CIS Newsletter

No. 262
July 2011

CIS Newsletter celebrates 23 years & still going strong!
Bringing news from Members to Members in over 154 countries in the CIS Network!

The CIS Newsletter is a monthly newsletter for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) International Occupational Health and Safety Information Centres and is edited by Sheila Pantry OBE from the UK. The CIS Newsletter is NOT an official publication of the ILO but a newsletter containing information from Members in CIS Centres and other sources and is intended to be shared by anyone who finds the data contained useful. Users are free to use and reuse the data in these newsletters.

Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. ILO news
  3. Latest on the ILO Encyclopaedia
  4. OSH UPDATE and FIREINF
  5. FOCUS - One for the Road...
  6. News, Events and ideas from around the World from Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, India, Macedonia, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, and USA to name a few!
  7. OSHE websites to explore
  8. Diary of Events

CIS Members' links:

Editorial

Dear Colleagues

Many occupational safety and health organisations worldwide are holding their annual conferences and exhibitions at this time of the year. Being an optimistic person I believe that there is still much to achieve in 2011 and beyond in this OSH World of ours.

Look for inspiration to what other countries are doing.

As always many thanks to all who have sent in news for the CIS Newsletter which contains a roundup of information received from many parts of the OSH World.

Please continue to send your News - whatever you are planning - any publications, conferences, seminars or training courses, then please send the 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.

Remember that whilst there is so much occupational safety and health information around the world not all will be trustworthy. Make sure that any information that you use is validated and authoritative and up-to-date.

If you are in contact with other CIS Centres and they do not receive the CIS Newsletter alerts then ask them to send me their email and I will include them in them in the monthly alerts.

I am still making BIG PLEA to find out where all the missing people from CIS Centres are now... we need to know when people are leaving their jobs and very importantly who is going to take over!!! PLEASE HELP!

Will you be Surviving by the end of 2011?... perhaps you will if you make efforts in promotion, publicity and telling the World that CIS and its network exists!

All good wishes to you, your families and your colleagues.

Sheila Pantry, OBE

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

News from the ILO

International Labour Conference in June 2011.

Labour Administration and Labour Inspection were two of topics discussed at the 100th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva June 2011.

N.B. CIS Members will be very interested in the following reports

News from CIS HQ

USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Don't forget to continuously promote CIS and the Network!

Do add the CIS logo on the front page of your website would be a good first start. (Checked recently and only a few CIS Centres websites have the logo or links to CIS website).

Please do add the CIS logo on all your publications.

Any views you have on CIS and its work please send into CIS HQ - to Roman Litvyakov litvyakov@ilo.org and Seiji Machida machida@ilo.org

News from Jeanne Stellman, Editor of the ILO Encyclopaedia and Lauren Anderson, Development Manager

The Good news continues...

The progress of the ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety Website continues. We have completely uploaded the 1998 version onto the website and have generated additional features.

Three chapters, "Toxicology", "Construction", and "Psychosocial and Organizational Factors", are complete with additional resources and our team is working to add features to the other chapters.

Additionally, we are about to begin beta testing of the website.

After completion of the beta test our next step is to contact previous contributors, and begin a revision process.

Wanting to get more OSH information into your National Centres in one easy step?

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. 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. 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 some CIS Centres, 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

Don't re-invent the wheel... learn from others! Worker Smarter not Harder!

FOCUS

One for the road... A new European-wide service has been launched to help managers of small businesses deal with employees whose drink or drug intake is affecting their work.

The problems associated with alcohol and drug use are felt in many different settings including the workplace. In the context of work, not only do alcohol and drugs damage health but they can also cost employers through absenteeism, reduced productivity and, potentially, more accidents.

Employers who experience difficulties with behaviour related to alcohol or drug use are usually dealing not with an alcoholic or a junkie but a typical employee with an incapacity or misconduct issue. The astute manager will recognise this and act appropriately. But many managers feel uncomfortable or ill-equipped to confront the problem and defer taking action until it becomes acute or too late.

Employers need to consider when it becomes a performance or safety issue. Dealing with staff whose work performance is adversely affected by their use of alcohol and drugs, however, can be challenging and difficult.

Legal position

In the UK, employers have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees. If an employer knowingly allows an employee under the influence of drugs or excess alcohol to continue working and this places the employee or others at risk, they could be prosecuted.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, drivers of road vehicles must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while driving, attempting to drive or when they are in charge of a vehicle. The Transport and Works Act 1992 makes it a criminal offence for certain workers to be unfit through drink and/or drugs while working on railways, tramways and other guided transport systems.

Employees are also required to take reasonable care of themselves and others who could be affected by what they do.

Screening and testing

Think very carefully about what you want screening to do, and what you will do with the information it generates. Screening by itself will never be the complete answer to problems caused by drug or alcohol misuse. Prevention is just as important.

Some employers have adopted screening as part of their drugs and alcohol policy - particularly in 'safety-sensitive' industries - as a way of controlling drug and alcohol problems. It can be used:

Screening is a sensitive issue. It is essential to secure agreement of the workforce because of the practical and legal issues. Screening is only likely to be acceptable if it is part of a company's occupational health policy and is designed to prevent risks to others.

Agreement to the principle of screening must be incorporated in each employee's contract of employment. Existing staff are under no legal obligation to agree to changes in their terms and conditions of service. If an employer tried to force a test on an unwilling employee, the employee could resign and claim 'constructive dismissal'.

In addition, the written consent of the individual must be obtained for each test.

Help at hand

The Leonardo LifeLong Learning Programme is funding a project - Maximising Employee Performance by Minimising the Impact of Substances - to develop a training resource (web-based and face-to-face) to equip managers with the skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to deal proactively and reactively with the issue of substances and their impact on work and employment.

