New NICE guidance on mental well being in the workplace

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued new guidance aimed at reducing the estimated 13.7m working days that are lost annually in the UK due to work related mental health conditions. The IOM contributed to the development of this guidance by carrying out a systematic evidence-based review of the literature on workplace interventions.

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Napier University launches Centre for Nano Safety

On 11th November, Edinburgh Napier University's Centre for Nano Safety was officially opened by Professor Ann Glover, the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Scottish Government. The work of this centre is complementary to that of the Safenano initiative, in which IOM and Napier University are partners and long-time collaborators.

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New developments under REACH

The European Chemicals Agency (EChA) has issued 'Guidance in a Nutshell: The Chemical Safety Assessment' to help non-experts understand their obligations under REACH for the submission of Chemical Safety Assessments. The guidance explains what a CSA is, and how it should be carried out in order to comply with the regulations.

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The IOM is a member of a consortium developing an advanced exposure modelling tool to estimate occupational exposure to chemicals. It is known as the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) and is already available as a Beta version.

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Asbestos in the news

Earlier this month, the HSE launched a new awareness campaign 'Asbestos – the Hidden Killer'. This prompted a news feature on Scottish TV in which the IOM's expertise in risk assessment and laboratory analysis were highlighted.

The IOM's seminar on asbestos contamination in domestic gardens, which took place on 27 October, also generated media interest, with articles appearing in Scotland on Sunday and the Scottish Daily Mail. There are plans to repeat the seminar at other UK locations.

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