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the three local education authorities have produced posters and a guidance leaflet to raise awareness of safety in the classroom. Teachers and classroom assistants are at risk of suffering injury as a result of a fall from height. Examples include:

The posters offer a visual reminder that using inappropriate equipment, such as a table or a chair, to carry out an activity at height can be dangerous. The leaflet raises awareness of accidents in the classroom and provides guidance on good practice.

The initiative is scheduled to run until the end of the summer term, and, once evaluated, may spread across the country. Bill Gillan, Programme Manager for the HSE Falls from Height Priority Programme, said:

"I am delighted that these three local education authorities have agreed to work with HSE to address the issue of falls from height amongst classroom staff. Our statistics show that teachers and classroom assistants are at risk from this type of accident and we hope that this approach will be successful in raising awareness of the danger and reducing the number of accidents."

Exporting to Eastern Europe?

Lycos Ltd are pleased to announce the expansion of Lycos Athena 4's safety data sheet language capability. From 1 May 2004, the EU member states are set to expand to include new members Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. In keeping with its continuous update programme Lycos are most of the way there with adding the extra languages to the Athena 4 system.

The recent addition of Polish, Greek, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian and Norwegian has taken the safety data sheet and supply label language capability up to 17. The addition of the remaining Eastern European languages (early 2004) will increase our unique phrase library to 21 languages, making exporting to Eastern Europe easier than ever before.

New Barcode Solution

In response to requests from existing customers through our client base "wish list", we are now able to offer a bar-coding facility within the labelling module in Lycos Athena 4. In addition to being able to design and produce sophisticated multi language supply labels, users of the Lycos Athena 4 system can now add barcodes to their product labels making stock management easier than ever before.

COSHH Assessment Sheets

In keeping with Lycos rapid response to customer requests, they are pleased to include within Lycos Athena 4, a facility for producing COSHH assessment sheets. With the responsibility to provide a safe working environment for employees falling heavily on the shoulders of the employers, the addition of this facility makes managing the production of paperwork for your hazardous substances less of a burden.

All of these features, along with all legislative amendments, will be made available to all Lycos Athena 4 customers with a valid annual support contract, free of charge.

Running Lycos*2000 or the HazTran System?

For a limited time only, Lycos are offering existing customers the opportunity to upgrade to the Lycos Athena 4 system at the specially discounted price of only £950. For further information, please contact the Lycos sales team at sales@lycos.ltd.uk

Do your Labels and Safety Data Sheets meet the EU legislation requirements?

Give your hazardous substance documentation a health check. Free of charge, the Lycos team of Legislation Officers will study your Safety Data Sheets, Supply Labels, and Transport Emergency Cards and provide a report on their compliance. Contact legislation@lycos.ltd.uk for further details.

For an information pack on the Lycos Athena 4 system or to request a demonstration with one of Lycos legislation officers, please contact sales@lycos.ltd.uk or on 01422 844404.

Claire Sharp, Sales Executive, Lycos Limited, Burlees House, Hangingroyd Lane, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 7DD, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1422 844404 | Fax: +44 (0) 1422 845709 | sales@lycos.ltd.uk | www.lycos.ltd.uk

News from the European Agency for Health and Safety

Safety and health risks of women at work tend to be underestimated and neglected

New Agency report examines gender differences in workplace injury and illnesses and implications for prevention and finds that the traditional prevention approach can underestimate work-related risks to women

A new Agency report Gender issues in safety and health - A review examines gender differences in workplace injury and illness, gaps in knowledge and the implications for improving risk prevention. It shows how the design of work, its organisation and equipment are often based on the model of the 'average' man, although the principle of matching work to workers is enshrined in EU legislation.

In general it can be said that women suffer more from work related stress, infectious diseases, upper limb disorders, skin diseases as well asthma and allergies, while men suffer more from accidents, back pain and hearing loss.

Recommendations from the report include the promotion and facilitation of a gender-sensitive approach in research, policy and prevention practices to help ensure effective prevention and avoid gender bias in occupational safety and health (OSH).

