An Integrated OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 Management System in the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements

In today's company climate, certification and/or accreditation by an appropriate body is becoming the norm. There are many reasons to explain this tendency and in IRMM's case (Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, one of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre's (JRC) seven institutes), these were so as to enhance safety, health, environmental and security performances; assure compliance with regulatory requirements and with EC policies; improve customer satisfaction (quality); enhance image of the institute and improve cost efficiency. IRMM can be considered as similar, in some ways, to EU Member State national laboratories but being at EU level and having the other "Directorates-General" (DGs) of the Commission as customers. These customers need to be able to categorically state that the measurements carried out in the JRC laboratories are of top quality and that in striving to obtain these high quality results, all environmental and occupational health and safety regulations of the Commission and of the respective member state were followed. As mentioned above, having appropriate accreditation and triple certification provides a management system through which these demands can be met. Aiming to attain triple certification (OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001) in ~ 2 years would normally be considered too much of a burden to place on staff and internal auditors alike. However, approaching this in an integrated way, conversely provided not only the mechanism for achieving it in such a short time but also the vehicle for maintaining it, with minimal resources (if comparing against going for certification one by one), and dramatic simplification. IRMM's long (50 years) experience in the nuclear field meant that the long standing good practices in this area could be immediately applied to the bio-safety and chemical laboratories, so it would be untrue to say that the starting point was zero. Nevertheless, the triple certification process brought a synergy to the institute which had hitherto been unknown with the net encompassing: the legal register and how new or changed regulations are followed up; the methodology for risk assessments; the scoring of the environmental aspects; the integration of safety and environmental objectives in the staff evaluation system; certain Safety, Health, Environment (SHE) procedures with a management support overlap e.g. coding system for purchases; internal and external communication aspects; integrated auditing; the reporting of non conformances, incidents and accidents and the way management reviews are carried out. The integration process also involved an examination of the Performance Indicators (including core process and SHE indicators), highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. This work includes some newly chosen performance indicators and their respective targets in the areas of Safety, Health and Environment. It also includes the first score cards of our Integrated Management System which when displayed on a "dashboard" provide a straightforward means of benchmarking our institute with our fellow institutes in the JRC. Last but not least, the fact that this institute wide effort, fully supported by the director, resulted in improvements in inter-departmental communication, enhanced awareness by the hierarchical line of their SHE responsibilities and duties and involvement of all staff, in one way or another. How this was achieved in this 2 year period, starting in January 2006 and ending with the external audit in December, 2007 will be described in this work with the aim of showing all (including SHE) benefits of a truly integrated management system.JRC.D-Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (Geel

Programme of pre-accession assistance "Improving Chemical and Ionising Radiation Metrology" in Turkey - Fifth Interim Report

The overall objective of the Europe and Metrology in Turkey (EMIT) project is to contribute to the better functioning of the EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement regarding the free movement of goods as well as to facilitate the implementation of the acquis communautaire in quality of life related areas such as environmental, health and consumer protection and food safety. To achieve this goal the project consists of an inception phase (complete since 31.12.2009) and 4 components, which are associated with certain interventions, during the implementation phase (01.01.2010 to 30.06.2012) with the project being consolidated during the final phase (01.07.2012 to 30.09.2012). This fifth interim report provides the overview on the project's progress for the duration of the fifth six month period of the implementation. It also offers a plan for the activities to be conducted within the final reporting period.JRC.D.3-Knowledge Transfer and Standards for Securit

Initial impacts of global risk mitigation measures taken during the combatting of the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper presents an analysis of risk mitigation measures taken by countries around the world facing the current COVID-19 outbreak. In light of the current pandemic the authors collated and clustered (using harmonised terminology) the risk mitigation measures taken around the globe in the combat to contain, and since March 11 2020, to limiting the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus known to cause the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This overview gathers lessons learnt, provides an update on the current knowledge for authorities, sectors and first responders on the effectiveness and may allow enhanced prevention, preparedness and response for future outbreaks. Various measures such as mobility restrictions, physical distancing, hygienic measures, socio economic restrictions, communication and international support mechanisms have been clustered and are reviewed in terms of the nature of the actions taken and their qualitative early-perceived impact. At the time of writing, it is still too premature to express the quantitative effectiveness of each risk mitigation cluster, but it seems that the best mitigation results are reported when applying a combination of voluntary and enforceable measures.JRC.E.7-Knowledge for Security and Migratio

an ISES Europe statement

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A therapeutic antibody targeting osteoprotegerin attenuates severe experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but fatal disease. Current treatments increase life expectancy but have limited impact on the progressive pulmonary vascular remodelling that drives PAH. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is increased within serum and lesions of patients with idiopathic PAH and is a mitogen and migratory stimulus for pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Here, we report that the pro-proliferative and migratory phenotype in PASMCs stimulated with OPG is mediated via the Fas receptor and that treatment with a human antibody targeting OPG can attenuate pulmonary vascular remodelling associated with PAH in multiple rodent models of early and late treatment. We also demonstrate that the therapeutic efficacy of the anti-OPG antibody approach in the presence of standard of care vasodilator therapy is mediated by a reduction in pulmonary vascular remodelling. Targeting OPG with a therapeutic antibody is a potential treatment strategy in PAH

