International Safety


IAEA Lab Renovations Well Under Way

The eight nuclear applications laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria, opened in 1962 and had not undergone any renovation or received major equipment upgrades until the ReNuAL project began in 2014.

ATSB Issues Report on Near Miss with Train's Passengers

In May 2014, a passenger train nearly ran into a group of passengers who were walking on the tracks to board a bus after their own train was delayed. At the time the driver saw them, his train was moving about 73 mph; he applied emergency brakes and managed to stop his train in time.

IAEA Seeks Abstracts for Meeting on Radiation Detection Instruments

IAEA has organized a series of technical meetings so Member States can share their experiences with the use of radiation detection equipment for nuclear security, either for regulatory control or public safety; the first technical meeting took place in April 2016.

"But we cannot ignore those three million workers," OSHA

Entries Due Soon in MSD Reduction Contest

HSE and its partners want businesses to nominate design changes that have made a real impact -- changes that have been implemented in Great Britain during the 2017 calendar year and have demonstrably reduced MSD risks for workers.

Self-cleaning glass is now widely used in conservatory roofs and in windows not easily accessible. The IOSH guidance document says the roof of London

IOSH Offers Guidance on Construction Nanomaterials

The documents discuss how nanomaterials are difficult to identify in construction materials because they are rarely precisely labeled, and a product labeled as "nano" might contain nanoparticles or nanofibers, might be based on nanoscale film, or might simply be labeled that way to make it seem new and different.

TSB Releasing Accident Report on 2016 Turboprop Crash

The investigation found the altitude and the speed of the aircraft's approach were higher than recommended. No mechanical deficiencies were found with the aircraft's engines, flight controls, landing gear, and navigation systems, and communications with the aircraft throughout the flight were normal.

IARC Hiring New Director

The International Agency for Research on Cancer is searching for a new director. The WHO agency plans to appoint the director in May 2018 for a five-year term that will begin on Jan. 1, 2019

WHO Prequalifies Typhoid Vaccine

Prequalification is a crucial next step needed to make TCVs available to low-income countries where they are needed most, according to WHO.



ATSB Warns VFR Pilots About Flying in Conditions They're Not Trained For

A new report about a fatal 2016 helicopter crash "reflects an ongoing problem in aviation – some pilots are continuing to fly into conditions they are not equipped for and not trained for," the agency explained Dec. 18.

Canadian Opioid Overdose Deaths May Top 4,000 This Year

Western provinces and territories continue to report higher rates of opioid-related deaths, and the data show fentanyl continues to be a growing problem in this crisis. From January to June 2017, 74 percent of apparent opioid-related deaths involved fentanyl or fentanyl analogs, compared to 53 percent during 2016.

Pictograms are required safety data sheet elements that are intended to convey specific hazard information visually.

EU-OSHA Launching Dangerous Substances Campaign in 2018

The "Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances" campaign aims to raise awareness of dangerous substances and promote a prevention culture in workplaces across Europe.

Canada's Health Minister Approves Emergency Overdose Prevention Sites

Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the federal Minister of Health, had announced in November that Health Canada would authorize emergency overdose prevention sites for provinces and territories that request them, as an "immediate short-term response to save lives."

Worldwide Estimate of Flu Deaths Raised

"These findings remind us of the seriousness of flu and that flu prevention should really be a global priority," said Dr. Joe Bresee, M.D., associate director for global health in CDC's Influenza Division and a study co-author.

Quad Bike Safety Review Under Way in Australia

ACCC's Issues Paper notes that quad bikes, which are four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles, are heavily used in Australia's forestry and agricultural industries. From Jan. 1, 2011, to Oct. 16, 2017, there were 114 deaths nationwide associated with quad bikes, including 10 so far in 2017, it says.

First Grenfell Tower Procedural Hearing Under Way

The Dec. 11-12 hearing will be streamed live on the Inquiry's website.

According to IOSH, research suggests that each year in Britain approximately 800 people die from lung cancer caused by prolonged exposure to RCS at work, and 900 new cases are being diagnosed annually.

UK Organizations Commit to Control Silica Exposures

IOSH announced the "Tackling respirable crystalline together: a cross-industry commitment" document was signed by organizations from across industry, including construction, rail, mineral products, professional bodies, academics, and unions.

Venezuela's Avior Airlines Added to EU Safety List

The addition means it is subject to an operating ban or operating restrictions within the European Union. Mustique Airways (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and Urga (Ukraine) were removed after they made safety improvements.

New Risk Research Institute Launched in Britain

The plan is for the institute's researchers to take lessons learned from four decades of incident investigations and research and make them accessible to industry, helping to ensure mistakes aren't repeated as new technologies and industries emerge.

WHO Estimates 10 Percent of Developing Countries' Medical Products Falsified or Substandard

"Substandard and falsified medicines particularly affect the most vulnerable communities," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's director-general. "Imagine a mother who gives up food or other basic needs to pay for her child's treatment, unaware that the medicines are substandard or falsified, and then that treatment causes her child to die. This is unacceptable. Countries have agreed on measures at the global level – it is time to translate them into tangible action."

Training Center Installs New Simulator Equipment

PHOTO: IMO

Djibouti Training Center Installs New Simulator

The simulator training room consists of 11 trainee consoles and an instructor's work station, as well as software for modules such as Marine Communication, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and Search and Rescue (SAR).

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