Commenting at the launch of the report, Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou said 'Improving the quality of women's work is a fundamental part of achieving the European Union's goal to significantly increase the participation of women in employment. This report shows how important it is to consider gender in risk prevention and include occupational health and safety in gender equality activities in order to improve the prevention of work related risks for both men and women.'

The Director of the Agency, Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, commented 'Our study documents that the traditional gender-neutral approach to prevention can result in underestimation and even negligence of the real risks especially to the health of women. Risk assessment and prevention need to be more gender sensitive and in general take into consideration the ever increasing diversity of the European workforce.'

Coinciding with the release of the report, the Agency has also launched a web feature on gender and occupational safety and health, providing links to a wide variety of resources from sources worldwide.

Further information: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Gran Via 33, E-48009 Bilbao - Spain | Tel: + 34 94 479 4360 | Fax: + 34 94 479 4383 | http://osha.europa.eu | Email: information@osha.eu.int

The Agency commissioned the report following the new community strategy for safety and health at work that has 'mainstreaming' or integrating gender into OSH activities as an objective for the EU. The report is available on the agency website at: http://osha.europa.eu/publications/reports/209/en/index.htm

Employment objectives of the European Union, as set out in the 'Lisbon Strategy', 2000 include increasing the participation rate of women in employment to 60% by the year 2010, within an aim of increasing overall participation to 70%. The strategy rests on the aim of not just creating jobs, but creating good quality jobs. (Lisbon European Council, March 2002).

The gender website can be accessed at http://osha.europa.eu/en/priority_groups/gender

In addition to the report, there the Agency has produced two factsheets, one providing a summary of the report, the other presenting a model for including gender in risk prevention. The factsheets are available in the 11 EU languages and are downloadable from the website at: http://osha.europa.eu/publications/factsheets/

Register for EurOhs Magazine and Newsletter free of charge

You can register to receive both EurOhs: European Occupational Health and Safety Magazine published 8 times per year and also the EurOhs weekly electronic newsletter. Both are free of charge to those working in occupational health, safety, environment and fire Sectors.

For your free subscription click onto www.eurohs.eu.com/eurohs-magazine/mailshot.htm

Angel Business Communications Ltd, 34 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warks CV8 1HE, United Kingdom | www.angelbc.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 1926 512424 | Fax: +44 (0) 1926 512948 | Mobile: 07973 158294

Occupational Health and Safety in China

The International Journal of occupational and Environmental Health Volume 9, Number 4, October - December 2003 has a SPECIAL ISSUE: Occupational Health and Safety in China
Garret D. Brown, Dara O'Rourke, Guest Editors www.ijoeh.com

Online: The Race to China and Implications for Global Labor Standards
English Version (Adobe PDF)
Spanish Version (Adobe PDF)
The status of occupational health and safety conditions in China is an issue of growing importance to health professionals, labor rights organizations, local factory operators, multinational corporations, consumers, and, of course, Chinese workers. Over the last decade, China has emerged as the "world's factory floor." Occupational health and safety laws, regulations, and implementing agencies are struggling simply to keep up with the current explosive economic growth.

Online: Experiments in Transforming the Global Workplace: Incentives and Impediments
English Version (Adobe PDF)
This article highlights current economic conditions in China and analyzes existing obstacles to improving workplace conditions and labor practices. There are significant disincentives to strengthening workplace protections, and downward pressures are currently worsening conditions in a number of economic sectors.

Other Articles in the Issue:

Where are Public Affairs Going?

"Working in public affairs is like farming on the flank of a volcano. It pays to keep your eyes on the horizon for signs of trouble" according to Tom Spencer in his new book Public Affairs and Power, Essays in a Time of Fear.

