News from around the World

News Archive

July 2018

Companies need to ‘embrace health’ like they already embrace safety, says BOHS President

Health risk management cannot be boiled down into simple toolkits or checklists, according to the president of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).

Speaking at the Safety and Health Expo, Neil Grace said companies need to “embrace health” like they already embrace safety. Mr Grace quoted statistics that show that while the number of deaths from workplace accidents has fallen from around 5,000 deaths per year in the last century to less than 150 now, there are still 13,000 people dying from work related illness in the UK.

“For far too long we have been shouting about safety and whispering about health. That’s something we have to change.

“While zero accidents are a laudable goal, zero harm would be a much better one, but this change needs to come from the top,” he told delegates at the event.

“Controlling exposures requires comprehensive, robust and realistic risk assessments carried out by competent individuals,” said Mr Grace.

“And accurate risk assessments which look at individual situations and propose the most effective control measures,” he added.

More information: https://www.shponline.co.uk/companies-need-to-embrace-health-like-they-already-embrace-safety-says-bohs-president

UK National Physical Laboratory wins top honour at prestigious health and safety awards

National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has won the top honour at the country’s most prestigious and longest-running health and safety awards.

The organisation, which is the UK’s National Measurement Institute, was presented with the Sir George Earle Trophy, an annual prize which recognises the best entry in the UK RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, at a gala ceremony on 5 July 2018.

In selecting it as the winner, the judging panel noted that rather than just relying on formal systems and procedures, the strength of its health and safety management capability was rooted in the care and concern shown by the organisation’s culture.

Judges praised NPL’s commitment to embracing a wide safety agenda, including a strong focus on developing the safety skillset of the next generation. A new focus on investing in and supporting apprentices is being widely embraced, embedding health and safety values and knowledge.

Apprentices are also widely used in NPL’s STEM programme, providing educational outreach to thousands of school and college students to promote interest in science and medicine, while also teaching pupils to understand and manage the risks associated with the exciting experiments and activities they take part in.

More information: https://www.rospa.com/media-centre/press-office/press-releases/detail/?id=1583

DSEAR and COMAH: How HSE can help you

Health and Safety Executive’s hazardous area classification specialists are highly experienced in carrying out DSEAR assessments and have been closely involved with the development of many of the key standards and guidance on area classification.

This means the HSE are perfectly placed to help you achieve DSEAR and COMAH compliance and have developed a suite of courses to provide you with this guidance.

These courses are all run at their state-of-the-art facilities, HSE’s dedicated laboratory in Buxton, Derbyshire but can also be delivered for you at your premises

Training Event: HSE Inspectors’ Guide to Risk Assessment

2 August 2018, London
13 September 2018 and 16 October 2018, HSE, Buxton

You will learn: how HSE examines and uses employers’ risk assessments; the common errors that HSE finds in the risk assessment process; and how to use this information to manage risks more effectively and avoid enforcement action.

The course will cover:

• The different types of risk assessments required under health and safety legislation.
• How HSE inspectors use risk assessments during inspections and investigations, and how they form judgements about whether risks are being adequately controlled.
• The circumstances where an inadequate risk assessment may cause an Inspector to take enforcement action, and what form that action is likely to take.
• and more...

More information: https://www.hsl.gov.uk/health-and-safety-training-courses/hse-inspectors’-guide-to-risk-assessment---london

UK Annual workplace fatalities

144 workers were killed in 2017-18 (RIDDOR)

Provisional annual data for work-related fatal injuries shows that 144 workers were fatally injured in Britain between April 2017 and March 2018 (a rate of 0.45 per 100 000 workers).

38 fatal injuries to construction workers were recorded, accounting for the largest share of any industry, while the most common cause of fatal injury was workers falling from height (35).

To read more about the data and view comments from HSE Chair Martin Temple, visit: http://press.hse.gov.uk/2018/hse-releases-annual-workplace-fatality-figures-2

Hot workers need enough water and breaks, says TUC

As summer makes itself felt across the UK, the TUC has called on bosses to make sure any staff working outdoors in the baking sun are protected from the harmful effects of over-exposure to sunlight and heat.

The TUC says that workers like builders, agricultural workers and gardeners who are outside for lengthy periods in high temperatures are at risk of sunstroke, sunburn and even skin cancer. And working in hot weather can also lead to dehydration, tiredness, muscle cramps, rashes, fainting, and – in extreme cases – loss of consciousness. It is urging employers with staff who work outdoors to allow plenty of breaks and to provide a supply of drinking water.