Seven partners from across the EU: a research agency (Ireland), a university (Italy), an institute of occupational health medicine (Poland), a web design/IT company (Greece) and three small consultancies (Hungary, the Netherlands and UK) are collaborating to deliver the project which is led by work2health ltd based in Cardiff.

A needs analysis undertaken across the partnership countries, including both qualitative and quantitative questions, shaped the development of the training resources.

The following were among those rated as most important:

Other topics suggested included:

Training modules

Both e-learning and face-to-face training resources are modular. The latter has options for a one or two day training course depending on the needs and preferences of participants. The course begins with a general introduction including the business case, the rationale for a proactive approach and definition of the terms used. It examines the best corporate approach to tackle alcohol and drug use; legal principles that underpin any action including health and safety law, human rights legislation and data protection; managerial knowledge, skills and competencies, which include spotting signs and symptoms, and discipline and support; testing; substances of concern and how they affect behaviour and performance; and putting theory into practice.

The e-learning is also modular. It covers the same topics as the face to face training with participants following a train of events in one of three fictitious company case studies.

Both sets of materials were field tested in each of the partner countries through the use of self-complete questionnaires and focus groups with the formal launch of the materials taking place in June 2011. The website and further information about the project including how to access the training materials is available through www.alcoholdrugsandwork.eu with a link to the European Network for Mental Health Promotion Portal which provides access to a wide range of workplace-related resources linked to the problematic use of alcohol and drugs.

The e-learning resources on the website are freely available to download and use. The face-to-face training is currently free until September 2011. Future charging depends on demand. Work2health recommends that trainers are trained before using the materials because there are some skills and techniques, which are essential if the course is to be a success.

News from around the World

News from Belgium

ILO Conference ends with adoption of new Domestic Workers Convention, election of new Governing Body: report from the International Trade Union Confederation

The 100th meeting of the International Labour Conference ended in Geneva on Friday following the adoption of a new Convention on Domestic Workers www.ituc-csi.org/new-international-convention-on.html, and the election of a new Governing Body to oversee the work of the UN agency. ITUC Deputy President Luc Cortebeeck was elected as Chair of the Workers' Group and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body, succeeding Sir Roy Trotman, to whom the Conference paid tribute for his years of service at the ILO on behalf of working people. Australian Government representative Greg Vines was elected as Chair, and employer delegate Daniel Funes de Rioja as the other Vice-Chair.

Other major discussion points at the annual gathering included labour inspection and social protection, both issues of key concern to the international trade union movement.

The Conference decided that the ILO should adopt a Recommendation on social protection next year and agreed that social protection should be extended to all workers without exception. It recognised that extending social protection is crucial to the formalisation of informal employment, and that contributory schemes are a cornerstone of sustainable social protection systems.

On labour administration and inspection, which is weak in many countries, the Conference reiterated the importance of tripartism and social dialogue, called for sufficient resources to be devoted to labour administration and inspection services, and stated that inspection should be carried out by public authorities. It also stressed that all workers, including in the informal economy, the public sector, EPZs and migrants, should be covered by labour inspection.

The Conference also reviewed reports of countries' implementation of ILO Conventions which they have ratified, and cited Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Swaziland and Uzbekistan in "special paragraphs" in its final report. These citations are applied to the most serious cases of countries which continually refuse to stop violating ILO standards.

The importance of tripartism and social dialogue was a common feature of the discussions on the different topics addressed by the Conference. It was also agreed that the ILO should step up its efforts to achieve coherent, employment-centred policies at the global level and that the Governing Body would have a substantive discussion on this issue in November.

"This 100th ILO Conference took place at a time when the organisation's role is as important as at any time in history. We are looking to the ILO for strong global advocacy, reinforcement of workers' rights and even more effective work at country-level to promote creation of decent jobs. Many government leaders used the Conference to support the role of the ILO in the current severe jobs crisis, and we expect them to match these words with action, and all other governments to meet the standards required to ensure decent work for all," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

News from Canada

Horizontal Plastic Injection Molding Machine - Safety Checklists

A new document published by the IRSST (Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute) has been developed to support companies in the plastics processing industry in their efforts to prevent accidents involving horizontal plastic injection molding machines.

This document can also serve in the training offered to the personnel in these companies and to students in plastics processing; however, it does not allow a risk analysis to be done to determine the limits, to identify hazards, and to estimate the risk; in these cases, appropriate standards must be consulted.

Practical safety checklists make up the core of this document, namely a general checklist on the safeguarding of machines, and a specific checklist for those individuals who perform various tasks on these machines, such as production, tuning, maintenance. The components of a horizontal plastic injection molding machine and the safeguards against its inherent risks are presented to facilitate the use of the checklists. These risks can lead to serious, and even fatal, injuries.

To download the document, please visit: www.irsst.qc.ca/-publication-irsst-presse-injection-plastique-horizontale-grilles-verification-securite-rg-687.html

Maura Tomi, M. Sc., Information Officer, Communication Division, IRSST | Tel: 514-288-1551 ext. 302 | Fax: 514-288-0998

News from Canada

Recognising and Preventing Occupational Cancer

People all over the world encounter carcinogens in their workplace or environment, and sometimes these exposures cause cancer. To help teach primary healthcare providers how to recognize and respond to these cancers, an e-course was developed by the National Committee on Environment and Occupational Exposures and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).

Occupational and Environmental Cancer: Recognition and Prevention teaches participants which agents cause cancer and what can be done to recognize occupational or environmental cancer in a person with past exposures. More importantly, advice is provided on how to prevent cancer in those with current or ongoing exposures. Healthcare providers learn how to conduct and interpret an exposure history, and follow up on their conclusions.