On leaving the European Parliament in 1999, former MEP and founder of the European Centre for Public Affairs, Tom Spencer, determined that he should take the opportunity to write. The 15 essays contained in this book are part of the result. They have been written on the boundaries between academic consideration and practitioner reality, and between public affairs and politics. If journalism is "the first draft of history", these essays live on the time boundary between journalism and research; identifying trends, challenges and questions facing the world of public affairs. As such, this inspiring book is essential reading for all practitioners and students of public affairs, as well as for policy-makers, business and the media. As says Erik Jonnaert, Director Corporate External Relations EMEA, Procter & Gamble, "Read one essay a day for two weeks and you will be able to sharpen your performance as a public affairs practitioner".

This new book is published in association with the European Centre for Public Affairs. It is available from Landmarks or good bookshops (ISBN 90-74373-16-X) at EUR 28.00 for Belgium, EUR 30.50 for other EU countries and EUR 32.00 for all other countries. Prices include VAT, handling and postage. For more details please visit: www.landmarks-publishing.com or contact:

Alain Fallik, Publisher, Landmarks SA, Avenue de Tervuren 402, B-1150 Brussels | Tel.: 32 2 779 95 49 | Fax: 32 2 779 95 63 | E-mail: info@landmarks-publishing.com

News from Canada

CCOHS Releases New Web Design of Occupational Health and Safety Encyclopaedia

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) released a fresh new design of the web version of the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety in January 2004. The Encyclopaedia, described as "indispensable" by many experts in the OSH field, now sports a cleaner, easier to navigate design developed by CCOHS.

The table of contents allows users to browse document lists and find the documents they need at a glance. The searching capability has also been greatly enhanced, allowing greater flexibility and speed in searching and retrieving data from the site. Users can now search the ILO Encyclopaedia on its own, or together with the CISILO database. This means users can access the information they need more easily and quicker, saving effort and time.

Simple searches can be conducted using natural language, or advanced search capabilities can be used including Boolean, wildcard, phrase, or word searches, etc. In addition, users can search specifically for "author", "title", "references", or "CAS number". The search terms appear highlighted in the documents for easy reference.

The Fourth Edition of the Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, published by the International Labour Office of the United Nations, consists of more than 100 chapters with over 1,000 separate articles containing essential safety information gathered by health and safety experts around the world. Its comprehensive coverage of occupational health and safety topics will assist anyone concerned about these issues, including non-specialists such as lawyers, physicians, nurses, engineers, as well as industrial hygienists, toxicologists, regulators and other safety professionals.

For more information or to subscribe to the web version of the Fourth Edition of the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, contact CCOHS' Client Services at clientservices@ccohs.ca or visit www.ccohs.ca.

News from Poland

International OSH information system CIS - Polish National CIS Centre

The quick development of the societies nowadays have to be based on international exchange of information. The "information societies" understand what the proverb "information is power" means. The role of international information systems increases every year and they become a very powerful and useful tool.

They are very important in all aspects of human activities, but specially in the so multi-subject fields as occupational safety and health. It's connected with almost all the fields of knowledge: ergonomics, chemistry, physics, psychology, sociology, engineering and many others. So without the help of specialized search information systems, the specialist of occupational safety and health could have spend a lot of time trying to get the proper information, needed in his/her work.

To promote nowadays a positive health and safety culture in societies, to protect people in their work and life environment - is not easy without the knowledge on the ways used for it all over the world. The international exchange of information is a very important source of any OSH scientist's or practitioner's activities.

1. International CIS Centre and the CIS network

One of the example of the international information systems in the one, organized by the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre CIS. It was organized in 1959 and acts within the International Labour Office in Geneva, which is the secretariat of International Labour Organization ILO.

The International CIS Centre is located in the frame of Programme on Safety, Health and the Environment (SafeWork) - the department of ILO, which creates worldwide awareness of the dimensions and consequences of work-related accidents, injuries and diseases, promotes the goal of basic protection for all workers in conformity with international labour standards as well as enhances the capacity of member States and industry to design and implement effective preventive and protective policies and programmes.

The International CIS Centre has organized constantly developing network of 135 National and Collaborating CIS Centres in 100 countries in all continents. Among them the CIS Centres are in 30 European countries.

