International Safety


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.

DEKRA Seeking Safety Champion Submissions

The 2017 Awards will recognize the best projects, processes, and solutions in Germany in three categories – safety in transport, safety at work, and safety at home.

ATSB's Chief Pilot Approved to Fly Drones

The Australian safety agency already has taken advantage by taking investigative video with its drone after a loaded coal train derailed in Queensland on July 21, 2017.

Canada Encouraging Broader Livestock Traceability

CFIA is considering changes to the Health of Animals Regulations that would require all Canadian operators of premises where livestock may be loaded or unloaded from a vehicle to have a valid premises identification number for each site and to report the number when receiving livestock.

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