The course contains authoritative lists of these cancer-causing substances, accessible by chemical, by occupation or by cancer location. This course also includes case studies about people who were exposed to radon or asbestos.

Occupational and Environmental Cancer: Recognition and Prevention is intended for doctors, medical specialists, nurses, nurse practitioners and other healthcare providers, or anyone with an interest in recognizing and preventing occupational and environmental cancer.

The e-course is a collaborative project of the National Committee on Environment and Occupational Exposures and CCOHS, and was funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer through the Primary Prevention Action Group. It is offered free of charge and is available in English, French and Spanish. The Spanish version was developed by the Pan American Health Organization and contains additional information relevant to Latin American countries. More information on Occupational and Environmental Cancer: Recognition and Prevention.

Reference URLs: www.ccohs.ca/products/courses/prevent_cancer and www.vubiz.com/chaccess/cchs0807

SOURCE: CCOHS Health & Safety Report May 2011 Volume 9, Issue 5
www.ccohs.ca/newsletters/hsreport/issues/2011/05/ezine.html?id=25729&link=8#partners

News from Canada

LATEST ISSUE - INFO IRSST (Electronic newsletter from the Institut de recherché Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail)

See www.irsst.qc.ca/media/documents/en/InfoIrsst/Actuel/InfoIRSST_v09n02.htm

Pleasant reading!

Bernard Lauzon, Advisor to the president and CEO, and Acting Communications Director, IRSST, 505, De Maisonneuve blvd. West, Montréal (Québec), Canada H3A 3C2 | www.irsst.qc.ca | communications@irsst.qc.ca

News from China

China 28 April: World Day for Safety and Health at Work

On 28th and 29th of April, 2011 commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Seminar on Safety Culture at Enterprises were held in Tangshan, Hebei Province of China. The events were organized by State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) and the ILO Country Office for China and Mongolia.

The 2011 World Day for Safety and Health at Work focuses on the implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS) as a tool for continual improvement in the prevention of workplace accidents and diseases. Based on China's current situation of work safety, the theme of this year's event in China was identified as "strengthening the safety culture, implementing the corporate responsibility".

Zhi Tongxiang, Director-General of Policy and Legislation Department of SAWS; Ann Herbert, Director of ILO Country Office for China and Mongolia; and Duan Youwu, Vice Director of Labour Protection Department of All China Federation of Trade Unions(ACFTU) attended the event and gave remarks.

"Building safety culture at enterprises is one of the main content to implement the corporate responsibility of safety and health at work. It's also an effective approach to strengthen enterprises' safety infrastructure, improve the management level and create a safe atmosphere." Zhi Tongxiang claimed all enterprises to promote safety culture.

"Successfully building a strong preventive safety and health culture is not the work of technical experts alone. It depends on the strong commitment, collaboration and concerted action by governments, employers, workers and other stakeholders", said Ann Herbert. She introduced how the OSHMS had functioned, and emphasized the importance of managers' commitment and employees' involvement.

During the events, participants of the events did a tour at a local iron mine enterprise, which has been building and maintaining a preventative safety and health culture at workplace.

Monthly magazines Labour Protection and Modern Occupational Safety, which are both supervised by SAWS, published some translated articles about World Day for Safety and Health at Work and reported the events.

China has commemorated in the World Day for Safety and Health at Work since 2004. By joining in these World Day activities, China is joining a global alliance and expressing its commitment to save lives and health at work.

Commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Seminar on Safety Culture at Enterprises

Commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Seminar on Safety Culture at Enterprises

News from Finland

New courses from Finland

The following new courses are offered by NIVA:

  1. Bullying and Harassment at Work (6108)

    4-9 September 2011

    Venue Radisson Blu Saga Hotel, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Lecturers:

    • Maarit Vartia, PhD, FIOH, Finland
    • Ståle Einarsen, PhD, University of Bergen, Norway
    • Helge Hoel, PhD, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

    www.niva.org/courses/2011/6108.htm

  2. NIVA workshop on Well-being and Flexicurity (6113) (in connection with the Conference on Unemployment, Job Insecurity and Health)

    20-21 September 2011

    Venue: Hanasaari, Espoo, Finland

    Lecturer: Professor Antti Saloneimi, University of Tampere, Finland

    www.niva.org/courses/2011/6113.htm

  3. Biological Measures of Stress in Relation to Occupational Health (6109)

    26-30 September 2011

    Venue Vilvorde Conference Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Lecturer: Åse Marie Hansen, Senior Researcher, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Denmark

    www.niva.org/courses/2011/6109.htm

To book contact: Anna Barlund, NIVA, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland | Tel: +358 30 4741 | Fax: +358 30 474 2497 | Email: annika.barlund@ttl.fi

News from Finland

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the Japanese Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) are strengthening their relationship in the area of chemicals safety.

In line with the shared commitment to improve chemical safety, ECHA and the Japanese organisations have signed a Statement of Intent to enhance cooperation.

The aim is to strengthen the scientific dialogue between the European Union and Japan and to increase cooperation on technical matters and other issues of common interest including the hazards and emerging risks of chemical substances, risk management tools, scientific collaboration and information exchange.

One of the anticipated areas of collaboration will be exchange knowledge and experience on integrated approaches to testing and assessment, e.g. combining results from QSAR and other alternative methods. The Statement of Intent will also promote the exchange of non-confidential information on hazards, uses and substance identification between ECHA and the Japan regulatory authorities.

When signing the memorandum, Geert Dancet, Executive Director of ECHA said: "This Statement of Intent will lead the way to a closer cooperation between the involved regulatory authorities to the benefit of companies and citizens on both sides of the globe".

Mr Komoto from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said; "I believe it will contribute to enhancing our chemical safety management technology and bring fruitful results from cooperative activities".

