News & Events
News & Events showcase IOSHM's activities and participations, locally and internationally.
APOSHO 32 (7-9 September 2017)
Temasek Polytechnic & Novotel Hotel, Singapore
At the Forefront of OSH Progression
APOSHO 32 was held 7-9 September 2017 in Singapore, with an attendance of about 300 participants, including around 90 APOSHO delegates for the conference held at Novotel Hotel. Vice-President, Philippe Lai Choo was head delegate for IOSHM and attended the committee meetings and the AGM held at Temasek Polytechnic.
Mr. Sam Tan, Minister of State, Ministry of Manpower was the guest of honour and addressed the audience before opening the Conference with the theme “At the Forefront of OSH Progression”.
Highlights of APOSHO 32:
· The Guidelines for Hosting Interim Committee Meetings of APOSHO was adopted and approved at the AGM.
· The application for the post of Secretary General of APOSHO from 2018- 2020 by Mr. Bernie Doyle of National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) was approved. Mr. Doyle will be the Incoming Secretary General and will become the Secretary General of APOSHO after the AGM of APOSHO 33 in Hong Kong. Bernie made a presentation that gave an overview of his leadership focus and priorities that was largely applauded at the AGM.
· Consideration on setting up a bank account for APOSHO.
· The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) of USA was granted Affiliate Membership.
· Mr. Ameerali Abdeali of National Safety Council of Singapore (NSCS) was granted Honorary Membership.
· The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) will be chairing APOSHO 33 in Hong Kong in 2018.
The AGM was concluded with the handing-over of the APOSHO flag and honor to the APOSHO 33 team.
Last but not least, as the Secretary General mentioned in his report; APOSHO 32 had a fine continuity of paper-free meetings resulting in about 3,000 paper pages being saved.
IOSHM is a signatory of the Singapore Accord (3 September 2017)
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
IOSHM joined more than 40 organisations worldwide in the landmark signing of the Singapore Accord. The Accord, spearheaded by the International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organisations (INSHPO), presents the OHS Professional Capability Framework as a global framework for the occupational safety and health professional that will increase the effectiveness and impact of this role in every industry.
Six years in the making, the OHS Professional Capability Framework received global support from organisations such as the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
The signing of the Accord was done in Singapore in advance of the XXI World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2017. The framework defines the roles, skills, knowledge and qualifications recommended for OSH professionals and practitioners. It is a consensus-based document developed from an international analysis of data from national professional associations and certification bodies.
Given the diversity of safety and health approaches across countries, INSHPO created an overarching structure designed to encompass all of them. The framework was analyzed by safety experts from a variety of industries around the world. It was enhanced through practical application by the International Council on Mining and Metals.
IOSHM has always been a keen advocate for a high standard of OSH professional practice through its Code of Professional Conduct, objectives, and mission statements. Our associate, corporate and fellow memberships are only opened to persons with academic qualifications recognised under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2005 (OSHA 2005). Our thinking behind each and every seminar, workshop or conference organised is to enhance the continuous professional development of our members and those other professionals interested in the field of safety and health. The signing of the Singapore Accord is a natural step in IOSHM's journey with the belief that our members will do some gap analysis of their skills and knowledge using as a basis the OHS Professional Capability Framework with a view to raise their competencies / capabilities.
The Institution was represented by its Vice-President, Philippe Lai Choo during the signing ceremony; when the Accord was handed to him by Mr. Chan Chun Sing, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Mrs. Eldeen Pozniak, INSHPO President.
See the OHS Professional Capability Framework HERE.
Photo credit: Diana Stegall
3-Day Multisectorial Conference on Safety and Health (28-30 June 2017)
Culture & Leisure Centre, Mon Plaisir, Rodrigues
The Commission for Labour and Industrial Relations of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly organised a 3-day conference from the 28th to 30th of June 2017 aiming at building an effective and efficient safety and health culture in Rodrigues.