Programme of Pre-accession Assistance ''Improving Chemical and Ionising Radiation Metrology'' in Turkey - Second Interim Report, EMIT I - Turkey, Project No. TR080209

The overall objective of the Europe and Metrology in Turkey (EMIT) project is to contribute to the better functioning of the EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement regarding the free movement of goods as well as to facilitate the implementation of the acquis communautaire in quality of life related areas such as environmental, health and consumer protection and food safety. To achieve this goal the project consists of an inception phase (complete since 31.12.2009) and 4 components, which are associated with certain interventions, during the implementation phase (01.01.2010 to 30.06.2012) with the project being consolidated during the final phase (01.07.2012 to 30.09.2012). This 2nd interim report provides the overview on the project's progress for the duration of the second six months period of the implementation. It also offers a plan for the activities to be conducted within the third reporting period.JRC.DG.D.4-Isotope measurement

Programme of Pre-Accession Assistance "Improving Chemical and Ionising Radiation Metrology" in Turkey - Third Interim Report

The overall objective of the Europe and Metrology in Turkey (EMIT) project is to contribute to the better functioning of the EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement regarding the free movement of goods as well as to facilitate the implementation of the acquis communautaire in quality of life related areas such as environmental, health and consumer protection and food safety. To achieve this goal the project consists of an inception phase (complete since 31.12.2009) and 4 components, which are associated with certain interventions, during the implementation phase (01.01.2010 to 30.06.2012) with the project being consolidated during the final phase (01.07.2012 to 30.09.2012). The 3rd interim report provides the overview on the project's progress for the duration of the third six months period of the implementation. It also offers a plan for the activities to be conducted within the fourth reporting period.JRC.D.4-Isotope measurement

Programme of pre-accession assistance "Improving Chemical and Ionising Radiation Metrology" in Turkey - Fourth Interim Report

The overall objective of the Europe and Metrology in Turkey (EMIT) project is to contribute to the better functioning of the EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement regarding the free movement of goods as well as to facilitate the implementation of the acquis communautaire in quality of life related areas such as environmental, health and consumer protection and food safety. To achieve this goal the project consists of an inception phase (complete since 31.12.2009) and 4 components, which are associated with certain interventions, during the implementation phase (01.01.2010 to 30.06.2012) with the project being consolidated during the final phase (01.07.2012 to 30.09.2012). This fourth interim report provides the overview on the project's progress for the duration of the fourth six month period of the implementation. It also offers a plan for the activities to be conducted within the fifth reporting period.JRC.D.3-Knowledge Transfer and Standards for Securit

Instrument of pre-accession assistance – "Improving Chemical and Ionising Radiation Metrology" in Turkey: Final phase report, EMIT Project Nr TR080209

The overall objective of the Europe and Metrology in Turkey (EMIT) project is to contribute to the better functioning of the EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement regarding the free movement of goods as well as to facilitate the implementation of the acquis communautaire in quality of life related areas such as environmental, health and consumer protection and food safety. To achieve this goal the project consists of an inception phase (complete since 31.12.2009) and 4 components, which are associated with certain interventions, during the implementation phase (01.01.2010 to 30.06.2012) with the project being consolidated during the final phase (01.07.2012 to 30.09.2012). The "Final phase" report provides an overview on the project's progress for the duration of the last three months of the project. A separate "Final" report offers an overview of the accomplishments of the project on the whole as well as a summary of the lessons learned, of the Result Oriented Monitoring evaluations, of the financial audits carried out and a synopsis of TÜBİTAK UME and TAEK's strategic plans for the next three years.JRC.D.3-Knowledge Transfer and Standards for Securit

Instrument of pre-accession assistance – "Improving Chemical and Ionising Radiation Metrology" in Turkey: Final report, EMIT Project Nr TR080209

The overall objective of the Europe and Metrology in Turkey (EMIT) project is to contribute to the better functioning of the EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement regarding the free movement of goods as well as to facilitate the implementation of the acquis communautaire in quality of life related areas such as environmental, health and consumer protection and food safety. To achieve this goal the project consists of an inception phase (complete since 31.12.2009) and 4 components, which are associated with certain interventions, during the implementation phase (01.01.2010 to 30.06.2012) with the project being consolidated during the final phase (01.07.2012 to 30.09.2012). The final report provides an overview of the accomplishments during the full duration of the project. It also offers a summary of the lessons learned, of the Result Oriented Monitoring evaluations, of the financial audits carried out and a synopsis of TÜBİTAK UME and TAEK's strategic plans for the next three years.JRC.D.3-Knowledge Transfer and Standards for Securit