Further Information

News from Korea

"Safe Workplaces, Healthy Workers, and a Happy Country" - the catch phrase of the 44th OSH Grand Opening of the 44th OSH Week Event on 4 July 2011

Every day, six workers are killed and 270 others are injured in workplaces - this is the tragic situation in the Korean workplaces. In fact, Korea ranks one of the lowest in safety ratings among the OECD countries.

* The number of occupational injuries and illnesses: 98,620 (2,200 fatalities)

The economic losses caused by occupational accidents amount to KRW 17.6 trillion. This huge amount is equivalent to the yearly wage of 880,000 new workers who make KRW 20 million per year. The lost work days caused by accidents at work is more than 100 times that caused by strikes and walkouts.

Against the backdrop, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) organize the 44th OSH Week Event from the 4th to 8th of July in COEX, Seoul. This week-long event is aimed at creating a social consensus on the seriousness of accidents at work, while checking the safety status of the Korean society.

In 1968, the Korean government designated the first week of July as the Occupational Safety and Health Week. Since then, the OSH week has been celebrated every year with various programs with the purpose raising the awareness on the importance of the prevention and the seriousness of accidents. This event targets workers, employers, and the general public in order to emphasize the importance of safety and health.

The catch phrase of this year is "Safe Workplaces, Healthy Workers, and a Happy Country" and the five-day event is filled with activities that encourage people's participation.

The 44th OSH Week Event will held from 4-8 July 2011 including KISS 2011 which means Korea International safety & Health Exhibition, www.kiss21c.org together with Ministry of Employment and Labour in Korea.

The features of this event are as follows.

Many events are to be held during the 44th OSH Week:

The 44th OSH Week Ceremony - To recognize and commend the efforts of people working to enhance safety and health

Safety and Health Seminar & Best Practice Presentations of Safety and Health Activities - To provide the opportunities for presentations and exchanges of information

International Exhibition on Safety and Health - A chance to introduce the latest devices and products on safety and health

In addition, there are many participatory events offered for the public.

"The OSH Week event is a venue for an exchange of the latest information on safety and health. It will provide a good opportunity for the general public take safety and health to their daily lives and spread the culture of safety and health," said a KOSHA official.

The features of the 44th OSH Week

A special documentary "The story of a family affected by occupational accident" will be broadcasted on July 3.

Finally, Our new president will be notified about 11th July, 2011, and as previous mentioned, details will be sent later.

News from Macedonia

MOSHA visits the UK

On 8-9 June, 2011, representatives from the Macedonian Occupational Safety and Health Association made an official working visit to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) in Leicester, Great Britain.

The two-day visit consisted of meeting with representatives from various IOSH departments, according to the previously agreed agenda, the aim of familiarization with the activities of this organization.

One of the goals of the visit was to explore the possibilities of cooperation between the two organizations and we gladly concluded that there is not only possibility but also commitment from both parties for cooperation and the next steps in taking action towards mutual cooperation are already agreed upon.

Ljupco Kocovski, ILO/CIS Centre coordinator, MOSHA - Macedonian Occupational Safety and Health Association, 29 Noemvri 50, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia | Tel/Fax: ++ 389 (0)2 2774 868 | Cell: ++389 (0)75 432 051 | www.mzzpr.org.mk

More News from Macedonia

Working visit to Austria

In the period between 5-7 June 2011, representatives of the Macedonian Occupational Safety and Health Association (MOSHA), had a working visit to AUVA, in Vienna, Austria.

Hosts of MOSHA were Mr. Reinhard Korbler from the sector for prevention of accidents and professional diseases, Mr. Michael Wichtl from the sector for safety of the workplaces, and Mrs. Helena Weiss from the sector for International relations.

The working visit was consisted of meetings during two days, which were held in the offices of AUVA. The meetings started with presentation of the hosts for the representatives of MOSHA, about the structure and the activities of AUVA. The guests were also provided with various materials issued/translated by AUVA, in order to provide more detailed acquaintance with this institution.

The AUVA presentation was followed by a short presentation of the representatives of MOSHA about their activities.

After the presentations, the meeting continued in direction of the cooperation between MOSHA and AUVA, and the possibilities for its expansion by various activities.

Amongst the above mentioned, there was a discussion regarding the forthcoming seminar, organised by MOSHA in Struga on 20-22 June 2011, at which Mr. Reinhard Korbler and Mr. Michael Wichtl, who are also certified consultants for prevention of accidents and safe workplaces will be present.

Ljupco Kocovski, ILO/CIS Centre coordinator, MOSHA - Macedonian Occupational Safety and Health Association, 29 Noemvri 50, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia | Tel/Fax: ++ 389 (0)2 2774 868 | Cell: ++389 (0)75 432 051 | www.mzzpr.org.mk

www.mzzpr.org.mk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=795:poseta-na-auva&catid=46:mosha&Itemid=76&lang=en

News from the Netherlands

Developments concerning the Netherlands Labour Inspectorate

  1. In May 2011 the annual report of the Labour Inspectorate was published. It is available full-text at www.arbeidsinspectie.nl/Images/AI%20Jaarverslag%202010_compleet%20(webversie)_DEF_tcm290-303461.pdf

    An English summary is available as Annex 6 (pages 66-69).

  2. A decision has been made to reorganise the various inspectorates of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. The 3 inspectorates (the Labour Inspectorate, the Social Intelligence and Investigation Service (SIOD) and Inspection Work and Income (IWI)) will be combined into a single inspectorate, provisionally called Inspectorate SZW.

    Information in English on the scope of the activities of these 3 inspectorates can be found at:

  3. On 14 May 2011 a programme was broadcasted on Dutch television under the title "Dood door werk" (Death due to work) with a critical view of the work of the Labour Inspectorate.

