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The 1987 Single European Act acted as the catalyst in the proliferation of the European Community's occupational health and safety laws. This resulted to the standardization of technical standards by the European Commission (EC) to enable every manufacturer to enter the European Union markets. The standards consisted of safety standards for the design and construction of equipment and machinery while occupational health and safety standards were addressed under Article 118a of the Single European Act. However, the complete implementation of such laws in the EC still remains to be seen.

The European Union (EU) expects commercial road traffic in Europe to escalate rapidly. The European Commission's Transport Directorate projects a 30% increase in the commercial road traffic between 1988-2000. EU has introduced laws, such as Regulation 3820 and Directive 3821, aimed at restricting drivers' rest and working hours and requiring the use of tachographs on all vehicles weighing over five metric tons.

European countries are less strict about installing fire safety equipment in their buildings as compared to buildings in the US. For example, most buildings in the UK have fewer water sprinklers and are not compartmentalized in a pattern that reduces the spread of fires. The EU is addressing building safety through its Post-Seveso Major Hazards Directive, which will require companies to conduct a risk assessment of their buildings.

Global issues concerning workplace stress and safety, safety procedures at nuclear facilities, and the availability of a highly toxic pesticide are discussed.

The European Union has extended its limit of 48 working hours per week to include five million additional employees in road, waterways, sea, rail, air, transport, and offshore sectors. Drivers will have to include their non-driving tasks such as loading and unloading within the 48 hours.

A methane and coal dust explosion killed 80 miners in March 2000 at Barakova, Ukraine. A lack of safety equipment caused by inadequate investment is blamed for the tragedy.

Safety standards in the German construction industry were highlighted by the explosion of a buried bomb on a building site in Berlin, Germany, in 1994. The bomb was left over from the 1939-1945 war and companies working on government contracts have to carry out checks for such bombs, but not for private sector work. Many German construction companies are small, and many employees work in the informal sector with little control of safety. Attitudes tend to be short-term due to high levels of competition in the industry.

Reports global developments related to industrial safety as of November 2000. Includes details on the industrial fatality rate in Japan; Factors contributing to the increase in injury rates in Canada; Approval of labor law reforms in Argentina.

Reports on developments related to industrial safety in Europe as of May 2000. Increase in the incidence of hand-arm vibration in the Great Britain; Increase in deaths from parking area incidents in Great Britain; Implementation of mass inspection of workplaces in Catalonia, Spain.

Focuses on a Great Britain case dealing with safety measures in the Medical Research Council of the United Kingdom's laboratory in Edinburgh, Scotland. Death of medical laboratory technician, James Graham; Result of inadequate and by-passable fail-safe arrangements; Total amount of fines imposed on the council.

Focuses on the state of working conditions in Russia. Assessment by Sandie Rice of the International Labor Organization; Aging equipment at ex-Soviet enterprises that have lost market share to Western producers; Widespread continuation of the 'payment-for-hazard' working system.

Focuses on a study by the International Labor Organization, which dealt with the effect of AIDS on the labor market in sub-Saharan Africa. Decline of work force quality; Caregiver absenteeism; Organization's goal of presenting the economic and social costs of AIDS to African businesses and unions; Industries with high work force infection rates.

Focuses on government efforts to reduce the number of disabled workers in Netherlands. Impact of labors laws on employers; Implementation of diagnostic protocols aimed at non-physical complaints; Punishment for employers delaying workplace-based rehabilitation; Role of psychological problems in workplace disability.

Focuses on the efforts of improving working conditions in the construction, metal, and hotel sectors in Portugal. Implementation of tougher labor laws and increase of workplace inspections; Impact of illegal immigration on labor supply; Regulation of illegal immigration through diplomatic means.

Discusses the pros and cons of working at home, according to Great Britain's Economic and Social Research Council. Benefits of commuting to and from work; Face-to-face interaction; Percentage of employees who work at home completely and partially.

Reports that non-driving initiatives may be considered contributors to fatigue when determining safe working hours for European Union transport drivers under the trade bloc's working time directive. Limits to work time; Measures to address work fatigue; Problems with owners-drivers, who make up 90 percent of transport drivers in some countries.

Reports on the British Health & Safety Executive's launching of a series of practical safety `awareness days' for farmers designed to reduce agriculture machinery-related accidents in Great Britain. Agriculture-related deaths in the country in 1998-1999; Measures planned by the government against farmers who fail awareness day programs.

Highlights findings of the Foundation for the Improvement of Occupational Health Care in its review of work-related stress complaints from the health care sector in Netherlands. Factors associated to employees' response to high levels of pressure; Risk of becoming stressed-out among health care workers; Extent to which the workplace contributed to stress.

Cites a report from the European Union describing compliance to a law designed to protect pregnant workers and the unborn child to workplace hazards. Provisions of law.

Reports on the results of a study showing that alpha-amylase, a common industrial flour additive, is a potent allergen that can cause asthma among sensitized workers. Industrial purpose of the additive; Incidences of allergies observed among bakery and flour mill workers.

Highlights the development of an industrial equipment design standard to address repetitive stress injuries in the European Union. Assistance to manufacturers of machinery and equipment; Requirements of the European Standards Organization; Inclusion of risk assessment procedures for machinery use.

Reports that Great Britain's Health and Safety Executive has issued guidelines to help employers address back, neck and upper-limb pain in supermarket cashiers. Results of study on musculoskeletal disorders in cashiers.

Reports on the precautionary measures from the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain, for employers regarding laptop computers and computer mice. Details on laptops; What laptop users should be trained to do; Recommendation from the agency.

