Members of the LLWR workforce were on hand to collect the organisation’s fourth President’s Award for its exceptional performance in 2017, in a RoSPA ceremony in Glasgow.

Accolades are based on an organisation’s individual occupational health and safety performance and the President’s Award was conferred in recognition of LLWR receiving a 13th consecutive Gold Award.

Elaine Burrage, LLWR’s Health & Safety (H&S) Manager, said: “In order to achieve a Gold Award we have to declare our safety statistics to RoSPA, but that is only part of the judging criteria.

“RoSPA also want to understand and assess our H&S management system, how we are continuously improving the health and safety of all those involved in our activities, ensuring that we provide adequate training to the correct standards, ensuring that our contractors and others affected by our work are kept safe at all times and how we monitor our performance and the health of our workforce.

“These are only a few of the criteria they assess us on.”

Russell Beckwith, Low Level Waste Operations Manager, one of those chosen to attend the ceremony, said: “Being asked to represent LLWR and accepting the President’s Award for 13 years of outstanding performance was a proud moment.

“For us to be associated with companies that seek to achieve excellence in health and safety performance and keep that standard going for this considerable length of time just goes to prove the high standards we set ourselves, not just ensuring that we all go home safely to our families, but also that what we are doing is being recognised on the national stage.”

The directions require specified local authorities to carry out studies or to implement actions to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide in the shortest possible time, and sets deadlines.

These are supporting documents of the Air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in UK (2017).

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are seeking views on proposals to introduce Inshore Vessel Monitoring Systems (I-VMS) for all licensed British fishing boats under 12 metres in length, operating in English waters. This also covers English boats operating outside of English waters.

VMS has been used as a monitoring system for UK vessels of 12 metres and over since 2013. The system records the location, speed and heading of a vessel using GPRS technology. Introducing I-VMS for under 12 metre vessels will provide a more accurate picture on fishing location and activity, which will help inform future fisheries management and sustainability.

The data could also allow fishermen to market their produce as sustainably caught, providing consumers with greater awareness of where their fish has come from and helping them to make more informed decisions.

Fisheries Minister George Eustice said:

“Monitoring systems play a crucial role in developing a framework for fisheries management that is both profitable and sustainable – and that allows all sections of our fleet to thrive.

“I now encourage everyone with an interest to have their say by responding to the consultation.”

It is proposed that the initial cost and installation of the equipment will be met by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in order to minimise cost to industry.

The six week consultation will close on 14 November 2018.

Interested parties are invited to share their views either online or by post to:

Environment Agency staff have teamed up with RSPB Sandwell Valley and local RSPB volunteer, Andy Purcell, to present further information about Phase 2 of the Perry Barr and Witton Flood Risk Management Scheme.

Attendees are invited along to RSPB at Tanhouse Avenue, from 5pm, where they will have the opportunity to see how the Environment Agency is progressing with the construction work in Sandwell Valley Country Park. Guests will be treated to a presentation by Andy, who has captured drone images of work since construction started.

Following the presentation, Environment Agency staff will highlight progress to date and next steps, followed by a Question and Answer Session at the end.

Josh Harris, Environment Agency project lead for the scheme said:

We have been working closely with our partners and the local community, to ensure that we keep everyone informed. The drone footage will provide a very interesting aspect to the information we give, and we look forward to speaking to people and listening to any feedback that they may have to offer.

Cathy Taylor, Site Manager at RSPB Sandwell Valley said:

We are looking forward to the Environment Agency sharing project updates with our team and the public at the RSPB Sandwell Valley visitor centre. Our volunteers are interested to hear what has been happening recently and the plans for what is coming up for the flood scheme. We are also looking forward to showing the Environment Agency our newly improved marsh as this work was made possible thanks to their supporting it as an environmental improvement associated with the Perry Barr and Witton Flood Risk Management Scheme.