    Information on the programme (an episode of the Zembla series) can be found at http://zembla.vara.nl/Nieuws-detail.2624.0.html?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=43584&cHash=375c1e5e80dbb12642feb949e8c789bd or http://player.omroep.nl/?aflID=12564582

    P.S. Whether the programme can be viewed from abroad I do not know.

    A reaction of the Minister on the broadcast was sent to the Parliament on 24 May 2011: www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/2011/05/24/brief-op-verzoek-tweede-kamer-naar-aanleiding-van-de-uitzending-van-zembla-over-de-arbeidsinspectie-ai.html

Elly Goos, CIS National Centre, The Netherlands

News from Pakistan

Annual Report Activities 2010

The latest annual report from the Centre for the Improvement of Working Conditions & Environment (CIWCE) contains a wide range of events and activities. The report is in English.

A special feature of the activities of CIWCE was the focus on bonded labour. A Child Labour Unit has also been established at the CIWCE.

You are invited to visit the website www.ciwce.org.pk that has recently been upgraded and contains lots of information in the form of awareness materials and research studies.

Saeed Awan, Director Centre for the Improvement of Working Conditions & Environment (CIWCE) Township, Lahore-Pakistan | Tel: +92-42 99262145 | Fax: +92 42 99262146 | Email: saeed.awan3@gmail.com | www.ciwce.org.pk

News from the UK

Nano alerts

Health and Safety Executive Nanotechnology Bulletins

Bulletins available for January and April 2011

www.hse.gov.uk/nanotechnology/nano-alerts.htm

News from the UK

Risks stacked against new workers

Workers are as likely to suffer a reportable injury in the first six months at a workplace as during the whole of the rest of their working life, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned. The safety watchdog says a number of factors contribute to the excess risk, including lack of experience at or familiarity with the job and workplace.

New workers may also be reluctant or not know how to raise concerns, it adds, and as novices may not recognise the risks or safe work processes. It adds 'vulnerable' groups, including young workers and migrant workers may face additional problems, which should be taken into account by employers. HSE has produced a six point plan to protect new starters. It says firms should access their capability, for example literacy, numeracy or other factors including familiarity with the job and command of language. They should also provide a carefully planned induction and ensure control measures are up to date and are being used and maintained.

There should also be adequate training and supervision. Finally, firms should make sure all these measures are properly understood. HSE's online guide concludes: 'Check workers have understood the information, instruction and training they need to work safely, and are acting on it, especially during the vital first days/weeks at work. Remember to make sure workers know how and with whom they can raise any concerns about their health and safety and that they know about any emergency arrangements or procedures.'

HSE 'new to the job' guide: www.hse.gov.uk/diversity/new-to-the-job.htm

News from the UK

Leadership and work involvement toolkit

There is one key insight, based on research, that underpins The Health and Safety Executive's Leadership and Worker Involvement Toolkit. When a business benefits from good leadership, and combines this with action to involve the workforce, then a step change in health and safety performance is enabled.

Whether you are a worker, a supervisor, a construction manager or you run your own business, this toolkit contains something for you. For example;

For workers there are pages to help you find the information you need: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/lwit/for-workers.htm

If you are a health and safety adviser or consultant, check out the information, training packs and assessment tools that this toolkit provides: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/lwit/info.htm

This is not about technical improvements in machinery safety, or about improving health and safety management systems. This is about harnessing the value and creativity of people at work in construction. It is about getting the very best out of the plant and procedures that you use on your project, whilst minimising the potential for harm.

Find out more: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/lwit/index.htm

News from the USA

NTP 12th Report on Carcinogens released

The US government released its 12th Report on Carcinogens (RoC) - naming styrene and formaldehyde as among the chemicals that are known (formaldehyde) or reasonably anticipated (styrene) to cause cancer in humans (see the media announcement here). This is a really big deal, because the chemical industry has been fighting tooth-and-nail to prevent these assessments - actually to prevent the whole report - from being finalized. It's been held up for four years by industry interference, but the public has a right to know about the chemical risks that are foisted upon us through air and water pollution, off-gassing from consumer products, inadequate or unenforced regulations, etc. (see NRDC's Dr. Janssen's blog on chemical reform here)

The 12th RoC formaldehyde classification of a known human carcinogen is consistent with the determination by the World Health Organization, EPA, and a recent National Academies review (see my blog here for details and links). Specifically, all these prestigious scientific bodies identified cancer risks of the nasal cavity, and some types of leukemia. It was the leukemia risks that the chemical industry fought so hard against, even though the evidence comes from human epidemiology of industrial workers and embalmers. In fact, industry has used political pressure to hold up EPA's scientific assessment for 13 years, since 1998, and it's still in draft form.

Styrene has been tied up in similar political knots. Styrene is used to manufacture many plastics, latex paints, synthetic rubbers, polyesters and coatings. It is also approved for use in food-contact materials, and as an FDA-approved synthetic flavoring in ice cream and candy (see 12th RoC fact sheet here, and EPA fact sheet here). It is regulated as a Hazardous Air Pollutant by EPA, and considered possibly carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization. EPA has been trying to update its styrene assessment since 1998, with no end in sight.

Atrazine, a toxic pesticide that is associated with birth defects in people, and in lab animal studies has been shown to cause cancer and impaired reproductive and immune development, was not listed in the 12th RoC after significant industry pressure (see letters from the grain growers here and from Syngenta, the chemical manufacturer here). More about atrazine harms is here.

The chemical industry fought the truth, the science, and the public - but, in the end our government experts came through for us, giving the public accurate information about the health risks from chemicals that are commonly found in our homes, schools, and workplaces.

What we really need to prevent this from continuing to happen is a chemical regulatory law that works to ensure safe use of chemicals BEFORE, not after they are sold to us. I hope you can support reform of our Nation's chemical law, called TSCA (more information here).

