International Safety


UN Agency Marks '7 Billion Day'

The Oct. 31 observance culminates the United Nations Population Fund's global campaign to raise awareness of the challenges presented by the world's population.

Spotlighting the World's Fires

Two NASA satellites have mapped 40 million fires all over the world during the past decade, providing data useful to firefighters and to scientists investigating climate change. A new satellite is set to launch Oct. 28.

IKEA Pulls Wardrobe from EU Market

The Oct. 21 RAPEX bulletin says a heavy mirror can detach, fall, and break into shards. Twenty detachment reports and one case of severe cuts have been reported, it says.

Report Shows Australia's Reducing Injuries, Fatalities

Safe Work Australia Chair Tom Phillips said the results are good but cautioned that injury and illness rates in the transport and storage, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries are still nearly twice as high as the national average.

CEMEX UK Paying $588,000 for Fatal Dust Explosion

The penalty consists of a $316,000 fine and $272,000 in costs after CEMEX UK Operations Ltd pleaded guilty to violating Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in an employee's 2008 death.

ISEA Releases New Fall Protection Guidance Documents

Prepared by manufacturers in the ISEA Fall Protection Group, the use and selection guide describes the process of developing a corporate fall protection program and explains the components of fall protection systems.

A+A Sets New Attendance Record

More than 60,000 trade visitors toured the exhibit halls at the Dusseldorf fair grounds during the Oct. 18-21 trade fair. Exhibit square footage also is up 12 percent for the National Safety Council's Congress & Expo two weeks from now.

EU Experts See Laser Incidents Rising Fast

At a seminar on laser interference with aviation that was organized by EUROCONTROL, participants said both pilots and air traffic controllers need training on in-flight and post-flight procedures.



APIC Celebrates 25th Anniversary of International Infection Prevention Week

The 2011 commemoration features a policy summit on Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C., hosted by APIC and the National Journal.

Liver Cancer Rates Increasing in North America, Study Says

Increased incidence rates may be partly due to increased chronic HCV infection as a result of unscreened blood transfusions and contaminated needles used for medical purposes, and with widespread intravenous drug use in previous decades.

Volunteers Cleaning NZ Beaches

With the MV Rena now expected to break apart, six vessels are trying to corral floating containers from the ship. Salvage firm Svitzer has winched workers aboard who hope to resume removing oil from its tanks.

ISO Documents Economic Benefits of Using Standards

Its new book contains case studies from 11 companies in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Botswana, South Africa, and Germany.

Canadian Government Expands Research on Bisphenol A, Flame Retardants

The Oct. 3 announcement of an update to the Chemicals Management Plan also included a commitment to complete assessments on 500 substances, including phthalates.

Evacuation Mandate Eased Near Fukushima Plant

The Japanese government on Sept. 30 lifted its order requiring municipal governments within a radius of 20 to 30 kilometers from the plant to keep children and pregnant women out of that zone.

Britain Debates 80 mph's Benefits

Will raising the speed limit on British highways to 80 mph really boost the economy? The British government is set to announce the increase from 70 mph, a speed limit that about half of all drivers ignore, according to Department for Transport data.

Insurers Halting Earthquake Coverage in New Zealand

Ansvar Insurance announced it will no longer offer coverage anywhere in the country, while Zurich will stop writing new coverage outside of Auckland, Northland, and Waikato.

ISO Chooses New President-Elect

Terry Hill, who chairs the Board of Trustees of engineering/consulting firm Arup Group, was nominated by BSI and will become president-elect of ISO in January.

Road Casualty Figures Drop in Britain

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said it welcomes the significant drops in death and injury but cautions that the success is partly due to unusual economic and weather factors which may not continue in coming years.

Fifteen Australian Codes of Practice Published

Taking the next step in the process of enacting a national work health and safety regulatory scheme, Safe Work Australia opened the comment periods Sept. 26 for draft codes on fall protection, first aid, chemical safety, and more.

Singapore Workplace Fatalities Rise in First Half of 2011

The report highlighted that the number of occupational diseases went up from 124 in 2010 to 361 in 2011, primarily due to the increased reporting of noise-induced deafness cases.

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