Office of the Australian Safety & Compensation Council, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (Peta Miller; Anh-Thu Stuart Peta.Miller@dewr.gov.au; AnhThu.Stuart@dewr.gov.au)
National Institute for Occupational & Environmental Health (NIOEH), Vietnam (Nguyen Khac Hai haink@hn.vnn.vn)
Occupational Safety & Health Division, MInistry of Manpower, Singapore (Ho Sweet Far HO_Sweet_Far@mom.gov.sg)
Department of Occupational Health, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), Incheon, Republic of Korea (Seong-Kyu Kang skk@kosha.net)
CCOHS - Canada (P. K. Abeytunga abey@ccohs.ca)
Other partners
Occupational Physicians, Academic Researchers, Government Officials in Japan and East/Southeast Asian countries
Funding
Financial provisions will be covered by the budget of the JNIOSH
Objective of the project
To establish a web-based data collection system for the active surveillance for work-related diseases and occupational exposures, and to develop a web based information publication system for supporting occupational safety and health practitioners working in various enterprises.
Project outcome(s) and deadline(s) for completion of the project
The outcome until now (2002-2004)
Main pages have been developed. Web data collection system was upgraded to satisfy requirement for privacy protection. Several doctors registered for this system to test the user-interface and functions. No actual data has been reported as yet.
The outcome expected henceforth (2006-2010)
A new research project on work-related disease surveillance will be launched. The present system is expected to be fully utilized for this project.
This project develops a cutting-edge web-based information collection system for the active surveillance of work-related diseases and occupational exposures. It also incorporates a web-based publication system for information dissemination to occupational safety and health practitioners. The system is designed for use by occupational safety and health staff in companies, as well as occupational physicians and industrial hygienists. It also distributes information to companies or providers of work environment measurement systems, with regard to occupational exposure levels. From 2005, a new research project on work-related disease surveillance will be launched and the present system is expected to be fully utilized for this project.
Dissemination
Peer-reviewed scientific publications, Conference Abstracts, Online dissemination via the website, Presentations at society meetings (e.g. Japan Society for Occupational Health)
Impact (global or regional)
Regional
PROGRESS ON PROJECT
Under the WorldSurv (Work-Related Surveillance) Project, launched in 2005, we have developed a web-based data collection system and interactive websites for providing/sharing information and experiences.
There are three subsystems:
(1) Job-history registration system
(2) Reporting system for work-related asthma and dermatitis
(3) Needlestick injury reporting system (Web-episys)
For each reporting subsystem, we provide an interactive website, and we are also preparing to host national/international project websites, such as the Scientific Committee on Respiratory Disorders (SC-RD) of ICOH, and the training course of physicians for reading radiographs of pneumoconiosis, according to the ILO International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconiosis, jointly organized by the Asian Academic Societies for Occupational Medicine ("AIR Pneumo", Asian Intensive Reader of Pneumoconiosis).
List of major outcomes already achieved by this project
As above
List of additional major outcomes expected from this project by 2012
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
GPA4.20p
Formerly AA6:WBD5
GPA Objective
Objective 4: To provide and communicate evidence for action and practice
CC or NGO Name
WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health in Vietnam, National Institute of Occupational & Environmental Health (NIOEH)
Project title
Development of a database system for occupational health and working environment monitoring in Vietnam
Keywords
occupational hazards, occupational diseases, occupational injuries, high risk occupations, occupational health resource database, working environment, monitoring system, website portals, information network
Project leader
Email address
Dr. Nguyen Khac Hai
haink@hn.vnn.vn
Partners (of the CC Network)
NIOSH
FIOH
NIWL
Department of Occupational Health, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), Incheon, Republic of Korea (Seong-Kyu Kang skk@kosha.net)
Occupational Safety & Health Division, Ministry of Manpower, Singapore (Ho Sweet Far HO_Sweet_Far@mom.gov.sg)
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan (JNIOSH) (Ippei Mori mouri@h.jniosh.go.jp)
Other partners
The University of Washington, USA
Funding
Vietnamese government and WHO
Objective of the project
To establish, maintain and enhance the communications capacity of occupational health in WHO CC network
To enhance the working environment monitoring capacity at lower levels (from provincial level)
Project outcome(s) and deadline(s) for completion of the project
To establish an occupational health database system and a working environment monitoring system in Vietnam (by 2007)
To develop the web-based information access for the OH network in Vietnam (2008)
To disseminate the training materials and best practices and encourage and support the resource mobilization (2008)
To improve the working environment monitoring capacity at lower levels by provision of knowledge and equipment (2010)
To establish a database system of the working environment by industries, provinces and regions (2010)
Target group and/or beneficiaries
Policy makers, occupational health and safety researchers, enterprise managers, workers, OSH officers, students, lecturers
Summary of the project
Collection of basic OH and working environment data by province, region, types of industries, geographic regions and timelines, etc. over the country based on the annual OH report
Establishment of key organizations for monitoring the working environment by provinces, industries, regions
Building monitoring capacity for lower levels by improving knowledge and provision of equipment
Development of software to input the data
Development of GIS
Development of web-based information access and a working environment database
Promotion of resource mobilization and use of scientific information products
Dissemination
Web-based database, information, WHO documents,
Impact (global or regional)
National, regional and global
Progress on project
In 2006, in collaboration with the Administration of Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health, a software programme on OH - 6 months and annual report - was developed.