The main aim of the International CIS Centre is to be a worldwide service dedicated to the collection and dissemination of information on the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. The broad promotion of the ways to protect people in the work and life environment is the crucial point of the activity of every CIS Centre.

Among others the main activities of the International OSH Information Centre CIS are:

  1. dissemination the collecting and worldwide publications on occupational safety and health
  2. information services for international users
  3. publication of OSH information materials, books, databases etc.
  4. organization of CIS Centres network and cooperation with it

The CIS Centre publishes (by itself or with other institutions) many useful information materials, e.g.: Safety and Health at Work. ILO-CIS Bulletin, CIS Newsletter, databases: CISDOC/CISILO, Chemical Safety CD-ROM, Your Safety and Health at Work, Occupational Safety and Health in Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Rearing. They work also on ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety - very important source of OSH information. Centre CIS constantly works on Thesaurus CIS, which is needed for thematic description of publications, which abstracts are included in CISDOC database. The OSH Glossary in 5 languages was also elaborated. CIS Centre publishes subject bibliographies, information sheets, guides and other information publications.

Collecting from the whole world the copies of OSH documents, International CIS Centre includes the full texts (up to 150 pages) in the CISDOC-TEXT database, which, together with the database CISDOC (including the abstracts of documents), is an important source of international OSH information.

The International CIS Centre has been developing for many years the Internet portal with many useful information on the problems of occupational safety and health and related subjects as well as with the useful links to other portals of the international and national institutions.

The International CIS Centre also collects the OSH publication from the whole world, runs the subject searches, cooperates with many institutions, takes part in several international projects, organizes the CIS Centres network and cooperates with them, organize meetings, courses etc.

The international network of CIS Centres consists at the moment of 95 National and 40 Collaborating CIS Centres. Collaborating Centres are organized in the countries where, because of the big territory or amount of languages, it is needed to have more than one CIS Centre.

The National CIS Centres should:

2. Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB) - Polish National CIS Centre

All these activities are fulfilled by the Polish National CIS Centre, which role has been playing since 1960 by the Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB). (On the 5th of November 2002 it became the first in Poland National Research Institute). The Institute was established in Poland 1950 and is subordinated to the Minister of Economy, Labour and Social Policy.

The main activities of the Institute are:

CIOP-PIB has broad international cooperation with international and national scientific institutes, association and institutions, such as the International Labour Organization, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, the International Social Security Association, the World Safety Organization, the National Safety Council and the International Ergonomics Association.

As well as playing the role of Polish National CIS Centre, CIOP-PIB acts also as the Polish Focal Point of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. International cooperation in research, the INCREASE Network, the PHARE Programme, the 5th European Union Programme etc. are also ongoing.

CIOP-PIB also operates the extensive publication activities with many monographs, manuals, guides, proceedings from seminars, conferences and symposia, training materials, electronic publications, films, databases and computer software.

Three journals are published: (in English) International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics - JOSE, (in Polish) - Bezpieczeństwo Pracy (Occupational Safety) as well as Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy (Principles and Methods of Assessing the Working Environment).

CIOP-PIB Educational Centre organize, among others, postgraduate studies of "Human safety and Protection in the Working Environment", the periodic basic training for occupational safety and health delegates, employers and managers, the specialist courses for various groups of safety and health delegates, laboratory staff and sanitary/epidemiological stations as well as the teams implementing occupational safety and health management systems in enterprises.

The postgraduate courses include distance learning through the Internet (e-learning), as well as courses in "The Science of Work - Safety, Health and Ergonomics", which are organized and conducted in cooperation with universities.

The Institute portal www.ciop.pl details many useful information on Polish and foreign OSH activities.

3. Polish National CIS Centre activities

The tasks of the Polish National CIS Centre are performed on behalf of the CIOP-PIB by the Centre for Scientific Information and Documentation. In this Centre the information, documentation and library activities are concentrated.

