FIRE HAZARD FROM CIGARETTES REDUCED BY DESIGN
To comply with the new EN 16156 Standard, cigarettes sold in the European Union must be manufactured with bands along the paper that will self-extinguish when they are not being smoked. So-called ‘reduced ignition propensity' cigarettes could dramatically cut deaths, injuries and damage caused by fires started by discarded cigarettes. Even though smoking is illegal in virtually all UK workplaces, it may still occur in and near work premises. It is estimated that the new type of cigarettes could cut the number of UK smoking-related fires and fire deaths by two thirds (which equates to around 1,800 fires, 67 deaths and 600 other casualties a year, notably to the general public).
Source: www.cen.eu/cen/News/PressReleases/Pages/RIPcigarettes.aspx

SUPPLY OF MACHINERY FOR APPLYING PESTICIDES
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 came into force on 15 December 2011. They amend the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 and implement Directive 2009/127/EC, which in turn amended Directive 2006/42/EC (the so called ‘Machinery Directive'). The amending Directive requires that, in the case of machinery used to apply pesticides, the essential health and safety requirements under the Machinery Directive are met.

A new regulation 3 amends the definitions of "essential health and safety requirements" and "safe", extending their scope to include ‘protection of the environment' in the case of machinery for the application of pesticides. Regulation 8 incorporates the amendments made by the 2009 Directive to Annex I of the Machinery Directive. This includes a definition of machinery for pesticide application and the essential health and safety requirements for this type of machinery.

The Supply of Machinery (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 are at: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/2157/pdfs/uksi_20112157_en.pdf

US SAFETY BODY WARNING ABOUT ERIONITE
Recent cases of lung disease in the USA suggest that erionite, a naturally-occurring mineral, may pose a greater threat to the health of exposed workers than previously realised. Erionite is a fibrous zeolite mineral. It forms brittle, wool-like fibrous masses and some of its properties are similar to asbestos. Leading US safety body NIOSH is now calling erionite, which is used in road gravel in several Western States "an emerging North American Hazard", adding that it should be considered at least as hazardous as asbestos fibre exposures.

For more information go to: www.mesotheliomahelp.net/blog/2011/12/niosh-issues-warning-that-erionite-may-cause-mesothelioma

PARKINSON'S DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH TCE
An international study has linked trichloroethylene (TCE, or ‘trike') to Parkinson's disease*. Researchers found a six-fold increase in the risk of developing Parkinson's disease in those who were occupationally exposed to the industrial solvent (‘trike' is still used for degreasing and metal cleaning). The solvent is classified as a ‘category 2' carcinogen, which means that employers should be using substitutes for trike if they are available and, even if trike is used, the process should be sealed. The research, presented in the 14 November 2011 issue of ‘Annals of Neurology', was based on a US analysis of 99 pairs of twins.

The study also concluded that exposure to perchloroethylene (used in dry-cleaning) and carbon tetrachloride "tended towards significant risk of developing (Parkinson's) disease". However, no statistical link with Parkinson's disease was found from exposures to toluene, xylene or n-hexane.

*The main symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor, stiffness, slowed movement and impaired balance, and as these symptoms progress, patients may have difficulty walking, speaking or completing other everyday activities.
For more information go to: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/nion-nts111011.php

FIRE RISK ASSESSOR REGISTER
A new register of fire risk assessors that recognises UKAS accredited certification schemes has been launched by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM). The IFSM Nationally Accredited Fire Risk Assessors Register will recognise applicants who have been certificated by any UKAS accredited scheme, or which meets the requirements of BS EN ISO 17024 and BS EN 45011.

The new register opened on 1 December 2011. From then, no further applications to join the current IFSM register are being accepted. Members of the current register will be invited to apply to the new register until 31 December 2013, when the current register will be closed.

For more details, and to see the register, go to: www.ifsm.org.uk

SHIFT WORK AND DIABETES
Women who work a rotating schedule that includes three or more night shifts per month, in addition to day and evening working hours in that month, have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). They also found that extended years of rotating night shift work was associated with weight gain, which may contribute to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Those women who worked rotating night shifts for three to nine years faced a 20 per cent increased risk; women who worked these shifts for 10 to 19 years upped the risk by 40 per cent; and women who working rotating night shifts for over 20 years were 58 per cent more at risk.

‘Rotating night shift work and risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Two prospective cohort studies in women', PLoS Medicine, published online 6 December 2011.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH GUIDANCE
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has published occupational health guidance.

‘Occupational health nursing: career and competence development' provides signposts to a scope of practice at key points in career development and progression. It is described by the RCN as a guide to occupational health nurses and their employers for decisions on practice competency; personal and professional development; and career and pay progression. The publication now maps occupational health nursing against the six core NHS KSF competences and sixteen of the specific NHS KSF competences.

‘Roles and responsibilities of occupational health support workers' provides best practice guidance. It includes summary discussion of the RCN consultation process and the outcomes, definitions and parameters of the occupational health support worker role, training pathways and supervision.

Both can be obtained from the RCN's website: www.rcn.org.uk/development/publications

CARRYING OVER HOLIDAY PAY RULING
The Court of Justice of the European Union says that while workers on long-term sick leave accumulate holiday this right is not without limits.

In KHS AG v Schulte the court said that to allow workers to accumulate unlimited amounts of holiday entitlement, or pay in lieu, does not reflect the purpose of Article 7 of the Working Time Directive.

The CJEU held that holiday taken after a certain point in time ceases to provide a rest from work, and becomes "merely a period of relaxation and leisure". A holiday which involves mere relaxation and leisure, but does not provide a worker with a rest from work, is not consistent with the aim of Article 7 of the Working Time Directive.

Copies of the judgment can be obtained from http://curia.europa.eu/juris/recherche.jsf?language=en

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