With the financial support from the WHO, in December 2006, NIOEH organised two training courses on OH software of a regular reporting system. These courses were attended by 80 participants from provincial preventive medicine Centres and the Centres for Occupational Health and Environment in the provinces and industries. These activities contribute to improving knowledge and practices on occupational health, and to the development of human resources at provincial and industrial levels. These activities also strengthen the occupational health network throughout the country and establish the database on OH.
During 2007, this new software has served to report on various issues to NIOEH and the Ministry of Health. This OH information, received from the various provinces and industries, has included the following: working environment monitoring, occupational diseases examination and expertise, occupational injuries, human resources, OH equipment, etc.
List of outcomes already achieved by this project
The annual database on OH system over the country have received from this reporting system, including OH human resources, equipment, capacity of OH institutions in providing basic occupational health services, situation of working environment, workers’ health, occupational diseases and injuries, pesticide poisoning, implementation of legislative documents, OH trainings, etc. in enterprises in different provinces and industries. This reporting system will be improved in order to provide more indicators of OH institutions’ development and capacity in providing basic occupational health services to all workers, especially in term of the BOHS quality.
List of additional outcomes expected from this project by 2012
Establishment of a monitoring network
Development of GIS of working environment database and occupational diseases
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
4.20q
PROJECT Title
Comparative Performance Monitoring (CPM)
GPA Objective
This project is relevant under Objective 4 of the Global workplan: “To provide and communicate evidence for action and practice”
Responsible CC or NGO Name
Safe Work Australia
Project leader(s)
Julie Hill julie.hill@safeworkaustralia.gov.au
Network partners
NA
WHO Regions involved in this project
NA
Country ministries involved in this project
NA
External partners for this project
New Zealand
Summary of the project
Two reports are produced by Safe Work Australia on behalf of the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council (WRMC), which is the council of Federal, State and Territory Ministers responsible for workplace relations matters in their respective jurisdictions. The New Zealand Minister is invited to attend WRMC as an observer. The Comparative Performance Monitoring Report, produced annually, is a comparison of occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation schemes in Australia and New Zealand, and the Comparison of Occupational Health and Safety Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand is produced every two years. Both reports provide measurable information to support policy making and program development by the Australian and New Zealand Governments on OHS and workers’ compensation.
Target group and/or beneficiaries
Asia and South Pacific
Major Milestones (list up to three dates and milestones)
This is a core Safe Work Australia data and analysis program and as such is ongoing.
Dissemination plan
The WRMC meet twice a year, with information being disseminated on their website (www.workplace.gov.au/cpm) and via a series of Joint Communiqués.
Funding source(s)
Safe Work Australia
List of outcomes already achieved by this project
The CPM reports are produced with a view to providing indicators of the comparative performance of Australian and new Zealand schemes in such areas as OHS, premium rates, scheme costs and disbursements, return-to-work outcomes and legal costs. They provide trend analysis on the OHS and workers’ compensation schemes operating in Australia and New Zealand, and are designed to gauge the success of the different jurisdictional approaches to reducing the incidence of work-related injury and disease.
List of additional outcomes expected from this project by 2012
The next Comparative Performance Monitoring Report will be published in Dec 2009 and annually thereafter, and the next Comparison of Occupational Health and Safety Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand will be completed by April 2011.