The objectives of the conference:
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Educate stakeholders on the holistic management of safety and health
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Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the management of safety and health at work in Rodrigues
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Identify the measures to reinforce existing strengths and formulate an Action Plan to address the weaknesses of the management system of Rodrigues
Government officials (enforcing authorities and the civil service), private sector and trade unions representatives were the stakeholders invited.
IOSHM President, Nishal Teeluck participated in the conference and made a presentation on “Occupational Safety and Health Management System at Enterprise level”. His presentation was a case study in the healthcare sector.
IOSHM Annual General Meeting (24 May 2017)
Conference Room, Gold Crest Hotel, St Jean Road, Quatre Bornes
Agenda
1. Reading and approval of minutes of AGM 2016
2. President Report
3. Treasurer Report
4. Approval of Accounts for period 01 January 2016 to 31 December 2016
5. Approval of budget for year 2017
6. Appointment of Auditor
7. Launching of IOSHM Website
A minute of silence was observed in memory of our Honorary President, Serge Sadien M.S.K who passed away on 21 March 2017 at the age of 77.
In his speech, IOSHM President Nishal Teeluck summarised the various events organised by the Institution and other activities where it participated. During his first year in office, he has maintained our organisation’s ties with the various stakeholders both locally and internationally and sought new avenues of cooperation with more stakeholders in the field of safety and health.
Philippe Lai Choo, IOSHM Vice-President presented our new website and its main features. Following suggestions received for the improvement of the IOSHM website, he added that the website will improve through time.
It was also a pleasure to welcome some new members, especially our millennials who had the opportunity to mingle, connect and network with peers.
“Future of Work Initiative” - National Consultation Workshop (27-28 September 2016)
BPML Conference Hall, Cyber Tower I, Ebène Cybercity
The Future of Work Initiative was launched by ILO (International Labour Office) Director-General, Guy Ryder in order to understand and to respond effectively to the new challenges facing the world of work and advance the cause of social justice. There are several forces transforming the working environment, from the onward march of technology and the impact of climate change to the changing character of production and employment, to name a few.
This national workshop organised by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training in collaboration with the ILO was the first step in the three-stage process of implementing the initiative. It was an opportunity for stakeholders concerned with the world of work to discuss, reflect and submit their inputs in different working groups that addressed the following key issues:
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Work and Society
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Decent Jobs for All
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The Organisation of Work and Production
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The Governance of work
IOSHM Vice-President, Philippe Lai Choo attended the workshop and stated that the issues raised and discussed were very complex and far-reaching; and opined that, relevant national data were not presented during the workshop, making the key issues discussed appear generalized worldwide with no distinct difference country-wise.
IOSHM Family Day (27 November 2016)
Ilot Brocus
As an end of the year event, the Institution organized a family-friend day for its members in this exclusive and unique spot of the island.
Family, Friends, Food & Fun (the four F’s) was the motto of this gathering. This was a good opportunity for IOSHM to bring together members and their families and friends outside the walls of a seminar, workshop or conference – to enjoy a great outdoor experience, have fun, relax, explore, network and share in a peaceful and beautiful environment.
As our Events Organiser, Sylvana Ah Hang gave us, especially the children all the FUN we needed and we thanked her for those memorable games - STICK AROUND, UNBREAKABLE EGG and FILL THAT BOTTLE! NOTE: We didn’t forget any outdoor safety rules!
Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS) and Zero-Accident Activities (13-17 February 2017)
S D Avenue Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
JISHA (Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association) organizes the JISHA OSH Seminar annually in Tokyo, Japan to provide technical cooperation with overseas OSH organizations. This year JISHA co-organized with SHAWPAT (Safety and Health at Work Promotion Association - Thailand), the first Asia OSH JISHA-SHAWPAT Partnership Training Project on OSHMS & Zero Accident Activities.
The philosophy of the Zero-accident Campaign in Japan is to respect human life. Specific safety methods developed so that workplaces can take steps on preemptive action for safety include hazard prediction training and pointing and calling. Activities incorporating these methods in a unified manner are called hazard prediction activities which aim at zero accident.