The co-operation with the CIS network of National and Collaborating Information Centres, with the International CIS Centre in Geneva, gives the opportunity to obtain the publications and information on occupational safety and health achievements from many countries as well as the international propagation of Polish achievements in these fields through this network.

The main duties of the Polish National CIS Centre are:

  1. Broadening the knowledge of Polish specialists about foreign achievements in the field of protection of man in the working environment, through the use of information and library services based on CIS information and documents
  2. International promotion of Polish OSH publications and achievements in OSH, through the use of foreign CIS sources of information, as CISDOC database, CIS Newsletter
  3. Cooperation and exchange of materials and information with the CIS Centres network
  4. Promotion of the activities and publications of the International CIS Centre as well as other CIS Centres in Poland.

Taking advantage of being the member of so wide world information network, Polish CIS Centre fulfils the following tasks for Polish users:

The acquired publications were catalogued and their descriptions were put into the computer CIOP Library catalogue in the ALEPH system, which is accessible by Internet for Polish and foreign users on the page www.ciop.pl/395.html

The information services are run with the use of several databases, computer ALEPH catalogue, CIS publications and Internet sources. Polish National CIS Centre send information to many users, answers many questions and requests on Polish and foreign OSH problems from the scientists and industry workers, employers, inspectors, students and many other specialists in occupational safety and health. Literature lists for users on many subjects are also prepared, e.g. on stress at work, telework, occupational hazards, OSH management systems, workaholism, noise, health at work, monotonous work, etc.

The Polish CIS Centre runs the promotion in Poland of CIS publications as well as International CIS Centre and other Centres activities in several ways, among others by writing articles on it for specialist publications, by sending information and CIS publications to many users in electronic way, by distribution among the participants of the CIOP-PIB courses and training, library users, national and international OSH fairs, conferences and other events. CIS information, International and National CIS Centre offers, CIS Newsletter archive etc. are inserted on the Polish National CIS Centre website, which consists of several pages and is located in the frame of CIOP-PIB portal.

In 2003 a new version of this portal was prepared, as well as the English version of it.

The stress is put on the OSH problems promotion by Internet, because it is a biggest, modern, quick and international source of information. The main page of CIOP-PIB portal with the link to Polish National CIS Centre pages is as follows:

Main page of CIOP-PIB portal

The map of the Polish National CIS Centre website is as follows:

Map of the Polish National CIS Centre website

The English version of the Polish National CIS Centre website allows to promote Polish OSH information abroad.

The international promotion of Polish OSH literature and the achievements in OSH activities is continued by the cooperation with the International CIS Centre, among others in the elaborating of the international database CISDOC. Polish CIS Centre prepares descriptions of Polish books, journal articles, databases, chemical information sheets, legal documents, films, etc. and selected items are inserted in CISDOC.

In 2002-2003 the Polish National CIS Centre started to organize the group of co-workers institutions, in the first stage - in the aspect of choosing the best and most representative Polish documents worth to insert in CISDOC database.

Short texts on Polish OSH news and achievements are also prepared and send to CIS journals for publication.

The Polish CIS Centre helps also National and Collaborating CIS Centres and other interested persons from many countries to find information and publications on Polish OSH problems.

The cooperation with International CIS Centre and other Centres is very close, the representatives of the network meet every year to discuss crucial problems of the CIS activities and collaboration.

Every year Polish National CIS Centre develops its forms of activities, broadens the scope of CIS information dissemination in Poland, expands the ways of promoting International CIS Centre and the CIS network activities, widens the group of Polish Centre users as well as the group of Centre cooperating institutions.

Taking part in the works of such a broad information system, as CIS, allows to:

This network of OSH information centers is really a powerful source and let to exchange international information on all aspects of occupational safety and health, ergonomics, labour medicine, psychology, OSH management systems etc. It helps scientists and practitioners to protect in better way the people in their work and life environment.