Reports that a `non-experts' buyers guide from the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health in Sweden, stated that ergonomically-designed hand tools may save money. Type of overuse injuries the tools can prevent; Importance of design when selecting the proper ergonomic hand tool; Features of ergonomic hand tools.

Presents information on the `Safety Check' brochures which were designed by the German government's Institute for Work Safety to help small businesses meet the European Union health and safety directives' risk-assessment and reduction requirements. Comments from Karlheinz Meffert from the institute; Information on the brochures.

Presents information as it relates to industrial health and safety in Europe. Details on the expectations for the approval of an agreement proposed by the European Union's Chemical Agents Directive; What the proposal entails; Findings of research conducted by the European Foundation in Dublin; What findings indicate.

Reports that the German government was one of the last European Union (EU) countries to create EU health and safety rules. Factors which hinder the government from submitting workplace risk assessments; When were the assessments due; Reference to the delay in the Temporary Construction Sites Directive; Comments from Ulrich Riese of the Institute for Work Protection.

Focuses on the benefits of having improved organization in the work place in terms of the reduction of stress. Information on the methods being employed by employers in the Netherlands in having work organized; How this approach challenges the notion that stress is a personal problem; Information on the licensing of risk-assessment agencies by the government of the Netherlands.

States that Claus Conrad, a German labor lawyer, has accused management of mobbing, the practices of forcing unwanted staff to quit their jobs. How companies benefit from mobbing; Details on a research conducted by Profile, a German management consultancy firm; Information on books released on this issue.

Focuses on the announcement made by the European Commission regarding further reductions in subsidies for member states' farmers. Impact of the reductions; Statements made by doctor Johanes Illmarinen, from Finland's Institute for Occupational Health; Increases in occupational injuries; Details on the situation in the different countries of the European Union.

Reports the the European Commission is providing half-funding for SolBase, an international pilot project, which is directed towards small business users. Detailed information on the project; Comments from Hans Tonissen, project leader.

Presents information on the International Labor Organization's (ILO) attempts to improve and monitor global working conditions. Information on the organization's 85th annual conference which was held in Geneva; Comments from Micheal Barton, a representative of ILL.

Reports that in Europe, latex allergies among hospital staff and patients is an important issue. Comments from John Richards, Britain's main hospital employees union; Allergic reactions which can be caused by latex proteins; Estimated medical products and household items latex is found in.

Reports the elimination of workplace use of glycol ether solvents by pregnant women or nursing mothers in France. Impact of solvents on the health of unborn children; Search for glycol ether substitutes; Effect of solvent exposure on child facial deformities; Availability of water-based substitutes.

Focuses on Swedish National Occupational Health and Safety Board member Christina Aldrin's views about computer control-panel operated machinery in Sweden. Popularity of the machines in saw-milling, pulp and paper production; Traditional physical ergonomic problems.

Focuses on the conference aimed at reducing workplace violence in London, England. Impact of workplace violence on business structure; Characteristics of employees at risk of experiencing workplace violence; Importance of funding in realizing the initiative of reducing workplace violence.

Focuses on the outcome of the strike of French security guards in France. Classification of the jobs of transporting cash as dangerous; Improvement of armored vehicles; End of fixed times for cash pick-ups and unloading; Increase of the average salary.

Reports on a Danish industrial tribunal's rejection of invasion of privacy objections in a substance testing case. Ruling that a shipping company could require crews to undergo drug and alcohol testing; Danish Seaways' testing after a cannabis smuggling incident occurred; Misuse of testing to detect diseases or pregnancy; Safety responsibilities of the crews.

Reports that the International Labor Organization has developed a code of safe working practice for those involved in all aspects of using and producing synthetic mineral insulation fibers, primarily rockwool, glasswool and slagwool. Exposure control; Workplace monitoring; Health concerns addressed by the standards.

Reports that an increase in visual display union equipment in Dutch workplaces has led to a rise in upper-limb overuse complaints. Implementation of preventive measures; Government subsidy for the training of workers who become sources of information on workplace injuries; Software to measure the intensity of keyboard and mouse use over time.

Reports on the plans of Great Britain's Health & Safety Executive to publicize the names and offenses of occupational safety lawbreakers in the country. Goal of the proposed plan to promote occupational health and safety policies in the country.

Reports on the Institute for Work Protection & Medicine's production of the compact disc `Deafness from Workplace Noise,' to help workers understand how noise-induced hearing loss affect them. Difficulties experienced by individuals with hearing loss; Guidelines offered in the compact disc to help prevent hearing loss.

Focuses on the development of a four-level survey program that enables employees without a high level of ergonomic expertise to assess repetitive strain injury risk. Program's developers; Objectives; Typical risk factors.

Reports on the projected increase in the number of office workers with work-related health problems, according to a study by Great Britain insurance firm Norwich Union Healthcare. Health complaints that are predicted to become more common; Challenge for the management.

Reports on the study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Medical Research on the increase of asthma cases in 12 countries in Europe. Percentage of cases occurring in the workplace; Other high-risk work; Chemical compounds that increase risk; Need for effective control measures.

Cites research by Great Britain's Health and Safety Executive on concentrations of electrostatic coating powders in some workplaces. Health risks posed by the hazardous content of the powders; Cause and effect of high dust levels.

Reports on the problems caused by inadequate fitting and maintenance of laser or light-beam and light-curtain protective devices, according to Great Britain's Health and Safety Executive. Problems of fitting the photoelectric devices to older machinery; Difficulties encountered during interruption of light field emission.

Focuses on proposed legislation to improve working conditions on European Union (EU) ferries. Establishment of minimum rest breaks, paid annual leave, health and safety provisions; Maternity rights and anti-discriminatory measures; Employment of non-EU nationals on intra-national ferries; Failure of the proposal to place legal limitation on noise exposure.