The practice of KY in Japan is considered to be a fundamental
practice or tool in the Zero-accident Campaign. KY incorporates two of the basic principles, participation and preemptive action to achieve the third principle, zero accident.
IOSHM Executive Committee member Kauvilen Cunee attended this 5-day training programme held in Bangkok, Thailand. He was able to learn the Japanese OSH safety culture, through Zero-Accident Activities.
Kauvilen presented a country report during the training programme and as an international participant, he gave a very good rating to this workshop.
To mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2017, IOSHM organised a free half-day seminar for its members on 20 April 2017 at the Regional Training Centre in Réduit. The seminar was in line with the ILO theme "OPTIMIZE THE COLLECTION AND USE OF OSH DATA".
Our main presenter, Ms. Chandranee Rughoobhur is statistician from Statistics Mauritius - the official organisation responsible for the collection, compilation and analysis of official statistics. She made a presentation on Sustainable Development Goals 8 and Labour statistics. See her presentation HERE.
Mrs. Set Fong Cheung Tung Shing, Deputy Director of Statistics (Statistics Mauritius) also addressed the audience.
Philippe Lai Choo, IOSHM Vice-President talked about the types of OSH data indicators and the Challenges for the Collection of Reliable OSH Data.
Proposals and comments during discussion included the following:
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There is a need for standardisation / harmonisation in the collection, compiling and presentation of OSH statistics.
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Injury statistics from the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity & Reform Institutions do not include the public sector.
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National figures on industrial injuries to include the island of Rodrigues.
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Present OSH statistics in a more user-friendly way such as infographics.
IOSHM Half-Day Seminar (20 April 2017)
Regional Training Centre, Reduit
Optimise the Collection and Use of OSH Data
IOSHM Annual General Meeting (8 July 2016)
Gold Crest Hotel, Quatre Bornes
IOSHM held its AGM on on Friday 8th July 2016 in the Conference Room of Gold Crest Hotel, St Jean Road, Quatre Bornes.
Agenda
1. Reading and approval of Minutes of proceedings of previous AGM
2. President's Report
3. Approval of Statement of Accounts for period 1st January to 31st December 2015
4. Proposal and approval of budget for 2017
5. Election of eleven new members of the Executive Committee (2016 – 2018)
6. Appointment of Auditor
APOSHO 31 Conference (4-7 April 2016)
New Delhi, India
Safety, Health & Environment – Shared Vision, Collective Action
The APOSHO 31 Conference & AGM was held from 4th to 7th April, 2016 at New Delhi, India. The theme of the 2-day Conference was “Safety, Health & Environment – Shared Vision, Collective Action”
The conference addressed current national and international issues reflected in the theme through 3 Plenary and 12 Concurrent Sessions. During the Conference, an HSE Exhibition displaying PPE, safety products and related services by reputed manufacturers, service providers and publications was also be held simultaneously.
As IOSHM President, Dayanand Kurrumchand O.S.K. headed the Mauritian delegation and attended all Committee meetings and the AGM.
IOSHM Seminar (31 March – 1 April 2016) Intercontinental Mauritius Resort - Balaclava Fort
Emerging Workplace OSH Challenges
The Institution got the opportunity to have John Lacey who is a very familiar face in our APOSHO meetings (he was on his way to the APOSHO 31 Conference in New Delhi, India) to be the main speaker for the seminar.
John is the CEO and owner of Lincsafe (Health and Safety) Ltd and is a Chartered Fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (CFIOSH). A former President of IOSH (UK), he is an accomplished international lecturer on safety matters and has worked in the field of construction health and safety risk management for over 35 years.
He gave presentations on OSH Leadership, Accident Investigations and ISO 45001.
Our 2-day peer-led educational seminar also saw presentations by Dr. Hema Goreeba who talked on Emerging Health Issues & Health and Wellness Programs.
Dave Chamary espoused the theme of the seminar through his presentation on Emerging OSH Hazards.
We welcomed more than 75 participants for this event.