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
4.20r
PROJECT Title
The occupational component of the Global Burden of Disease
GPA Objective
This project is relevant under Objective 4 of the Global workplan: “To provide and communicate evidence for action and practice”
Responsible CC or NGO Name
Safe Work Australia
Project leader(s)
Dr Peta Miller peta.miller@safeworkaustralia.gov.au
Network partners
NA
WHO Regions involved in this project
NA
Country ministries involved in this project
NA
External partners for this project
The GBD 2005 Study brings together a community of experts and leaders in epidemiology and other areas of public health research from around the world to measure current levels and recent trends in all major diseases, injuries, and risk factors, and to produce new and comprehensive sets of estimates and easy-to-use tools for research and teaching. It is led by a consortium including Harvard University, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Queensland, and the WHO
Summary of the project
The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD 2005) is an evidence-based and scientific pursuit that updates the original 1990 GBD Study, which was commissioned by the World Bank to create a common metric to estimate the health loss associated with morbidity and mortality. The original study needs a comprehensive and systematic review, as today’s burden estimates contain some outdated and inconsistent information. Furthermore, patterns of disease and disability and their risk factors have altered dramatically and need to be reassessed. Safe Work Australia is providing funding and support for Dr Tim Driscoll, the Chief Investigator of the occupational component of the GBD 2005, to contribute further research time to the project, helping us to benchmark Australia against our international counterparts and to improve our understanding of the burden of work-related disease in Australia.
Target group and/or beneficiaries
Global
Major Milestones (list up to three dates and milestones)
The first round of analyses are due for completion December 2009. From Dec – June 2010 the core team will conduct peer-review and revision. The final results will be published in late 2010.
Dissemination plan
The project is conducted systematically and transparently; and its methods and results will be made available to the public via the GBD web site: http://www.globalburden.org/ In Australia the Safe Work Australian Council members (tripartite as well as representative of every State and Territory of Australia) exchange research findings with their constituents.
Funding source(s)
The overall GBD project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and is led by a consortium including Harvard University, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Queensland, and the WHO. Safe Work Australia has provided additional funding to Dr Driscoll.
List of outcomes already achieved by this project
The GBD has been used by governments and non-governmental agencies to inform priorities for research, development, policies and funding.
List of additional outcomes expected from this project by 2012
This update is expected to provide new tools to markedly enhance the validity of estimations, particularly for ranking risk factors and disabilities, thus ensuring that global health research and policies are based on complete, valid, and reliable information.
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
4.20s
New Project
CONTRIBUTING PROJECT Title
Work plan project number
Development of analytical diagnostic tools for occupational isocyanate asthma
GPA Objective and Action
Objective 2,
Priority 3, Action 2.15
Priority Initiative Leader
Ass. Prof. Dr. LT Budnik
Responsible CC or NGO Name
Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
Project leader
Ass. Prof. Dr. Lygia T. Budnik, Prof. Dr. X. Baur
Email: L.Budnik@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Network partners
Institute and outpatient clinic for occupational and environmental medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany;
Email: Dennis.Nowak@med.uni-muenchen.de
WHO Regions involved in this CONTRIBUTING project
global
Country ministries involved in this CONTRIBUTING project
Ministries of occupational and environmental affairs in Europe
Prof. Dr. Rainer Bischoff, University of Groningen, Analysical Biochemistra and Mass spectrometry center, Groningen, NL; Email: r.p.h.bischoff@rug.nl
Dr. C. Lemière, Hôpital de Sacré Coeur, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Email: catherine.lemiere@umontreal.ca
Prof. Dr. D. Bernstein, Chincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinatti, OH USA
Email: david.bernstein@cchmc.org
Summary of the project
Most frequent type of occupational asthma is the isocyanate asthma. Clinical diagnosis and differentiation of isocyanates as the cause of occupational asthma is difficult. The gold-standard test, specific inhalation challenge, is successfully used in our outpatient clinic. However with the increasing use of isocyanates worldwide a need for an efficient routine laboratory test has emerged.
Due to the unsatisfactory serological IgE tests based on poorly characterized isocyanate-albumin epitopes, the available tests recognize only small proportion of affected workers. In order to characterize biomarker of exposure in a larger population of occupationally exposed workers we will characterize the reaction products of isocyanates and albumin with a help of mass spectrometry analyses.