The contact information to the Polish National CIS Centre:

Barbara Szczepanowska, CIOP-PIB, 00-701 Warszawa, Czerniakowska 16 | Tel. (+48 22) 623 36 90 | Fax: (+48 22) 623 36 93 | Email: baszc@ciop.pl | www.ciop.pl/1567.html (Polish version) | www.ciop.pl/7292.html (English version)

References

  1. Clevenstine E. The CIS Network. African Newsletter on Occupational Health and Safety. No 2, 2002, p. 28-31
  2. Portal of the International CIS Centre www.ilo.org/cis.
  3. Portal of the network of CIS Centres www.ilo.org/safework/info/cis
  4. Portal of the Polish National CIS Centre www.ciop.pl/7292.html
  5. Szczepanowska B.: Działalność informacyjna Biblioteki Międzynarodowej OrganizacjiPracy. (Information activities of ILO Library). Przegląd Biblioteczny, 2002, z. 4, s. 342-345, [published in 2003 r.]
  6. Szczepanowska B. Informacja naukowa w dobie globalizacji na przykładzie międzynarodowego systemu informacji naukowej o bezpieczeństwie i higienie pracy CIS (Scientific information in the time of globalisation on the example of international scientific OSH information system CIS). Przegląd Biblioteczny, 2002, no 3, p. 21 - 27
  7. Szczepanowska B. Międzynarodowe i Krajowe Centrum CIS (International and Polish CIS Centre). Bezpieczeństwo Pracy, 1999, no 11, p. 6 - 8
  8. Szczepanowska B. Międzynarodowe i Polskie Krajowe Centrum CIS. Bezpieczeństwo Pracy, 1999, nr 11, s. 6-8
  9. Szczepanowska B. Międzynarodowe źródła informacji o bezpieczeństwie pracy. Biblioteka Międzynarodowej Organizacji Pracy. (International OSH information sources. The Library of International Labour Organization). Bezpieczeństwo Pracy, 2003, nr 3, s.10-12
  10. Szczepanowska B: Międzynarodowe źródła informacji o bezpieczeństwie pracy - witryna internetowa Międzynarodowego Centrum Informacji CIS. (International OSH information sources - the website of International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre CIS). Bezpieczeństwo Pracy, nr 7-8 , 2003, s. 21-23
  11. Szczepanowska B. Międzynarodowy system informacji naukowej o bezpieczeństwie i higienie pracy (CIS). International scientific information system on occupational safety and health CIS). Praktyka i Teoria Informacji Naukowej i Technicznej, 1998, nr 3-4, s. 45-50
  12. Szczepanowska B.: Systemy informacji naukowej - międzynarodowy system informacji o bezpieczeństwie i higienie pracy CIS. (Scientific information systems - international OSH Information system CIS). Biuletyn EBIB [Dokument elektroniczny], nr 9/2003, (49) październik - Czasopismo elektroniczne. (Electronic journal). Tryb dostępu: http://ebib.oss.wroc.pl/2003/49/

Web sites to explore

Africa

SHE Africa.info   AFRICA
www.sheafrica.info
SHE Africa.info the official web site for the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) Joint effort on Occupational Health and Safety in Africa. Covers: Human resource development focused on capacity building; National policies, programmes and legislation; Information, research and awareness raising; and Promotion of occupational health and safety in particularly hazardous occupations, vulnerable groups (including informal sector workers and children) and in newly transferred technologies.

France

Centre National de Prevention et de Protection   FRANCE
www.cnpp.com
Centre National de Prevention et de Protection -The National Center for Prevention and Protection (CNPP) is a professional body, recognized by the insurance companies, which develops, disseminates and assesses knowledge and know-how in personal safety, tangible and intangible property safety and environmental safety in every activity and environment. CNPP expertise applies particularly to risk management, general safety, fire, environmental issues, technological risks, burglary and health and safety at work. The CNPP also operates on an international level including involvement in European bodies, cooperation agreements and as a member of international networks.

