International Safety


ATSB Releases Final Report on MH370

"Our deepest sympathies remain with those who lost loved ones on MH370. It remains a great tragedy, and we wish that we could have brought complete closure to the bereaved. I hope, however, that they can take some solace in the fact that we did all we could do to find answers," ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood said.

Amendments to Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Act Proposed

The most significant proposed amendments involve recalls of motor vehicles and equipment. One would authorize the Minister of Transport to be able to order a company to correct a defect or a non-compliance in a vehicle or equipment if the Minister considers it to be in the interest of public safety.

London's Fire Chief Calls for Sprinkler Mandate

"Now is the time to remind Government of life-saving recommendations we have been making for years," London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said. "We are calling for residential tower blocks to be retrofitted with sprinklers, and they should be mandatory in all new school builds and major refurbishments."

Comments Due by Oct. 27 on Canada's Proposed Vaping Regulations

Information that vaping device manufacturers would have to submit would include engineering drawings for devices, the contents of vaping liquids, information on R&D activities, and quarterly sales data. The proposal would require a displayed warning for products that contain nicotine.

Australian Builder Fined $880,000 in Fatal Collapse

"Floor collapses can be caused by overloading areas with construction materials, the new floor not being structurally completed, or the structural support elements being inadequate or altered. That is why it is critical that builders ensure the load-bearing capacity of floors under construction are known by everyone at the site," WorkSafe Victoria Head of Hazardous Industries and Industry Practice Michael Coffey said.

Canada Marks First Firefighters' National Memorial Day

"On Firefighters' National Memorial Day, we all come together to remember and mourn, to support one another, and to celebrate those wonderful lives. The symbolic half-masting of national flags on all federal buildings will inspire Canadians to pause in remembrance of the firefighters in their communities and across the country who have fallen while serving their fellow citizens," said Ralph Goodale, Canada's minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on Sept. 10.

IAEA Team Completes China Advisory Mission

The team reported China maintains strong and sustainable nuclear security activities and identified a number of good practices, while making recommendations and suggestions for continuous improvement. It was headed by Joseph Sandoval, a member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories.

PAHO Deployed Experts Ahead of Irma

Pan American Health Organization country offices in the Caribbean took preventive measures to provide the necessary support to authorities and a team of infrastructure, engineering, and administrative specialists was prepared to support the immediate assessment and response to the impact on people located in the path of hurricane Irma.



ASSE President Signs Singapore Accord

"This is one of the most significant initiatives produced on the international stage by the OHS profession," said ASSE President Jim Smith, MS, CSP, who was in Singapore to sign the accord on Sept. 3. "For the first time, we have achieved a common global commitment to defining capabilities for OHS professionals and practitioners, which in turn will raise competencies and ultimately lead to fewer worker injuries, illnesses, and fatalities."

Bakery Fined $1.3 Million After Fatal Fall

"Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in Great Britain. The risks associated with working at height are well known," said HSE inspector Denise Fotheringham.

VPPPA, BCSP Sign Partnership Agreement

The two organizations will collaborate to improve the protection of workers and will encourage students and other professionals to choose occupational safety and health as a career and advance their competency in that field.

ILO Creates Global Future of Work Commission

It is to focus in particular on the relationship between work and society, the challenge of creating decent jobs for all, the organization of work and production, and the governance of work.

INTERPOL Completes First Course for Middle East Law Enforcement on Countering Social Media Use by Terrorists

The Aug. 7–11 training course brought together intelligence officers and investigators from Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia to enhance identification and detection of potential terrorism subjects.

Typhoon Hato Kills Eight, Injures Hundreds in Macau

Macau's chief executive, Chui Sai On, pledged Aug. 24 that the government would work diligently alleviate the damage caused by the strong typhoon and help residents resume their normal lives as quickly as possible.

China to Raise Bullet Trains' Maximum Speed, Report Says

China will soon start operating the world's fastest trains between Beijing and Shanghai, restoring the 350km/h top speed that was in place before a 2011 train collision.

Total S.A. Buying Maersk Oil

"I welcome Maersk Oil to the Total family," said Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO of Total. "Building on Maersk Oil's high safety standards, strong technological leadership, operational excellence, and strong Danish heritage, we will intensify and accelerate the push to optimize and extend the Danish oil and gas production."

Australia/New Zealand Wiring Rules Being Updated

WorkCover Queensland is advising stakeholders that transitioning from one edition of the Wiring Rules to the next can affect the compliance requirements for an electrical installation.

Alberta to Review OHS Act After 40 Years

Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act will be comprehensively reviewed for the first time since its initial conception more than 40 years ago.

Steelmaker Fined $1.2 Million for Toxic Release

"It was extremely fortunate no one was seriously affected by this incident. Had the flammable vapor cloud ignited, this could have resulted in multiple fatalities," HSE inspector Stephen Hargreaves said. "This incident highlights the need for all duty holders to implement and address all concerns and potential risks which have been identified. Tata's failure to do so in this case put a number of workers at risk of serious harm."

Order Signed for Mexico's Largest Wind Park

"Mexico is undergoing a historical moment in its energy policy and we are extremely pleased to play an active role in this process. By building Mexico's largest wind park with Vestas' turbines, we are taking a bold step in the country's transition towards renewables," said Adrián Katzew, CEO of Zuma Energía.

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