ILO LIAISON OFFICE – BRUSSELS
NEWSLETTER NO. 8/2003
Health and safety in Europe
In October, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is organising the European Week for Health
and Safety at Work. The main theme chosen this year is how to reduce the health risks associated with the use
of dangerous substances. A recent European study cited by the Agency revealed that 22% of European employees
said they had been exposed to toxic fumes during at least one quarter of their time at work, and that 16% of
employees have to handle dangerous substances at work on a daily basis. The European Week will be held in October,
with each country choosing a specific week: 13-17 October in Belgium, 20-24 October in Luxembourg and 27-31 October
in the Netherlands.
In this context, the ILO and other UN agencies have published new guidelines for a Globally Harmonised System
of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). This GHS covers harmonised classification criteria and
corresponding ways of indicating the respective dangers. It also contains advice intended to help countries
and organisations perfect the tools required to implement the system. The methods used to implement the GHS
allow individual countries to develop a uniform approach while at the same time giving them the leeway they may
need to adapt to any additional specific requirements. To access the GHS document,
click here.
Education kit on child labour
For the new school year, the ILO has designed an education pack on child labour aimed at young students,
particularly those aged between 11 and 18.
The kit is presented in a didactic manner and includes plenty of colour illustrations.
When tested, it was received enthusiastically by students and teachers alike. Since then it has been
steadily improved, and now comprises 14 kit geared towards different activities, such as providing basic
information on child labour, making a child labour collage, putting on a play, conducting an interview,
organising debates, and so on. The kit can be used independently and feature in the teaching of a wide range
of subjects, ranging from geography and economics to religion and ethics. This educational programme,
entitled SCREAM, can be downloaded in PDF format by
clicking here, or can be ordered from
the ILO at the address cited there.
New ILO information service
The ILO Department of Communication has launched an online information and reporting service
offering news, general interest articles, dossiers and other sources of information enabling you to
keep up-to-date with the latest ILO activities. Registering your e-mail address on the Department of
Communication homepage will ensure that you are amongst the first recipients of information on
ILO events, meetings and publications, even before they appear on the ILO website. You can sign up for
the service straight away at
www.ilo.org/communication.
Series of reports on social policy are now available for free
The International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS), an autonomous ILO body, is responsible for
stimulating public debate and research into social policy in topical areas of interest to the ILO and the
three main players (employers, workers and governments). To this end, it publishes many interesting reports
on its research activities, which are usually only available at a charge. However, a range of documents
published between 1998 and 2002 are now available free of charge from the IILS website (
click here). The
documents in question cover a wide variety of topics, from analyses of trade unionism within the context
of globalisation to information and comments on the future of employment and social protection.
Working conditions in chemical industries
From 27-31 October, the ILO is organising the Tripartite Meeting on Best Practices in Work Flexibility Schemes
and their Impact on the Quality of Working Life in the Chemical Industries. The issues covered there will
include ramifications for employment, working conditions, vocational training, career prospects in the chemical
industries, amongst others. The meeting will also highlight the importance of social dialogue. To access the
report drafted by the ILO for this meeting
click here.
Did you know…?
Together with the United Nations, the Programme on promoting the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work has recently developed an entertaining and educational website to help students and teachers
gain a better understanding of the problems addressed in the ILO Declaration. By clicking on the cartoon characters,
visitors to the site can learn in a fun way about the main aspects of worker protection. This site is a real
must to visit
click here.
New publications
The following recent ILO publications will be of special interest to our readers:
Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM) - Third edition
2003, x+857pp; ISBN 92-2-113381-8; Price: €200
As already announced in the press release sent to you on 1 September, the ILO has just published the third
edition of its Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM). This edition focuses on 20 key labour-market indicators,
including jobs, unemployment, under-employment, working hours, productivity, types of economic activity, and the
situation facing young people and women on the labour market. This publication can be ordered either on paper or
on CD-ROM by
clicking here.
Gender equality and the extension of social protection
- ESS no. 16 - ISBN 92-2-113746-5
The starting point of this new document in the series entitled Extension of Social Security (ESS) is that
there is clear evidence that women are at a disadvantage to men from similar social groups in terms of access
to the labour market, and that they are far more likely to be excluded from social protection. It evaluates a
wide range of social protection programmes and reviews experience gathered on the subject and then sets out to
recommend ways of extending this protection, particularly to include women of working age.
Click here to access this publication.
Schedule of meetings in 2003
Click here if you would like to receive a list
of ILO meetings scheduled for 2003.