In SwedishCurrent Work Environment
Revised work environment manual
The annual review of the work environment manual for shipping is underway.
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Foresea prize established
On 5 May Andreas Hultgren was given the newly established award, the Foresea prize from Insjö/Foresea, at the Swedish Mercantile Marine Foundation annual awards ceremony in Stockholm. He received a prize of 5000 kronor for writing many well-formulated deviation reports during his previous duty as DP (designated person) at the Sirius shipping company.
Campaign against pirates
On 20 May a worldwide Internet-based campaign started against the growing threat of piracy. It is hoped to collect at least half a million signatures through the website www.endpiracypetition.org for the World Marine Day with the aim of encouraging the world’s governments to take strong action against the plague of piracy. Major marine organisations such [...]
Updated Working Environment Manual
A new version of the Working Environment Manual, revised January 2010, can be downloaded here: Reports and documents
Better check on sickness absence
Hewitt helps companies to gain a better overview of employees’ presence and absence at their workplace. Affiliated companies regularly report information such as normal working hours, overtime hours, absence due to sickness and leave. In return, they receive a summary of their own reports as well as access to other companies’ information.
Inquiry into the ILO super-convention
The inquiry on the ILO (International labour organisation) super-convention was submitted to the government in December last year and will now be referred for consideration. According to the inquiry, one consequence will be more thorough inspections of foreign ships in which aspects such as salary levels, resting time, medical insurance and employees’ age will be examined.
Eight people killed in pirate attacks
For the third year in a row, the number of pirate attacks has increased and last year there were 406 cases reported to the IMB (International maritime bureau) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Year of the Seafarer
The safety organisation of the United Nations, the IMO (International maritime organization), has decided that the 2010 World Maritime Day will have the theme of the Year of Seafarers.
Work and technology on human terms
How to make technical equipment work with people instead of against them is the theme that runs through the book, “Work and technology on human terms”, published last year. The 700-page book is printed in Swedish and English, and is aimed at everyone who works with technical aids in one form or another.
Changes in labelling
On 20 January 2009 a new ordinance on classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) of chemical substances and mixtures came into force. Signs with black symbols on an orange background will disappear and be replaced by black symbols on a white background with a red frame. Labels with the new marking will be obligatory from 1 December 2010 (chemical substances) and 1 June 2015 (chemical mixtures).
Regulations updated
The revision of the Swedish Maritime Administration’s work environment regulations, 2005:23, has been completed. Areas affected are the regulations on work environment at sea, as well as the chapters on lighting, noise, cooling plants, minors, occupational exposure and ventilation. The revised regulations will come into force on 1 January 2010.
Profitable investments
Prevent’s brochure Profitable, which is about calculating the value of investments in personnel, is now available as a web-based spreadsheet tool. It can be tested free for 30 days. More information can be read at www.lonsam.net (Swedish only).
Report indicates higher accident frequency among western seamen
Western seamen have more accidents than their Asian counterparts. This is stated in the article “Occupational accidents aboard merchant ships” by H L Hansen, D Nielsen and M Frydenberg in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
SAN prize winner 2009: Christer Sjökvist
Motivation: For working over the past 20 years to create safer, healthier and more enjoyable conditions onboard for himself and his colleagues.
SAN conference 2009: People and technology interacting
”People and technology interacting” was the theme for this year’s work environment conference. The conference was held on 22 October at Läppstiftet in Göteborg and took place during the whole day.
The work environment manual has been made available on the web
The work environment manual will now be even easier to access. SAN has decided to issue the work environment manual for shipping on the websites of SAN, SARF and the three shipping union organisations.
For those who prefer a hard copy, it will still be possible to buy the file and subscribe to updates.
Telephone information line for swine flu
For those who have questions about swine flu, call: 020-20 20 00. The information line is open around the clock. All questions and answers are shown on the website www.krisinformation.se.
ILO opens support service
The International Labour Organisation, ILO, has opened a web-based support service designed to answer questions on global working norms. The service is free and is aimed at employees and employers as well as their organisations. Questions may be sent to assistance [a] ilo.org.
British government to take measures against fatigue at sea
Great Britain’s Minister of Transport has promised the officers’ union, Nautilus UK, that the government will take strong measures to solve the problems associated with fatigue among watch officers in British waters. The minister bases his statement on a report from the commission of enquiry, MAIB.
Warnings from the Swedish Transport Agency
The Maritime Department has put out a number of warnings on the Swedish Transport Agency website under the heading of Safety Alert. Refer to http://www.transportstyrelsen.se/Sjofart/Olyckor–tillbud/Safety-alert/.