Germany

ASW - Arbeitgemeinschaft fur Sichergeit der Wirtschaft e.V. (Association for Safety and Security of Trade and Industry)   GERMANY
www.asw-online.de
ASW - Arbeitgemeinschaft fur Sichergeit der Wirtschaft e.V. (Association for Safety and Security of Trade and Industry) is a central organization of trade and industry in questions of safety and security. It was founded by associations of trade and industry and the associations for safety and security of the federal states. The ASW looks after the safety and security interests of trade and industry against political and administrative authorities and supports the active cooperation between organizations of trade and industry and the government.

VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH (VdS Loss Prevention - fire safety and security)   GERMANY
www.vds.de
VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH (VdS Loss Prevention) - successor to the technical departments at the VdS, Verband der Sachversicherer (Association of German Property Insurers) and today an affiliate of the GDV, Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (Association of German Insurers) - dedicates its expertise and experience to the preservation of life and property. The fire and intrusion protection areas are in the limelight here covers inspection in the field, testing in the VdS laboratories, certification, information and consulting.The products of the publishing division include specifications, technical information, booklets, leaflets and magazine - offer general and specific support to realize effective protection measures for life and property.

South Africa

Ergonomics Society of South Africa   SOUTH AFRICA
www.ergonomicssa.com
Ergonomics Society of South Africa web site covers: what is ergonomics, certification, events and activities, Ergonomics SA Journal and links.

Institute of Safety Management, South Africa   SOUTH AFRICA
www.iosm.co.za
The Institute of Safety Management, South Africa, that was established in 1952, currently has some 500 members situated in 12 branches around South Africa. Its members are drawn from a wide spectrum of associated disciplines such as industrial safety practitioners, occupational hygienists, nurses and doctors, security managers, fire experts, risk management consultants etc. employed in industries across the board. Its main aim and objective is to improve the quality of service rendered by its members through education and training, by representing its members at government and employer level and by generally striving to enhance their professional status. IoSM is an equal partner together with the Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH) and the Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa (MVSSA) in the establishment of the Registration Board for Occupational Hygiene, Safety and Associated Professionals (OHSAP) and is at present engaged in a process of establishing minimum standards of competence within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as prescribed by the SA Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

Mining Medical and Other Health Care Professionals Association, South Africa   SOUTH AFRICA
www.mmoa.org.za
Mining Medical and Other Health Care Professionals Association, South Africa (MMOA) has been in existence since 1921. In the original constitution the principal objectives of the Association were presented as - to study and discuss all problems of special interest relating to the work of mine medical officers and to promote and foster friendly intercourse and the exchange of views among members of the association and with other organisations connected with the mining industry. Largely the main objectives of research and communication among members have been maintained. The interaction between the Mine Medical Officers Association and the other professional associations under the auspices of the Chamber of Mines has been most important to the development of a mature industry such as is found in the South African Mines of today.

Southern African Acoustics Institute   SOUTH AFRICA
www.saainst.co.za
The Southern African Acoustics Institute (SAAI) provides a forum for all aspects of acoustics. Special interest meetings as well as conferences are organised for members and non-members. SAAI also addresses the legislation and standards issues facing South Africa.

South African Institute of Environmental Health   SOUTH AFRICA
www.saieh.co.za
South African Institute of Environmental Health site covers news, events and conferences, newsletter and links.

Safety First Association, South Africa   SOUTH AFRICA
www.safety1st.org.za
The Safety First Association was founded in 1932 by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, the mayor of Johannesburg and other leading industrialists who felt there was a great need to form an association which would promote Safety in industry, on the road and at home. Site covers publications, posters, cartoon booklets, what's new and links to journals.

Switzerland

Swiss Institute of Safety & Security   SWITZERLAND
www.swissi.ch
Swiss Institute of Safety & Security for risk management and corporate safety and security, works hand in hand with the business world, insurance companies and the authorities for the purpose of loss prevention. The objective is to promote safety and security, fire and explosion protection, process safety, occupational safety, environmental protection, intruder protection) in industrial, commercial and service sector operations in all fields of business. The Swiss Institute cooperates closely with various research bodies and trade and professional organizations, and constantly exchanges information with numerous international safety and security organizations.