If you are unable to attend the event, but would like more information about the Perry Barr and Witton Flood Risk Management Scheme, please visit our webpage or contact the Environment Agency project team at witton.frms@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Along with flood defences and flood management schemes, knowing your flood risk is also important when protecting your family and property from flooding. People can check their risk and register to receive free flood warnings by visiting the Environment Agency flood information pages or calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

Los gobiernos del Reino Unido y la Argentina encabezaron hoy un ejercicio de simulación para evaluar con los países del G20 las estrategias necesarias para enfrentar un brote de una cepa resistente a los antibióticos. El objetivo de este esfuerzo conjunto de las autoridades sanitarias británicas y argentinas es generar una mayor conciencia y comprensión de los principales desafíos que plantea la resistencia a los antimicrobianos y de la importancia de que los gobiernos trabajen mancomunadamente con el objeto de minimizar su impacto en todos los sectores.

El ejercicio, dirigido conjuntamente por la Asesora Médica Principal del Gobierno del Reino Unido, Profesora Sally Davies, y el periodista Nelson Castro, tuvo como eje el abordaje de un hipotético brote global de Escherichia coli contra el cual no funcionaban los antibióticos. Este supuesto escenario ponía en riesgo no sólo la salud pública, sino también la ganadería, el comercio y los desplazamientos de personas.

Ministros de Salud del G20 y jefes de delegación, además de representantes de las principales organizaciones internacionales vinculadas a la salud, como la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la Organización Mundial de Salud Animal (OIE), participaron todos ellos en la búsqueda de la solución a este urgente problema de alcance global. De esta manera, la actividad contribuyó a que gobiernos de diferentes partes del mundo se enfrenten al desafío de combatir la resistencia antimicrobiana, al reducir el abuso de antibióticos al tiempo que se garantiza el acceso a aquellos pacientes que de verdad lo necesitan.

Luego del ejercicio –realizado en el marco de la Reunión Ministerial de Salud del G20 en Mar del Plata–, los participantes reconocieron haber logrado un mayor conocimiento de las conexiones intersectoriales entre el medio ambiente, la salud animal, los sistemas alimentarios y la salud humana en el contexto de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos, así como también una mejor comprensión de las potenciales intervenciones basadas en el enfoque interdisciplinario de “Una sola salud” que podrían implementarse en cada país participante para combatir la resistencia a los antimicrobianos.

El Secretario de Salud Pública del Gobierno Británico, Steve Brine, dijo:

El Reino Unido está a la vanguardia de la acción global frente a la resistencia a los antimicrobianos, y si bien hemos hecho algún progreso tanto a nivel local como internacional, no podemos permitirnos ceder terreno. Las superbacterias no reconocen fronteras, y nuestra respuesta no debería estar tampoco limitada por ellas.

Abordar la resistencia a los antibióticos es una prioridad. Estamos comprometidos a trabajar con otros países, incluyendo aquellos que están hoy en la reunión del G20, para coordinar una respuesta conjunta. Apoyamos fuertemente la decisión de las autoridades argentinas de traer este tema crucial a la mesa bajo su presidencia del G20, junto con importantes discusiones sobre malnutrición, fortalecimiento de los sistemas de salud y respuesta a situaciones de crisis.

La Asesora Médica Principal del Gobierno del Reino Unido, Profesora Sally Davies, declaró al respecto:

La resistencia a los antimicrobianos es una amenaza global creciente, que demanda de acciones por parte de todos los países. Los líderes mundiales deben coordinar esfuerzos para abordar este desafío de salud.

Estoy muy satisfecha de haber co-dirigido este ejercicio hoy con el Dr. Nelson Castro, el cual va a fortalecer el entendimiento del riesgo que se corre por infecciones resistentes a los medicamentos, y permitirá a los líderes mundiales considerar sus respuestas a esta amenaza.

Este trabajo conjunto entre el Reino Unido y la Argentina tiene lugar en el marco del reciente acuerdo de cooperación científica firmado por los gobiernos de ambos países, conforme al cual el Reino Unido aportará 5 millones de libras a través del Fondo Global de Innovación contra la Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos (GAMRIF) a un programa de cooperación bilateral con la Argentina dedicado a la investigación en apoyo de la lucha contra la resistencia a los antimicrobianos en la agricultura y su impacto sobre el medio ambiente.