Author: Peacock Carter

The Institute’s members join everyone in Scotland’s public health community in celebrating the 5^th anniversary of Scotland’s enclosed public places becoming smoke-free.

In the years leading up to the ban the Institute actively supported the introduction of controls to reduce exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

According to Sally Haw, Senior Scientific Adviser for the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health and Policy, the ban has been one of Scotland’s big public health success stories. Ms Haw stated that there has been a 17% reduction in heart attacks among bar workers and cited a study by Glasgow University which showed a 15% reduction in the number of children with asthma being admitted to hospital in the three years after the ban came into force. Ms Haw also stated that there had been no evidence that people were smoking more at home because they could not do so in enclosed public places and went on to advise that there have been benefits for smokers too with smoking prevalence rates going down and the respiratory symptoms in smokers post-ban improving.

With the introduction of the ban in 2006 Scotland’s public, its workers and its many visitors now enjoy public places which are free of tobacco smoke.

The REHIS Annual Conference is the principal Environmental Health event to take place in Scotland. It provides an opportunity to reflect on current and future approaches to protecting and improving the health of the Scottish people and to renew friendships and make new ones. The Conference will be held at the Glynhill Hotel, Renfrew www.glynhill.com/ on 25th & 26th May 2011.

The Conference programme and booking form are attached.

The REHIS Southern Centre presented a Public Health and Pest Control – The Rise of Bed Bugs and Cockroaches Seminar on 24 February in Glasgow. The event, attended by over 50 delegates (and there were more than 20 potential delegates on a waiting list), was deemed to have been a great success by the delegates and presenters. The event was chaired by Andrew McPherson, REHIS Council member and Southern Centre Chairman.

Oliver Madge, Chairman of the Bed Bug Foundation (www.bedbugfoundation.org) presented his paper Bed Bugs – The Problems and Solutions and he was followed by Nigel Kerr of Glasgow City Council Bed Bugs v. Cockroaches in Glasgow – a Sleeping Timebomb? and Stuart Graham of the City of Edinburgh Council Bed Bugs in Edinburgh – an Artistic Impression.

Andrew McPherson and the Southern Centre offer their thanks to all the presenters and to Pat Hoey, Chairman of the REHIS Public Health and Housing Working Group, for their contribution to the success of this event which was open to members of REHIS and to all environmental health professionals in Scotland.

The presentations given by the speakers are available at

https:/page/presentations-events

The Food Standards Agency has announced the appointment of Dr David Cameron as the Chair of the Scottish Food Advisory Committee (SFAC). The Agency has also announced  the appointment of Dr James Wildgoose as a new member for Scotland on the FSA Board. The appointments were made by Shona Robison MSP, Scottish Minister for Public Health and Sport. Dr Cameron’s new role as Chair of the Scottish Food Advisory Committee will run concurrently with his FSA Board membership. He will divide his time between Board duties and SFAC. Dr Cameron, a biochemist and experienced food safety consultant, is a past President of REHIS and is also a member of the FSA Board. Dr Wildgoose, a former senior civil servant with a background in economics, was responsible for setting up the FSA in Scotland. He is based in Edinburgh and undertakes occasional freelance consultancy projects. The Scottish Food Advisory Committee provides the Food Standards Agency Scotland with independent advice and information on safety issues and food standards in Scotland. The Committee consists of 9 members (including Bernard Forteath, Senior Vice-President of REHIS and Past President of the IFEH) two whom are members of the Food Standards Agency Board, who provide a wide base of knowledge on food and food related issues. They particularly focus on Scottish based issues and take into account advice from scientific advisory committees working in the field of food safety and standards. The Committee holds regular meetings in locations throughout Scotland which are open to the public.

The Institute will have an exhibition stand at the Scottish Chamber of Safety Annual Conference – Safe, Healthy and Fit for Purpose on 24 February 2011 at Hampden Park Stadium, Glasgow

The conference is aimed at everyone working to improve health, safety and wellbeing in Scotland.