New Books

Children in hazardous work: What we know, what we need to do

This report reviews the current state of knowledge concerning children in hazardous work and presents the case for a new focus on the issue as part of the wider global effort to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. The report highlights recent global trends while comprehensively summarizing the scientific evidence base related to health and well-being of working children. It identifies the key challenges not only in understanding the effects of hazardous work on childhood development, but also in preventing and eliminating hazardous occupational exposures for children. In addition, the report features good practice approaches of various stakeholder groups that have demonstrated the potential to be scaled up and discusses the importance of an integrated policy response to the issue.

International Labour Office, 10 June 2011 ISBN 978-92-2-124918-4,106 pp.

www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/forthcoming-publications/WCMS_155428/lang--en/index.htm

Regulating for Decent Work. New directions in labour market regulation

This book, the first in the new series Advances in Labour Studies by the ILOs, is an international and interdisciplinary response to the neoliberal ideologies that have shaped labour market regulation in recent decades. It draws on contributions by leading experts across a range of disciplines, including economics, law, political science and industrial relations. International in scope, it includes chapters on both advanced economies (Canada, Europe, United States) and the developing world (Brazil, China, Indonesia, Tanzania). The volume advances the academic and policy debates on post-crisis labour regulation by identifying new challenges, subjects and theoretical perspectives. In contrast to the dominant deregulatory approaches, it calls for labour market regulation to be reinvigorated.

Regulating for Decent Work is an international and interdisciplinary response to the neoliberal ideologies that have shaped labour market regulation in recent decades. It draws on contributions by leading experts across a range of disciplines, including economics, law, political science and industrial relations. International in scope, it includes chapters on both advanced economies (Canada, Europe, United States) and the developing world (Brazil, China, Indonesia, Tanzania).

The volume identifies central themes in the contemporary regulation of labour, including the role of empirical research in assessing and supporting labour market interventions, the regulation of precarious work and the emergence of new types of labour markets. Each theme is explored through key contributions by leading experts.

Chapters cover issues that include labour market uncertainty, the effectiveness of legal norms and methodologies for evaluating the intersection of various levels of regulation. The book advances the academic and policy debates on post-crisis labour regulation by identifying new challenges, subjects and theoretical perspectives. In contrast to the dominant deregulatory approaches, it calls for labour market regulation to be reinvigorated. Co-published with Palgrave Macmillan.

www.ilo.org/global/publications/ilo-bookstore/order-online/books/WCMS_153548/lang--en/index.htm

News from the Unions

World Day for Decent Work 2011: 7 October 2011
Unions Worldwide Mobilise for Decent Work

For the fourth year in a row, trade unions and labour rights organisations across the world will mobilise again on 7 October 2011 in favour of Decent Work. Last year saw 430 actions in 98 countries, and expectations for this year are just as high. While actions in different countries will cover a wide variety of issues, the primary focus this year is on tackling precarious work and promoting global regulation of the finance sector.

"Working people, having already bailed out the banks, are now paying for the crisis again as public sector cuts reduce or eliminate crucial services and benefits. Business, supported by some governments, has also launched a relentless attack on wages and job security," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

With unemployment being the highest ever reported with as many as 205 million people out of a job, support for sustainable solutions including social protection is more important than ever. On current predictions, a further 45 million young people will join the ranks of the unemployed in the coming decade. Failure of governments to transform economic policy so that decent, sustainable jobs are generated would have catastrophic social and economic consequences.

Precarious work refers to forms of work characterised by atypical employment contracts, limited or no social benefits and statutory entitlements, high degrees of job insecurity, low job tenure, low wages and high risks of occupational injury and disease. Young people and women are disproportionately represented amongst those who only have access to such uncertain and unpredictable forms of employment.

The special website for the 2011 World Day for Decent Work is now online, and the ITUC urges all those who plan to participate in the day to sign up their actions on: www.wddw.org

The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 151 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates. www.ituc-csi.org and www.youtube.com/user/ITUCCSI

News from Turkey

Don't forget these dates!

11-15 September 2011 - XIXth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work that will be held in Istanbul, Turkey. This organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security
Information: (Venue) Haliç Congress Centre, Istanbul, Turkey | Phone: (+90) 312 215 80 86 | Fax: (+90) 312 215 50 27 | Email: info@safety2011turkey.org | www.safety2011turkey.org

There is also on 11-15 September 2011 - Participation at the International Film and Multimedia Festival on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) will take place during the XIX World Congress on OSH in Istanbul
Contact: Veronique De Broeck, Secretary General, ISSA, Information Section, Prevent, Gachardstraat 88, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium | Tel: +32 2 643 44 92 | Fax: +32 2 643 44 40 | Email: veronique.debroeck@prevent.be

News from the UK

IOSH urges Government and businesses to go on a savings spree

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has launched a new campaign to remind businesses that good health and safety practice can help them save serious money in these cost-cutting times.

Introducing the Li£e Savings campaign at the Institution's annual Honorary Vice-Presidents' Luncheon held at the House of Lords on 26 May 2011, IOSH president Steve Granger emphasised that smart companies investing in sound health and safety management can see a significant return on investment, in terms of cash savings and a range of other business benefits.

Said Steve: "You only have to look at the scale of some of the savings companies have already made to see what's possible - (utilities company) E.ON saved nearly £12 million in just one year with its absence management strategy, AstraZeneca saved £5 million with a new focus on rehabilitation and health promotion, and British Gas has saved nearly £2 million since it began a road-risk initiative a few years ago."

Mindful of where he was speaking, and the presence of various peers, MPs and senior HSE representatives at the lunch, Steve also had a message for the Government: better health and safety management of UK plc could mean savings of up to £22 billion a year for the public purse.