The TUC adds that during hot spells, firms should organise work so outside tasks are done earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon, rather than between 11 am – 3 pm when temperatures are highest. Employers should also provide canopies or covering over open areas, and shaded areas for breaks. The TUC says they should ensure outdoor workers have sunscreen and are given advice on the need to protect themselves from the heat and sun. They should also provide lightweight brimmed hats for all outdoor workers and make sure any protective clothing is lightweight, long-sleeved and comfortable. Advice should be available in relevant languages for migrant workers, the TUC notes.

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-855-30-june-2018#_Toc517870208

GMB wins again as tribunal rules Hermes couriers are ‘workers’

Hermes couriers are ‘workers’ and not self-employed, according to an employment tribunal ruling.

The GMB-backed tribunal in Leeds involving a group of 65 Hermes couriers found they were not independent contractors, which Hermes argued, but instead were workers, and therefore entitled to rights such as the national living wage and holiday pay. The decision was described by the GMB as a “landmark” ruling.

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-855-30-june-2018#_Toc517870209

Smoking rates at a record low: but not for poorer or pregnant smokers

Overall smoking rates for 2017 have just been published for England, and are at all-time low of 14.9%, down from 19.3% just five years ago. This brings the estimated number of smokers in England in 2017 to 6.1 million, 1.6 million fewer than in 2011. This progress is thanks to the world-leading strategy implemented by successive Governments to support more people to quit and prevent children from taking up smoking.

However, the new figures also reveal that there is no room for complacency. Action is urgently needed to address the lack of progress in reducing smoking rates among pregnant women and the growing gap in smoking rates between rich and poor.

One in four people in routine and manual occupations smoke compared to one in ten in professional and managerial occupations. The data published today shows that this gap is widening over time, not reducing in line with the ambition set out in the Tobacco Control Plan for England published last year. The Government is also failing to meet its target for reducing smoking in pregnancy, with smoking rates stuck at 11% for the last three years.

More information: http://ash.org.uk/media-and-news/press-releases-media-and-news/smoking-rates-at-a-record-low-but-not-for-poorer-or-pregnant-smokers

New union resource tackles sexual harassment

Sexual harassment at work is a trade union issue – that’s the strong message in a new ‘Workplace guide to dealing with sexual harassment’ produced by the linked UK unions BECTU and Prospect. They say another key message in the guide is that the cause of sexual harassment always lies with the perpetrator, and never with the subject. Nor is it the responsibility of the subject of sexual harassment to prevent it from happening, states the guide, which features testimony from affected workers.

The guide was published after Prospect survey results revealed that 35 per cent of women respondents had experienced sexual harassment, rising to 62 per cent amongst younger women. Young people were also least likely to tell their union. One per cent of respondents had suffered a serious sexual assault at work.

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-855-30-june-2018#_Toc517870214

Low pay is a genuine occupational hazard

Are you sick and tired of too much work for too little pay? Well, you are also likely to be sick because of it, according to a new report in the trade union backed workers’ health publication Hazards.

Presenting academic evidence, the report argues: “Workplace risks go up as your employment grade goes down, with a potentially devastating impact on health. Poor working conditions are commonly a toxic companion to poor pay. Fear of losing your ostensibly ‘permanent’ job, inability to find permanent work, scratching a living from multiple jobs or working on short-hours or zero hour contracts, at the whim of someone who claims not to be your employer can take a toll on your health.”

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-855-30-june-2018#_Toc517870218

Stress Series: A Workshop for those Leading the Organisation’s Approach to Stress Management

2-3 October 2018, HSE Buxton

How do you implement a comprehensive stress management programme across the business? How do you set your vision, engage the workforce and initiate a suitable programme that is tailored to your business needs? How do you ensure that it is successful and compliant with regulation?

This UK Health and Safety Executive 2-day workshop is tailored to those who are expected to lead the organisation’s approach to stress management, i.e. those working in HR, health and safety and occupational health business functions.

It will cover three key topic areas:

• Work-related stress and the associated HSE Management Standards process.
• Individual case management.
• Creating a high performing team.

More information: https://www.hsl.gov.uk/hsl-shop/health-and-safety-training-courses

The global burden of Occupational Health (OH) issues is considerable

Fatal and non-fatal work-related injuries and illnesses worldwide equate to a cost of approximately €2680 billion, equivalent to 4% of the global GDP or the entire GDP of Great Britain. Consequently, organisations, their workforce, and society have to bear a substantial cost.

