Chemical safety, vol 4 No.1: 21 May 1997ILO News |
Annual Consultations with Heads of Selected
National Occupational Safety and Health Information Networks
The highlight of the year's activities was the Project's Annual Consultations with Heads of Selected National Occupational Safety and Health Information Networks held in Hanoi, Viet Nam from 26 to 28 November 1996. The consultations, organized by the project in collaboration with the National Institute of Labour Protection of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, brought together participants from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including an employer participant and a worker participant. In addition to the project staff, the meeting was also attended by Dr. Jukka Takala, Head of SEC/HYC, ILO, Geneva, Mr.Seiji Machida, Senior Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health, ILO, EASMAT, Bangkok and the project's Senior Consultant, Dr. Kari Kurppa of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
The participants reviewed and assessed the current status and development of and prospects for sustainability of both the national occupational safety and health information networks established at the initiative of the project between 1994 and 1996, and the Asian-Pacific Regional Network on Occupational Safety and Health Information. In view of the completion of the particular phase of the project, attention was focused on identifying national priorities and on further enhancing the development of national networks to meet such priorities. Allied to this were discussions centred on ways and means of widening the impact and influence of the national networks so as to reach larger sections of the economy and of society. Discussions also centred on measures to strengthen ILO National Occupational Safety and Health Information Centres (CIS Centres) and Collaborating Centres.One significant feature in this regard was the acknowledgement of the need and concern for establishing inquiry services at such centres for the benefit of employers, workers and the general public. At the end of the Consultations, the participants drew up a Guidance Note on how best to ensure the development and sustainability of occupational safety and health information networks.
Establishment of a Chemical Safety Information Network in the Philippines
A second National Chemical Safety Information Network was initiated by the project in the Philippines under the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) and the Global Information Network on Chemicals (GINC). The network was established consequent to a three-day national workshop held in Manila from 3-5 December 1996 which the project organized in association with the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources of the Environmental Management Bureau of the Philippines, the ILO Area Office and the WHO Regional Office in Manila. Eighteen participants from different agencies,institutions and organizations dealing with chemical safety, participated in discussing how best to enhance through networking the knowledge, information flow and cooperation on the safe use of chemicals among such bodies.
The participants drew up a policy statement, detailed action plan and an outline of a future Memorandum of Agreement of the Chemical Safety Information Network in the Philippines, which, they hoped, would be signed by senior officials of the respective agencies. The interest displayed and the lively discussions at the workshop were indicative of an alertness on the part of the participants to the need for improved measures to ensure safety in the use of chemicals and for the need to minimize accidents.
ASIA-OSH in 1997
The end of 1996 witnessed the closure of one phase of the Asia-Pacific Regional Programme on Occupational Safety and Health and it also marked the end of the association with the project, of Mr. David Gold, Chief Technical Adviser from its inception. Under his guidance the project had initiated 16 national information networks in the Asia-Pacific region, two on chemical safety and 14 on occupational safety and health.
During 1997 the project is in a transitional phase during which only limited activities are being undertaken. Ms. Pia Markkanen, Associate Expert, who has been associated with the project since November 1995, will be responsible for coordinating and continuing selected activities.