The campaign centres on six-point action plans for government and businesses, which outline simple ways to save money - for example, by tracking how much is being lost to poor health and safety management, working out how much managing it better could save, tapping into the expertise of health and safety professionals, making sure the current austerity measures don't damage people's health, making use of free guidance and resources, and removing tax disincentives for employers offering rehabilitation therapies.

The Li£e Savings page on the IOSH website contains the full plans, plus a range of free resources, as well as case studies of different businesses that have improved health and safety and saved money in the process.

Added Caroline Patel, head of campaigns at IOSH: "Health and safety couldn't be further from the old 'burden on business' stereotype. Today's professionals understand that good health and safety management goes to the heart of business - done well, it can not only cut costs but improve productivity, quality, retention, motivation and reputation. It's a long way from being an optional extra. Even a small annual investment in well-being, or health and safety initiatives can pay big dividends."

News from the USA

The June issue of LIFELINES ONLINE (Vol. VIII, No. 1) is available at the LHSFNA website. These are the headlines:

To view the stories and access our website, click www.lhsfna.org.

Also, please note that back issues of LIFELINES ONLINE - as well as our print magazine, LIFELINES - are posted for online viewing. The LIFELINES ONLINE archive and LIFELINES archive are fully searchable, so you can find the articles that relate to your topic of interest.

As always, we look forward to your feedback and comments on our website and LIFELINES ONLINE.

Steve Clark, Communications Manager, Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, 905 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006

OSHE web sites to explore...

We look at websites in different parts of the world that are offering quality information. This month we look at a variety of websites from the USA.

Also look in www.oshworld.com/links.html for hundreds of links to authoritative and validated web sites... constantly updated.

This collection of authoritative and validated organisations' websites are listed first alphabetically under country name and then alphabetically under the first word of the organisation. The subject index expands the information of these websites, especially where there are many important sources of information which may not be apparent from a first look at a particular web site.

If you have a favourite site which should be included in this list please email details to: sp@sheilapantry.com

And if we do not have your web site listed please send it to me sp@sheilapantry.com

National Institutes of Health (NIH): PubMed Central (PMC)   USA
www.pubmedcentral.gov
PubMed Central (PMC) is the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) free digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health   NIOSH   USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health web pages provide comprehensive contacts to other related web sites, a compendium of their questionnaires, information on their meeting and conferences, as well as their publications, training services, and their latest activities. This site covers a huge amount of data including information on the organizations responsibilities, from evaluating hazards in the workplace to recommendations to protect workers in the US.
The NIOSH website contains an amazing amount of information - do spend time checking it out!

National Institute of Standards and Technology   NIST   USA
http://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry
National Institute of Standards and Technology's Chemistry web book contains formula, partial formula, Chemical Abstract Service CAS numbers and National Institute of Standards and Technology Reference Databases.

National Institute of Standards and Technology   NIST   Fire Research Information Service   USA
http://fris.ntis.gov
National Institute of Standards and Technology Fire Research Information Service is a resource both to Building and Fire Research Laboratory staff and to fire protection engineers, scientists and fire service personnel around the world. Extensive site with links to experimental fire data, conferences and other fire resources. Good starting point. The database of bibliographic sources FIREDOC is also accessible.

National Institute of Standards and Technology   NIST   Fire.Gov   USA
www.fire.gov
US National Institute of Standards and Technology Fire.Gov newsletter giving details of recent publications, research and news.

National Library of Medicine   NLM   USA
http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov
National Library of Medicine excellent combined service entitled 'Gateway' offers access to a wide range of information sources. For example searching for 'ergonomics' produces thousands of references, with full citation and abstracts.

Diary of Events

These events may inspire you to create similar training courses and conferences/seminars in your own country.

These are taken from the OSHWORLD Diary of Events see www.oshworld.com/diary which is intended as a guide to the wide range of Health, Safety, Fire, Chemical, Environment events, conferences, seminars, training courses and other related activities worldwide. It is updated during the first week of the month, and includes validated Internet links to further information. If you cannot attend these events the organisers are usually willing to let you have papers and other information, if you contact them.

20-22 July 2011 - First Peruvian Conference on Occupational and Environmental Health
Cuzco, Peru
Contact: National Center on Occupational Health and Environmental Protection for Health | Email: rgomero@barrick.com | www.creatimaster.com

24-30 July 2011 - 19th International Conference On Composites Or Nano Engineering
Shanghai, China
Contact: www.icce-nano.org

25-30 July 2011 - 5 Day Conference 'The Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems'
University of California, Irvine, California, USA
Contact: icders2011@uci.edu | http://icders2011.eng.uci.edu

26-28 July 2011 - NIOSH/NPPTL Workshop Meeting
Health and Safety Laboratory, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK
Contact: HSL Training | Tel: +44 (0)1298 218817 | www.hsl.gov.uk/health-and-safety-conferences.aspx

8-10 August 2011 - 3rd CCPS Latin American Process Safety Conference and Expo
Hilton Buenos Aires Hotel, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Contact: www.aiche.org/ccps/conferences/LatinAmerica.aspx

9-12 August 2011 - 5th International Conference on Nanotechnology Occupational and Environmental Health
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Contact: Email maria_s@turi.org | www.uml.edu/nano/nanoehs/Conferences.html

15-19 August 2011 - Radiological Emergency Planning: Terrorism, Security, and Communication
Boston, MA, USA
Contact: https://ccpe.sph.harvard.edu/programs.cfm?CSID=REP0811&pg=cluster&CLID=1

29 August - 1 September 2011 - Jazzin' Up Safety in the Big Easy - 7th Annual National Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association (VPPPA) Conference
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Contact www.vpppa.org