It will provide an opportunity for practitioners and interested parties to improve their working knowledge of current safety issues, to hear an update on the national implications of Lord Young’s review and take part in a discussion on the implications.

An exhibition area will run alongside the conference and showcase some of the leaders in safety supply and there will be four workshops focusing on the current key issues. Each delegate will be able to attend two workshops.

Speakers

Key note address by Roger Bibbings, RoSPA

Debate Chaired by Brian Nimick, BSC; with Paul Stollard, HSE & Ian Tasker, STUC

And

Presentation of the Lord Cullen Awards                 

Drama presentation by Acting Up

Workshops on

1. Leadership
2. Behavioural Safety
3. Maintenance
4. Occupational Health

For more information click on the link https:/event/scottish-chamber-safety-annual-conference-safe-healthy-and-fit-purpose

REHIS members can also download the SCOS flyer(attached) which includes a promotional code that will get £25 off the normal £125 delegate rate or follow the link to the booking page www.scosconference.org.uk and  enter discount code SGUK.

See link below under

 LATEST VACANCIES 

The February edition of the REHIS e-Newsletter ‘News for Public Health Professionals’ has been uploaded to this website and is accessible from a dedicated portal to the right of this news item. If you wish to feature an environmental health or public health initiative, event or activity in the e-Newsletter please contact Tom Bell, Chief Executive on 0131 229 2968 or tb@. 

The new online register of occupational safety and health consultants will open for registration on 31 January 2011.  Members of the participating professional bodies representing safety and occupational health consultants who meet the eligibility criteria can apply to join the register from that date.  Those who apply before 30 April 2011 will benefit from a discounted application fee.The Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) has been set up by a number of professional bodies representing general safety and occupational health consultants across the UK, with support from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).  It is designed to help businesses find well-qualified and experienced consultants able to give good quality advice.  

OSHCR registration is voluntary and open to individuals who provide commercial advice on general health and safety management issues; and who have achieved at least one of the following:

• Chartered status with REHIS (Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland) with health and safety qualifications;  Chartered status with CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health);Chartered status with IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) or Fellow status with IIRSM (International Institute of Risk and Safety Management) with degree level qualifications
• Member or Fellow status with the BOHS (British Occupational Hygiene Society) Faculty of Occupational Hygiene
• Registered Member or Fellow status with IEHF (Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors). See attached pre-registration document for more details and go to https:/documents/publications for FAQs

The revised guide continues to build on existing good practice, and has been updated to reflect the changes following implementation of the EU Food Hygiene Regulations which came into force on January 2006. The guide has been enhanced to include a section on food labelling to cover most food found at farmers markets. The information in the revised guide is designed not only to help market traders and organisers meet food safety requirements, but also to assist traders in the correct labelling of their products to comply with food labelling requirements. The guide remains applicable to similar events such as car boot sales, fetes, agricultural shows and continental markets. It provides specific information on compliance with Regulation 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, Regulation 853/2004 specific hygiene of foods of animal origin, where applicable, and in relation to temperature control, the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The new composition & labelling section provides guidance on general labelling requirements as well as product specific labelling requirements Once again the guide has been developed by representatives from local authorities, the Scottish Food Advisory Committee and the Scottish Association of Farmers, with the main purpose of assisting market traders comply with food safety and food standards requirements.

The REHIS Newsletter was launched on the website today and features short articles on news, initiatives, events and other activities which promote environmental and public health across Scotland. The newsletter, which will be produced on a monthly basis, will highlight the work of all public health professionals and their contribution to the improvement and protection of the health of the people of Scotland. Click on the News for Public Health Professionals portal on the REHIS home page to access the April 2007 edition of the newsletter.

New guidance issued to businesses on how to comply with the proposed anti-smoking measures is given full support by the Institute. (8 November 2005) More.

The Scottish Executive has issued a series of information letters to local authorities offering guidance on how the new Regulations should be applied. One letter clarifies the position with Private Water Supplies on Dairy Farms. They are classed as a ‘commercial activity’ and therefore fall to be treated as a Type A supply. For further information go to www.privatewatersupplies.gov.uk