UK

Health and Safety Executive: Chemical   UK
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/chindex.htm
The UK Health and Safety Executive's full text list of publications on chemicals, substances hazardous to health, labelling, packaging, transport advice and Chemical Hazards Alert Notices (CHANs). Helps people to identify hazards and control risks, and sets out essential steps for achieving good health and safety standards.

Diary of Events

The events listed may serve also to inspire similar ones to be organised in your country.

1 - 2 March 2004 - 2nd International Control Banding Workshop: Validation & Effectiveness of Control Banding. Co-sponsored by: ACGIH®, AIHA, ILO, IOHA, NIOSH, OSHA2004 and Beyond - Current occupational health issues in the health services
Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Contact: www.acgih.org/contact/contactconffrm.htm, or Anita Schmid by phone at +1 (513) 742-6163, ext. 101

4 March 2004 - Introduction to fire safety and risk management
Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum, 97 Cromwell Road, London UK
Contact: Customer Services, Croner Training, 12-18 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK | Tel: +44 0845 120 9602 | Fax:+ 44 (0)20 7259 0283 | Email: services@cronertraining.co.uk | www.cronertraining.co.uk

10 March 2004 - Occupational asthma - one day course
Hilton Hotel, Victoria Quays, Furnival Road, Sheffield, UK
Contact: Steve Woods, Health & Safety Laboratory, Sheffield, UK | Tel: 01142 892027 | Email: training@hsl.gov.uk | www.hsl.gov.uk

16-17 March 2004 - Office health and safety
Strand Palace Hotel, 372 Strand, London WC2R 0JJ, UK
Contact: Customer Services, Croner Training, 12-18 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK | Tel: +44 0845 120 9602 | Fax:+ 44 (0)20 7259 0283 | Email: services@cronertraining.co.uk | www.cronertraining.co.uk

23-24 March 2004 - Firex South 2004
Sandown Exhibition Centre, London UK
Contact: Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) | Tel: +44 (0) 1252 739 142 | www.asfp.org.uk

23 March 2004 - Safe, Healthy and Flexible Working: a one-day conference looking at the health and safety implications of an increasingly flexible labour force
Central London, UK
Contact: SBIM, Lexis/Nexis UK Conference and Training, Halsbury House, 35 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1EL | Tel: +44 (0)20 7347 3574 | Fax: +44 (0) 20 7347 3577 | Email: conferences@lexisnexis.co.uk | www.conferencesandtraining.com

30 March 2004 - Fire Safety in Buildings: what's new?
School of Engineering and Applied Science Room MB129 Aston University, Birmingham, UK
Contact: Helen Mallinson, Course Secretary, Aston, University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK | Tel: + 44 (0) 121 359 3611 | Email: H.Mallinson@aston.ac.uk | http://cel.conferences.aston.ac.uk

1 April 2004 - Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome: an introduction - a one day training course
Cedar Court Hotel, Denby Dale Road, Wakefield , UK (J39,M1)
Contact: Steve Woods, Health & Safety Laboratory, Sheffield, UK | Tel: 01142 892027 | Email: training@hsl.gov.uk | www.hsl.gov.uk

5 - 6 April 2004 - Europe on the Internet: a hands-on practical training course
European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), Maastricht, The Netherlands

20-22 April 2004 - Occupational Hygiene 2004: British Occupational Hygiene Society
Moat House Hotel, Stratford Upon Avon, UK
Contact: British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) Secretariat, UK | Tel: + 44 (0)1332 298101 or + 44 0845 120 9602 | Fax:+ 44 (0)1332 298099 | Email: admin@bohs.org | www.bohs.org

20-21 April 2004 - IOSH 2004 International Conference and Exhibition "Growing professionally - developing influence"
Harrogate International Centre, UK
Contact: Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 1NN, UK | Tel: + 44 (0)116 257 3100 | Fax:+ 44 (0) 116 257 3101 | Email: enquiries@iosh.co.uk | www.iosh.co.uk