On 11 July 2018 the UK Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM), the International SOS Foundation and KU Leuven University launched Occupational Health: the Global Value and Evidence. This new whitepaper discusses the value of Occupational Health (OH) from a global perspective and provides a synthesis of global evidence on the effectiveness of OH interventions and cost effectiveness.

More information: https://www.som.org.uk/new-report-reveals-global-value-occupational-health-programmes-organisations-workers-community

Event: 2nd MIHA International Conference and Exhibition (MIHA ICE 2018)

22-25 October 2018, Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

This 2-yearly program provides a platform for local and international experts to share Industrial Hygiene latest development, not limited to researches, best practices and lessons learnt.

MIHA ICE 2018 focuses on knowledge sharing – to act as a catalyst in enhancing Industrial Hygiene practices as well as creating better and healthier working environments. It aims to act as a platform in elevating the level of industrial hygiene management within its region, through its programmes and activities, via close collaboration between local and international delegates, in particular employers, workers, OSH practitioners and regulators.

More details: https://mihaice.miha2u.org

New British Safety Council course: Interpersonal skills to drive health and safety performance

Health and safety is about more than technical knowledge. It is about empowering staff and giving them the skills to communicate the health and safety message throughout the workplace. With a subject matter that often gets a prickly response, what is your business doing to help your health and safety team communicate this in a way that means others embrace it rather than push back?

British Safety Council has developed a new one-day workshop specifically for those people communicating the health and safety message. It gives them the skills to engage and influence, and ultimately encourage behaviours that reduce accidents and improve health.

Combining both the technical and the softer interpersonal skills gives your business the best possible chance to improve health and safety performance.

The workshop teaches learners how to:

• Communicate effectively about health and safety
• Develop and maintain relationships that are critical for effective engagement
• Influence people and make sure everyone is getting the right message
• Give and receive feedback – crucial for driving performance
• Manage conflict and make sure everyone is on the same journey
• Make ethical decisions.

We offer two versions of this workshop:

1. For health and safety teams
2. For managers, supervisors and team leaders.

The learning outcomes are the same, but the examples used are audience-specific.

How is it delivered?

An experienced tutor can visit your workplace on a date of your choice to deliver this workshop to up to 16 people.

More details: https://www.britsafe.org/products/interpersonal-skills

Heatwave shouldn’t leave workers baking

Many employers are shirking their responsibilities when it comes to protecting outdoor workers in hot weather, the TUC has warned.

The union body says much of the available guidance targets office workers who are getting hot under the collar, and pretty much everywhere else. But it says “employers tend to say that there is nothing that they can do for outdoor workers as you can’t control temperatures outside in the same way as you can indoors. After all, fans and air conditioning don’t work on the street or in a field.”

But the TUC advises there is a lot employers can do to protect outdoor workers – they are just on the whole failing to do it. In an online commentary, TUC head of safety Hugh Robertson notes “every summer millions of outdoor workers face the risk of skin cancer, dehydration and heat stress as well as the increased risk of an accident happening because of the tiredness and lack of concentration that working in the heat can bring.”

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-856-7-july-2018#_Toc518576592

European Commission launches public consultation on daylight saving time

On 5 July 2018, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the clock changes that occur twice a year to cater for the changing patterns of daylight. European citizens and stakeholders are invited to share their views by filling-in this online questionnaire by 16 August 2018.

This consultation is part of an assessment of the EU summertime directive, to evaluate whether or not the rules should be changed. This follows the vote by the European Parliament of a resolution on summertime in February 2018, as well as requests from citizens and certain EU member states.

Currently, under EU rules agreed by member states, each country chooses which base time zone to be in (GMT +1, +2, etc) but each changes their clocks forward one hour from winter time to summer time and back from summer time to winter time on the same dates each year.

The consultation offers two alternatives: keep the system exactly as it is or end the current bi-annual time changes for all member states and prohibit periodic switches. Again, this would not affect the choice of time zone, and it would remain each member state’s decision whether to go for permanent summer or wintertime (or a different time).

More information: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEX-18-4370_en.htm#2

RAC adopts 13 proposals for harmonised classification and labelling and SEAC adopts the restriction proposal on lead in gunshot ECHA/NR/18/39

The Committees also discussed and agreed on draft opinions for applications in authorisation on uses of chromium (VI) substances, DBP and diglyme.

SEAC adopted it final opinion to restrict lead and its compounds in gunshot for shooting with a shotgun within a wetland and where spent gunshot would land within a wetland.

