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Medicinal products and child safety
environment. A t present, the United Kingdom Parliament is considering a measure which is designed to widen the scope o f protection for everyone at work. But some of the hazards are not confined to the factory environment and can affect ordinary citizens outside. Consequently, the Government is providing for the first time a measure which will ensure that owners or occupiers of factories will not only tell their employees about specific hazards to their health but they will be under an obligation to let the public at large know, too.
Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act, 1974, Commencement Order On 5 September last, Mr Michael F o o t , Secretary of State for Employment, made an Order giving the dates on which the various sections of Parts I, II and IV of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act will come into effect. Three dates are specified in the Order: October 1, 1974, January 1, 1975 and April I, 1975. On October 1, 1974, the Health a n d Safety Commission were to be set up and the necessary provisions in the Act brought into force at this time could also include the general purposes of Part I of the Act; the powers and functions of the Commission; its control by the Secretary of State and its powers to propose regulations and approve Codes of Practice. No substantive provisions in existing health and safety legislation (eg, Factories Act, Mines and Quarries Act) could be affected at this stage. On January 1, 1975, the Commission will take over most of the existing health and safety at work responsibilities and functions of Ministers. The Health and Safety Executive will be formed under the Commission and will be responsible with local authorities for enforcing statutory requirements on safety and health. The staffs of the main health and safety inspectorates, covering factories; mines and quarries; explosives; nuclear installations; alkali works and clean air; and the Safety in Mines Research Establishment will be transferred to t h e new Executive. At this stage the Executive will continue to administer the provisions of existing legislations (eg, the Factories Act) but will use the powers and procedures provided under the new Act. These include the power for inspectors to issue Improvement and Prohibition Notices. Offences will also be dealt with as set out in the new Act and in most cases any penalties imposed by the Courts will be those provided for by the new Act. At this time, the
250
AppliedErgonomics
E m p l o y m e n t Medical Advisory Service will also be transferred to the Executive. On April 1, 1975, the remaining provisions of Part I, II and IV of the Act will be brought into force. The inclusion of the general obligations (Sections 2 8) will have the effect of bringing all persons at work employers, employees, the selfemployed, (and excluding only private domestic servants) - within the scope of the Act. Protection is also provided for members of the public where they may be affected by the activities of people at work. A b o u t 5 million workpeople will come under statutory protection for the first time including, for example, work-people in education and medical establishments. The general obligations wilt also impose new additional duties on those work-people who are at present covered b y health and safety legislation such as the Factories Act. The general obligations have the effect of giving rights and responsibilities to all work-people employers, employees and selfemployed. General duties are also placed on people in control of certain premises in relation to harmful and offensive emissions to the atmosphere, and on designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of any article for use at work. T h e new provisions include the power to prescribe circumstances in which safety representatives may be elcted or appointed from amongst employees to consult with employers o n health and safety matters. In certain circumstances the employer must set up a safety c o m m i t t e e if requested b y the safety representatives. Amendments will be made at this time to the Fire Precaustions Act 1971 to allow repsonsibilities for general fire precautions and means o f escape in most factories, offices and shops to be transferred to Fire Authorities. The main provisions of existing health and safety Acts will remain in force until the Commission decides to propose regulations, replacing the existing legislation gradually with new and up-dated measures.
Medicinal products and child safety The Government has accepted in principle the recommendations of the Medicines Commission on the presentation of medicinal products in relation to child safety, and has initiated urgent consuRations with a wide range of professional and trade associations and consumer interests. The number of children admitted to
December 1974
hospital from suspected poisoning from medicines has averaged 16 000 a year over the last four years. The princzpal recommendation is that non-reclosable containers (eg, strip and blister packaging) should eventually be used for all solid-dose medicines known to present a hazard to children, but that as a m a t t e r of priority it should be compulsory for medicines containing substances which seem to be particularly hazardous to be packaged in this way. The Commission also recommend that aspirin and paracetamol tablets p r o m o t e d specially for children should be uncoloured and unflavoured and limited to a maximum pack size of 25. The Commission does not recommend that reclosabte containers should be made compulsory. They feel unable to support the introduction of standard tests for child-resistant containers requiring participation by young children, because these would involve showing the children how to open them. T h e y therefore advise the Health Ministers against setting up a committee t o supervise the conduct of such tests with a view to Ministerial approval of particular types, As an interim measure, however, in case it proves impractible to introduce strip and blister packs in the short term, the Government has decided to start parallel consultations, initially with the professional bodies concerned, on the possibility of using types of child resistant containers which have been tested in other countries, or are similar to types which have been tested, for dispensing particular medicines under the NHS. Copies of the Medicines Commission Commissioner's report can be obtained from the Department of Health and Social Security, 33/37 F i n s b u r y Square, London EC2A 1PP ( 0 1 - 6 3 8 6020, Ext 305).
ERS Conference The 1975 Annual Conference o f the Ergonomics Research Society will be held at the Royal HoUoway College, Egham, Surrey from 8 - 1 1 A p r i l , t975. At the time o f going to press, the programme was expected t o include the following sessions. Ergonomics o f job design a n d job evaluation. Environmental effects and protection. Occupational health and safety. Transportation ergonomics. Further information can be obtained from Mr G Simmonds, 8 Claybrick Avenue, Hockley, Essex.
Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act, 1974, Commencement Order On 5 September last, Mr Michael F o o t , Secretary of State for Employment, made an Order giving the dates on which the various sections of Parts I, II and IV of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act will come into effect. Three dates are specified in the Order: October 1, 1974, January 1, 1975 and April I, 1975. On October 1, 1974, the Health a n d Safety Commission were to be set up and the necessary provisions in the Act brought into force at this time could also include the general purposes of Part I of the Act; the powers and functions of the Commission; its control by the Secretary of State and its powers to propose regulations and approve Codes of Practice. No substantive provisions in existing health and safety legislation (eg, Factories Act, Mines and Quarries Act) could be affected at this stage. On January 1, 1975, the Commission will take over most of the existing health and safety at work responsibilities and functions of Ministers. The Health and Safety Executive will be formed under the Commission and will be responsible with local authorities for enforcing statutory requirements on safety and health. The staffs of the main health and safety inspectorates, covering factories; mines and quarries; explosives; nuclear installations; alkali works and clean air; and the Safety in Mines Research Establishment will be transferred to t h e new Executive. At this stage the Executive will continue to administer the provisions of existing legislations (eg, the Factories Act) but will use the powers and procedures provided under the new Act. These include the power for inspectors to issue Improvement and Prohibition Notices. Offences will also be dealt with as set out in the new Act and in most cases any penalties imposed by the Courts will be those provided for by the new Act. At this time, the
250
AppliedErgonomics
E m p l o y m e n t Medical Advisory Service will also be transferred to the Executive. On April 1, 1975, the remaining provisions of Part I, II and IV of the Act will be brought into force. The inclusion of the general obligations (Sections 2 8) will have the effect of bringing all persons at work employers, employees, the selfemployed, (and excluding only private domestic servants) - within the scope of the Act. Protection is also provided for members of the public where they may be affected by the activities of people at work. A b o u t 5 million workpeople will come under statutory protection for the first time including, for example, work-people in education and medical establishments. The general obligations wilt also impose new additional duties on those work-people who are at present covered b y health and safety legislation such as the Factories Act. The general obligations have the effect of giving rights and responsibilities to all work-people employers, employees and selfemployed. General duties are also placed on people in control of certain premises in relation to harmful and offensive emissions to the atmosphere, and on designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of any article for use at work. T h e new provisions include the power to prescribe circumstances in which safety representatives may be elcted or appointed from amongst employees to consult with employers o n health and safety matters. In certain circumstances the employer must set up a safety c o m m i t t e e if requested b y the safety representatives. Amendments will be made at this time to the Fire Precaustions Act 1971 to allow repsonsibilities for general fire precautions and means o f escape in most factories, offices and shops to be transferred to Fire Authorities. The main provisions of existing health and safety Acts will remain in force until the Commission decides to propose regulations, replacing the existing legislation gradually with new and up-dated measures.
Medicinal products and child safety The Government has accepted in principle the recommendations of the Medicines Commission on the presentation of medicinal products in relation to child safety, and has initiated urgent consuRations with a wide range of professional and trade associations and consumer interests. The number of children admitted to
December 1974
hospital from suspected poisoning from medicines has averaged 16 000 a year over the last four years. The princzpal recommendation is that non-reclosable containers (eg, strip and blister packaging) should eventually be used for all solid-dose medicines known to present a hazard to children, but that as a m a t t e r of priority it should be compulsory for medicines containing substances which seem to be particularly hazardous to be packaged in this way. The Commission also recommend that aspirin and paracetamol tablets p r o m o t e d specially for children should be uncoloured and unflavoured and limited to a maximum pack size of 25. The Commission does not recommend that reclosabte containers should be made compulsory. They feel unable to support the introduction of standard tests for child-resistant containers requiring participation by young children, because these would involve showing the children how to open them. T h e y therefore advise the Health Ministers against setting up a committee t o supervise the conduct of such tests with a view to Ministerial approval of particular types, As an interim measure, however, in case it proves impractible to introduce strip and blister packs in the short term, the Government has decided to start parallel consultations, initially with the professional bodies concerned, on the possibility of using types of child resistant containers which have been tested in other countries, or are similar to types which have been tested, for dispensing particular medicines under the NHS. Copies of the Medicines Commission Commissioner's report can be obtained from the Department of Health and Social Security, 33/37 F i n s b u r y Square, London EC2A 1PP ( 0 1 - 6 3 8 6020, Ext 305).
ERS Conference The 1975 Annual Conference o f the Ergonomics Research Society will be held at the Royal HoUoway College, Egham, Surrey from 8 - 1 1 A p r i l , t975. At the time o f going to press, the programme was expected t o include the following sessions. Ergonomics o f job design a n d job evaluation. Environmental effects and protection. Occupational health and safety. Transportation ergonomics. Further information can be obtained from Mr G Simmonds, 8 Claybrick Avenue, Hockley, Essex.