Internet Connectivity Among Czech Occupational Health and Safety Community

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Internet Connectivity Among Czech Occupational
Health and Safety Community
Petr Markl, AIHCE 2001 New Orleans, LA
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Conclusion

• The Czech OHS community is ready to use the
  Internet to exchange current occupational health
  and safety information

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Czech Republic - Basic Data

• A small country - in the Heart of Europe
• More than 10 million inhabitants
• Workforce of 5.5 million people
• About 10,000 OHS practitioners
• European Union (EU) membership candidate

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Czech Occupational Health and Safety Authorities

• Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of the Interior
• Ministry of the Environment

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Main Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

• The Labor code
• The Fire Prevention code
• The Public Health Prevention code
• The Chemical Substances and Mixtures code
• Harmonization with EU directives

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Czech Internet today

• About 25 of population have access
• Usual speeds vary from 28.8 to 256 kb/sec
• Fast growing wireless technology
• Huge investments in telecommunications
• 'Internet in every school' program

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Who and What Is on the Web?

• Czech Office of Work Safety - no pages!
• Ministry of the Interior - regulations
• Ministry of Health - focuses on hygiene
• Limited information on chemicals
• No norms or standards available online

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CZSAFETY - mailing list

• Established in Fall 1996
• Started with 4 members
• Promoted via OHS magazines in 2000
• 4 to 5 new members monthly
• Now a total of 96 members
• 86 members are from the Czech Republic

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Safety News Newsletter

• Established in Summer 1999
• Provides free safety info by e-mail
• Promoted via OHS magazines in 2000
• 15 to 20 new members monthly
• Now a total of 398 members

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Who are members of CZSAFETY List?

• 70 local OHS practitioners
• 10 members of local OHS authorities
• 4 OHS practitioners from abroad
• 8 are actively participating
• 20 are OHS consultants

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CZSAFETY List membership
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CZSAFETY membership expectations

• Accommodate 200 members by 2003
• Become a premier tool for exchanging OHS
  information

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'Safety News' membership structure

• 60 OHS practitioners nationwide
• 20 small and middle sized companies
• 20 other interested parties
• 'Safety News' is a good alternative

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'Safety News' membership
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'Safety News' expectations

• 600 members by the year 2003
• Change to web-based electronic newsletter
• Start a new web-based safety magazine in 2002
• Be an alternative choice to paper OHS magazines

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Internet questionnaire

• Standard electronic form
• Filled upon request
• Filled while subscribing to 'Safety News'
• A total of 132 responses received

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Questionnaire results ...

• What information is missing?
• Concise OHS information
• Easy access to safety regulations
• Basic hazard summaries for chemicals
• Risk assessment methods

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Questionnaire results

• What information is needed most?
• Risk assessment in workplaces
• OHS program management
• Confined space entries
• Selection of the PPE
• Ergonomics

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Questionnaire results

• Most have difficulties with searches
• 95 are unable to read English
• 30 dislike long waiting-times

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Questionnaire results

• 25 use Internet to search for OHS info
• 80 is willing to share OHS experience

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OHS on-line experience

• e-business is growing fast but
• the OHS audience is small

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Conclusion

• The Czech OHS community is ready to use the
  Internet to exchange current occupational health
  and safety information