Target group and/or beneficiaries
Employer, worker representatives, OHS experts
Events-opportunities for furthering the project
Presentations of intermediate and final results at European and international scientific meetings. Initial meetings of CCs, national & international meetings on occup. and environm. health / follow up conferences on the topic as final events (EU)
Expected results of this project by 2012 (outcomes)
Implement the immunological assay for the diagnosis of patient samples. Recommendations for the prevention of occupational asthma based on biomonitoring screening
Indicators of achievement (impact)
Toolkit 1: characterise the kinetic conditions for the simulation of workplace exposure under laboratory conditions and implementation of the results for the patient analysis
Toolkit 2: characterise the isocyanate-serum-albumin epitopes from patient samples with mass spectrometry
Toolkit 3: develop a sensitive laboratory diagnostic method for the isocyanate asthma
Major Milestones (list up to three dates and milestones)
1. biomonitoring methods (2009-2010)
2. implementation of the antibody assay (2010-2011)
3. recommendations for the prevention of occupational asthma (2012)
Public health impact
Development of new diagnostic tools for occupational isocyanate asthma. Effective interventions to manage and prevent the risks.
Funding source(s)
German Research Council, DFG
Dissemination
The results in international journals. Papers to conferences, workshops, new electronic media, fact sheets and recommendations, use channels of the EASHW, websites of CCs, WHO, ILO
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
4.20t
New Project
CONTRIBUTING PROJECT Title
Work plan project number
New chemical health risks hazards in transportation and warehousing of marine cargo due to the process of globalization.
GPA Objective and Action
Objective 2,
Priority 3, Action 2.15
Priority Initiative Leader
Ass. Prof. Dr. LT Budnik
Responsible CC or NGO Name
Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
Project leader
Ass. Prof. Dr. Lygia T. Budnik,
Email: LygiaTherese.Budnik@bsg.hamburg.de
Network partners
Centre of Maritime Health and Safety, University of Southern Denmark Email: Per.Sabro.Nielsen@svs.regionsyddanmark.dk
Centre for Maritime Medicine, Haukeland University Bergen, Norway
Email: alf.magne.horneland@helse-bergen.no
WHO Regions involved in this CONTRIBUTING project
global
Country ministries involved in this CONTRIBUTING project
Ministries of occupational and environmental affairs in Europe
External partners for this CONTRIBUTING project
National Institute for Public Health and Environment, RIVM, NL; Email: Emile.Schols@rivm.nl
Inspectorate of the Ministry of Housing Spatial Planning and the
Environment, Rotterdam, NL
Email: Willem.Veldman@minvrom.nl
Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Systems, St Augustin, Germany Email: Hans-Ulrich.Kobialka@iais.fraunhofer.de
Sysca Chemical Analysis, Forschungszentrum, Karlsruhe, Germany
Email: Ilona.Koronczi@extern.fzk.de
Summary of the project
Recognise new health risk factors due to introduction of new global phytosanitary demands for increased freight container transport. Special emphasis will be on identification of potential new fumigants and pesticides and their toxicological relevance to workers in the marine and the TWU sectors. Measurements will be undertaken in two largest European harbours (Rotterdam and Hamburg) to Identify and analyze volatile pesticide residues in import containers and to develop diagnostic tools for biomonitoring. The objective is also to recognize (and characterize) risks due to the process of off gassing of the fumigant mixtures during unloading and storage of the products (warehousing).
Target group and/or beneficiaries
Employer, worker representatives, OHS experts
Events-opportunities for furthering the project
Presentations of intermediate and final results at European and international scientific meetings. Initial meetings of CCs, national & international meetings on occup. and environm. health / follow up conferences on the topic as final events (EU)
Expected results of this project by 2012 (outcomes)
New health risks identified/ Health risk analysis performed. Toolkits developed for further hazard monitoring (ambient air monitoring and biomonitoring) and development of preventive intervention steps
Indicators of achievement (impact)
Toolkit 1: develop validated screening methods for the measurement and analysis of new chemical risk factors
Toolkit 2: develop biomonitoring system for diagnostics
Toolkit 3. implement and evaluate the risk analysis to establish a medical record system for the new hazards
Major Milestones (list up to three dates and milestones)
Toolkit 1 developed in 2009; toolkit 2 developed in 2010; toolkit 3 performed in 2011.
Toolkits implemented and evaluated 2012
Public health impact
Identification of new chemical risk factors in the environment in the workplace and in the community. Effective interventions to manage and prevent the risks.
Funding source(s)
German Ministry for Science and Research, Dutch Ministry of Environment
Dissemination
The results in international journals. Papers to conferences, workshops, new electronic media, factsheets and recommendations, use channels of the EASHW, websites of CCs, WHO, ILO