The Committees discussed and agreed on five draft opinions in RAC and seven draft opinions in SEAC, on four and six applications for authorisation respectively, on uses of chromium (VI) substances, DBP and diglyme. The Committees also agreed on four draft opinions on two review reports – these were the first review reports in the history of REACH. Each authorisation decision by the Commission for a substance on Annex XIV contains a time-limited review period. Close to its expiry, and if the substitution still cannot be done by the authorisation holder, a review report has to be submitted to ECHA. The two review reports are on uses of DEHP-containing PVC recyclate.

RAC also agreed on a note on the reference dose-response relationship for the carcinogenicity of coal tar pitch, high temperature (CTPHT) and the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) and very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties of the substance. The substance had recently been included in Annex XIV to REACH due to its carcinogenic and PBT and vPvB properties.

More information on the agreed draft opinions under the authorisation process, the thirteen adopted opinions on harmonised classification and labelling, and the restriction proposal is available in the annex.

More information: https://echa.europa.eu/-/rac-adopts-13-proposals-for-harmonised-classification-and-labelling-and-seac-adopts-the-restriction-proposal-on-lead-in-gunshot

Workplace Medical Mystery Solved: What is causing a recycling worker’s respiratory distress?

by R. Reid Harvey, DVM, MPH; Michelle R. Martin, MS; and Julie Tisdale-Pardi, MA

While working at a metal recycling facility, Joe was suddenly overcome with shortness of breath, coughing, chest pressure, and eye irritation. After transport to a local hospital, Joe was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS. What was the cause of his illness?

The plume of smoke Joe ran through was a thick yellow gas. Testing revealed it was chlorine gas accidently released from an intact, closed-valved cylinder being processed for scrap metal.

Occupational exposure to high concentrations of chlorine gas is rare, and most commonly due to workplace unintentional events or human error. In 2005, 72 persons were hospitalized and 9 died after a train transporting 60 tons of chlorine gas derailed in South Carolina. Additionally, emergency personnel responding to such incidents may be exposed to the hazards without sufficient respiratory protection. Industries such as pulp and paper mills that use chlorine gas as part of production processes typically educate employees on chlorine safety and install chlorine detectors for added protection. Although chlorine gas exposure is not expected in the metal recycling industry, there have been three separate incidents in the last 8 years resulting in at least 32 workers hospitalized and one death.

More information: https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2018/06/22/medical-mystery8b

£900 million Future Leaders investment will sustain the UK as global home of research talent

UK Business Secretary Greg Clark on 21 June 2018 unveiled a major new £900 million investment in the UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship Scheme.

The inaugural UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship Scheme will receive £900 million over the next 11 years, with six funding competitions and at least 550 fellows awarded over the next three years.

The investment will provide up to seven years of funding for early-career researchers and innovators, including support for part-time awards and career-breaks, providing flexibility to researchers to tackle ambitious and challenging research questions.

More information: https://www.ukri.org/news/flf

Events: COMAH, DSEAR and Process Safety courses in July 2018

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) require employers to assess all potential risks to employees and others whose safety may be affected by the use or presence of a dangerous substance at the workplace.

HSE Training hazardous area classification specialists are highly experienced in carrying out DSEAR assessments and have been closely involved with the development of many of the key standards and guidance on area classification. HSE’s specialists have developed a suite of courses providing guidance on COMAH Regulations 2015 and DSEAR Regulations 2002. These are all run at the state-of-the-art facilities, HSE’s dedicated laboratory in Buxton, Derbyshire.

HSE’s upcoming 2018 course dates COMAH, DSEAR and Process Safety.

• 5 July: Hazardous Area Classification
• 19 July: DSEAR: Compliance for Managers and Supervisors
• 24 July: COMAH Compliance for Lower Tier Establishments
• 26 July: Managing Ageing Assets – Creeping Changes, Data Trending and Experience from Incidents
• 1 Aug: DSEAR: Controlling Dust Explosion Risks
• 14-15 Aug: COMAH Onshore Major Hazards: Predictive Aspects of COMAH
• 21 Aug: Pressure Systems Awareness
• 5 Sept: Layers of Protection Analysis: Practical Application and Pitfalls (LOPA)
• 10-14 Sept: NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management
• 18-19 Sept: COMAH Technical Aspects of COMAH Safety Reports

Further details on each course: https://www.hsl.gov.uk/training

News from ECHA: 10 new substances added to the Candidate List

The Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs) for authorisation now contains 191 substances.

