ASTANA – Astana will host the fifth annual Kazakhstan International Occupational Safety and Health (KIOSH) Conference on April 28–29.
Fourth KIOSH exhibition, Korme, Astana, April 24, 2014. Photo: KIOSH
KIOSH aims at reducing the rate of injuries and accidents at workplaces, lowering the risk of accidents in hazardous industrial facilities, minimising environmental damage and increasing labour productivity.
KIOSH 2015 will be held at Astana’s Korme exhibition centre on April 28, International Day for Safety and Health at Work. The conference will open with a minute of silence to commemorate workplace fatalities, followed by an opening speech of Tamara Duissenova, Kazakh Minister of Health and Social Protection. The organisers hope that KIOSH-2015 will help create a centralised and effective platform for the discussion and resolution of challenges to ensuring occupational safety at the highest governmental and business level; it is also hoped that the conference will strengthen G2B (government-to-business) and B2B (business-to-business) cooperation in this field.
The conference programme includes meetings, round tables, award ceremonies for the winners of sector-specific professional competitions and an exposition showcasing the latest technologies and achievements in workplace safety and security. The exhibition will have separate sections for categories such as personal safety products and outfits, fire protection equipment, integrated safety systems, anti-terrorism and inspection equipment, warning safety signs, occupational medicine and hygiene, sanitary services, convalescent care, emergency monitoring, localisation and prevention systems, gas analysers, purification technologies, transportation of hazardous substances, working at height, radiation control, information technology automation, employment insurance and HSE (health, safety and environment) certification and training.
Participants exchange information at the third KIOSH exhibition in Astana on April 25, 2013. Photo: KIOSH
Concern for the protection of workers’ health is not new; however, according to the International Labour Organisation, nearly 2.3 million people die every year from work-related accidents and diseases and more than 160 million people suffer from occupational and work-related diseases. As Kazakhstan undergoes rapid industrial growth, the Kazakh Health Ministry has a mission to improveoccupational health, safety and environmental performance in the country, including helping employees and employers understand what a safe workplace should be like and raising awareness among trade unions on ways of fostering a safe and healthy work environment.
This year’s conference participants include government agencies, manufacturers and suppliers of industrial equipment, large industrial companies, service companies, financial institutions and investment groups, international professional associations, scientific research and design institutes, specialised training centres, consulting firms, insurance companies and medical institutions.