6-8 September 2011 - OSH Expo Africa 2011
Johannesburg, South Africa
Contact: www.oshexpoafrica.com
Readers may also wish to take a free trial of FIREINF and OSH UPDATE www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

7-9 September 2011 - EPICOH 2011 - 22nd International Conference on Epidemiology in Occupational Health
Oxford, UK
Contact: http://epicohoxford2011.org.uk

11-15 September 2011 - XIXth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work
Istanbul, Turkey
Note: Organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security
Information: (Venue) Haliç Congress Centre, Istanbul, Turkey | Phone: (+90) 312 215 80 86 | Fax: (+90) 312 215 50 27 | Email: info@safety2011turkey.org | www.safety2011turkey.org

11-15 September 2011 - Participation at the International Film and Multimedia Festival on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) will take place during the XIX World Congress on OSH in Istanbul
Invitation to submit an entry has been extended to 28 February 2011
Istanbul, Turkey
Contact: Veronique De Broeck, Secretary General, ISSA, Information Section, Prevent, Gachardstraat 88, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium | Tel: +32 2 643 44 92 | Fax: +32 2 643 44 40 | Email: veronique.debroeck@prevent.be | You can use the online entry form at www.issa.int/8thIFMF

14-16 September 2011 - 46th Congress of the French language Ergonomics Society (SELF): Theme Ergonomics at the crossroad of hazards
Paris, France
Contact: Email: self2011@ergonomie-self.org | www.ergonomie-self.org/content/content49384.html

15-16 September 2011 - HSE, Risk Management and Process Safety in Oil and Gas 2011
Houston TX, USA
Contact: www.arena-international.com/hrps11

19-20 September 2011 - Collaboration, Collective Wisdom: Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) 2011 Professional Development Conference
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Contact: Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), 39 River Street, Toronto ON M5A 3P1, Canada | Tel: +1 416 646 1600 | Fax: +1 416 6469460 | Email: info@csse.org | www.csse.org

20-22 September 2011 - 46th UK Conference on Human Response to Vibration
Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK
Contact: HSL Training | Tel: +44 (0)1298 218817 | www.hsl.gov.uk/health-and-safety-conferences.aspx

21-23 September 2011 - Fourth International Conference on Unemployment, Job Insecurity and Health
Hanasaari Cultural Center, Espoo, Finland
Contact: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A 00250 Helsinki Finland | Tel: +358-30-474-2717 | Email: taija.verio-piispanen@ttl.fi | www.ttl.fi/ujih2011

25-29 September 2011 - 8th European Congress of Chemical Engineering (ECCE-8)
Berlin, Germany
Contact: DECHEMA e.V. Congress Department, P.O.B. 15 01 04, 60061 Frankfurt am Main, Germany | http://events.dechema.de/ecce2011.html

26-28 September 2011 - 4th International Conference on Concrete Repair - Concrete Solutions 2011
Dresden, Germany
Contact: Email: info@concrete-solutions.info | www.concrete-solutions.info

27-28 September 2011 - Health Safety and Environment Conference & Trade Show - HSE Canada 2011
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Contact: Email: nate@urbanlivingevents.com | www.hsecanada.ca

27-29 September 2011 - Préventica: Theme The Congress of reference for risk control and quality of work life
Lyon, France
Contact: Officiel Prévention | Email: preventica@preventica.com | www.preventica.com/preventica-evenements.php

9-14 October 2011 - The Global Forum on Sanitation and Hygiene 2011: Sanitation and Hygiene in Developing Countries
Mumbai, India
Contact: For more information, or to join the mailing list for regular updates, visit www.wsscc.org/node/1251
Readers may also wish to take a free trial of FIREINF and OSH UPDATE www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

16-21 October 2011 - RIXOS IX Conference of the International Society of Trace Element Research in Humans (ISTERH)
Premium Hotel, Belek (Antalya), Turkey
Contact: ISTERH | Email: isterh11@isterh.com | www.isterh.com | Flyer: www.icohweb.org/site_new/multimedia/events/pdf/ISTERH_2011_invitation_2010-11.pdf

18-20 October 2011 - Healthcare Canada Conference & Exhibition
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Contact: Diversified Business Communications - Canada, 110 Cochrane Drive, Unit 1, Markham, Ontario, L3R 9S1, UK | Tel +1 905 948 0470 | Fax: +1 905 479 1364 | www.ithealthcare.ca

18-21 October 2011 - A+A 2011
Düsseldorf, Germany
Contact: i. A. Martin-Ulf Koch, G2-PR/ Presseabteilung - Press Department | Tel: +49 (0) 211 4560 444 | Fax: +49 (0) 211 4560 8548 | Email: KochM@messe-duesseldorf.de | www.aplusa.de

18-21 October 2011 - International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) International Conference on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises - Learning from Good Practices in Small Workplaces
Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Ridge, Accra, Ghana
Organised by: Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Society of Occupational and Environmental Health (GHASOEH) and Ghana Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare
Contact: Head of Occupational and Environmental Health Department Ghana Health Service (Headquarters), Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra, Ghana | Tel: +233-0302-660693 | Fax: +233-0302-660693 | Email: edith.clarke@ghsmail.org

26-29 October 2011 - First International Symposium on Mine Safety Science and Engineering
Beijing, China
The symposium is authorized by the State Administration of Work Safety and is sponsored by China Academy of Safety Science & Technology (CASST), China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing) (CUMTB), McGill University (Canada) and University of Wollongong (Australia) with participation from several other universities from round the world, research institutes, professional associations and large enterprises.
Contact: Tel: +86-10-84911521-805 or +86-10-82375620 | Email: ismsse2011@chinasafety.ac.cn | www.chinasafety.ac.cn/ismsse2011