ECHA has added eight new SVHCs to the Candidate List following the SVHC identification process with the involvement of the Member State Committee (MSC).

Two further substances, TMA and DCHP, have also been added to the list, having been identified as SVHCs by the European Commission due to their respiratory sensitising properties and toxic for reproduction and endocrine-disrupting properties, respectively. The Commission’s decision follows the referral of the MSC opinions on these SVHC proposals in 2016.

More information: https://echa.europa.eu/-/ten-new-substances-added-to-the-candidate-list

ECHA launches targeted consultation on harmonised classification and labelling of butanone oxime

The proposal for the harmonised classification and labelling (CLH) of butanone oxime; ethyl methyl ketoxime; ethyl methyl ketone oxime (EC 202-496-6; CAS 96-29-7) was submitted by Germany (BAuA) and was subject to a public consultation, which ended on 4 September 2017.

During its 45th meeting in June 2018, the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) discussed the proposed classifications for eye damage, skin irritation, acute toxicity (oral and dermal), skin sensitisation, STOT-SE and carcinogenicity.

RAC further considered if the substance should also be classified for STOT-RE. However, since STOT-RE was not formally open for commenting during the public consultation, a targeted consultation has been launched.

All interested parties are invited to submit comments directly relevant to the subject of the targeted consultation using the commenting webform by 23:59 (Helsinki time) on 10 July 2018. The comments will be published on ECHA’s website.

More information: https://echa.europa.eu/view-article/-/journal_content/title/echa-weekly-27-june-2018

Event: Tackling Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

6 September 2018, Park Plaza London Waterloo, London, UK

Working in Partnership to Disrupt Criminal Networks, Improve Identification and Deliver Sustained Support for Victims

Victims of modern slavery and human trafficking suffer appalling dehumanisation and deprivation of liberty. These pernicious crimes occur in a variety of contexts and range from forced labour and domestic servitude to the trafficking of children for sexual exploitation. 5,145 potential victims of modern slavery were submitted to the National Referral Mechanism in 2017, a 35% increase on 2016 (NCA, 2017). Recorded modern slavery crimes in England and Wales moreover increased by 159% percent from 870 in 2016/16 to 2,255 in 2016/17 (NAO, 2017).

Since the landmark UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 “set an international benchmark to which other jurisdictions aspire” (Independent Review, 2016), the Government has undertaken measures to maximise the identification of these crimes and enhance the delivery of support to victims. Furthermore, the Modern Slavery Victim Support Bill, making further provision for identifying and assisting victims and amending the 2015 Act, is currently under consideration by the House of Lords. The NHS, HMICFRS, and LGA have also analysed the effectiveness of existing responses by health, law enforcement and local government sectors, and published relevant guidance to improve staff awareness and joint working.

However, it is clear that significant progress is required. Many police forces are demonstrating insufficient understanding of the nature and scale of modern slavery and human trafficking (HMICFRS, 2017), whilst 86% of NHS professionals report lacking the knowledge to identify victims (NHS, 2016). Furthermore, victims are not being adequately supported to give evidence against abusers, (Work and Pensions Select Committee, 2017), and experience high levels of unmet needs and poor access to health services (PHE, 2017).

This symposium will therefore provide local authorities, police forces, health professionals, criminal justice agencies, academics and charities, with a timely opportunity to examine methods of improving the identification and disruption of modern slavery and human trafficking. It will also enable delegates to share best practice in strengthening local partnership arrangements and coordination activities to increase reporting and deliver sustained support for victims.

More information: http://www.publicpolicyexchange.co.uk/events/II06-PPE

Event: FEICA European Adhesive and Sealant Conference & Expo 2018

12-14 September 2018, Radisson Blue Latvija, Riga, Latvia

Each year, FEICA attracts record numbers of industry leaders to its annual Conference to discuss market drivers and trends, innovation, sustainability and technological advancements. The FEICA Conference and EXPO is firmly established as the premier event for Europe’s adhesive and sealant industry, providing essential insights into the key issues affecting the industry, as well as outstanding networking opportunities for formulators, customers and raw materials suppliers to discuss the latest trends and wider business environment.

This year’s Conference will focus on the impact on our industry of the rapid and far-reaching changes resulting from the emerging “digital age”.

More information: www.feica-conferences.com

Event: IOHA 2018 – Bringing Better Health to Workers Worldwide

24-26 September 2018, Washington, DC, USA

The 11th International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) International Scientific Conference is the must-attend conference for occupational hygiene professionals worldwide.

More information: www.aiha.org/events/IOHA2018

Event: 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association

26-20 August 2018, Florence, Italy

The theme of the congress is “Creativity in Practice”, with reference to the typical challenge of the Italian way to innovation engaged to transform the results of research on innovation in concrete actions to improve the quality of life and work.

The event will be not only an occasion for researchers but also an international workshop devoted to the multidisciplinary work among professionals from different countries, all engaged in a brainstorming session to generate new ideas.

More information: http://iea2018.org

Event: From Research to Practice in Occupational Health and Safety

27-29 August 2018, Sinatur Hotel Frederiksdal, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

The demand for better use of evidence-based research findings is increasing. This also applies to OSH research. New methods are now available worldwide that focus on both knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange with external audiences and research users. Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) is an approach for actively engaging practitioners/knowledge users in research, and sharing useful evidence with decision makers and practitioners. However, efforts remain to advance the engagement of knowledge users to help the dissemination and uptake of evidence based OHS findings.

Course objectives

• To give the participants up-to-date knowledge on research to practice approaches, and to engage knowledge users in knowledge transfer, and exchange in evidence based OHS research processes.
• Different research to practice perspectives will be presented; Knowledge transfer (KT), Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE), Dissemination research, and Interactive research approaches. The lecturers are selected to represent the best researchers in the area of research to practice and how to utilize research to practice approaches in practice.
• An important goal of the course is to support and establish a research to practice network among the Nordic countries to increase Nordic and international cooperation

More information: https://niva.org/courses

Event: 9th Maritime Salvage and Casualty Response

12-13 September 2018, London, UK

CI’s 9th Maritime Salvage & Casualty Response Conference will once again bring together senior executives and experts from Salvage Companies, technology providers, P&I Clubs, Law Firms and Global Regulators to discuss the latest challenges and developments making an impact on the industry.

The 2017 event also took place in London and brought together industry professionals from organisations including Tsavliris Salvage Group, Resolve Marine, Five Ocean Salvage, The Standard Club and IMO to name just a few.

This year’s edition will look further into the relationship of all stakeholders in the industry and attempt to create healthy discussions between all to achieve productive results for the industry. There will also be insightful and technical presentations on salvage operations from the top industry experts.

More information: www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/maritime-salvage-casualty-response

Event: HSE Workshop on the Chemistry Data Requirements for Biocides Regulated under Regulation 528/2012

3 October 2018, York, UK

HSE’s Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) is running a one-day workshop aimed at providing training on data requirements for the EU approval of biocide products regarding the physicochemical properties and methods of analysis under Regulation EU 528/2012. The event will also include a discussion on novel guidance that is available for specific biocidal products and active substances such as Biocide Product Families, carriers and in situ generated active substances.

The aim of the event will be to provide training and updated guidance via a series of presentations and practical sessions. The workshop is designed for technical and registration specialists involved in the preparation and submission of biocide dossiers to CRD.

The course will cover:

• Overview of the data requirements for products and specific issues with different product types
• Novel areas of guidance available for biocide active substances and products including; Biocide Product Families, carriers and in situ generated active substances
• Identity of the chemical active substance including technical equivalence
• Classification and labelling
• Methods of analysis for the technical material, formulations and residues monitoring

More information: https://www.hsl.gov.uk/health-and-safety-training-courses/crd---workshop-on-the-chemistry-data-requirements-for-biocides-regulated-under-regulation-5282012

Event: HiAP 2019 – Delivering Health Equity, Tackling Inequalities

1 May 2019, Royal Society of Medicine, London

Due to the huge amounts of positive feedback received during and post the HiAP 2018 – A Strategy for Improving Population Health conference which took place on February 6th this year, Govconnect are proud to announce HiAP 2019 – Delivering Health Equity, Tackling Inequalities.

For those who were not in attendance at the inaugural conference or aware, Health in All Policies (HiAP) is an approach to policies that systematically and explicitly takes into account the health implications of the decisions we make; targets the key social determinants of health; looks for synergies between health and other core objectives and the work we do with partners; and tries to avoid causing harm with the aim of improving the health of the population and reducing inequity.

The HiAP 2019 conference will serve to provide help for local authority and NHS decision makers, sharing insight on how best to collate evidence, identify impacts, take action and prioritise interventions. It will provide all delegates with a number of pre-conference toolkits and practical solutions which can help them deliver immediate steps towards rebalancing the many societal and health related challenges they may face.

More information: http://hiap2019.govconnect.org.uk