We have a new "Hot Topic" online. It is our HT #10: Demographic Change. In the future, the demographic change will start to increase its influence on all areas of life. Companies will have to deal with problems and challenges caused by this development - more elder workers, special, age- related injuries, risks and illnesses. Because of this, the demographic change will affect occupational safety and health as well.
Hot Topics are a collection of good practice examples - all of them are as well included in our TOOLBOX, some presented in the GOOD PRACTICE area. These collections are supposed to put a spotlight on a special topic. Take a look at all our Hot Topics by clicking the link in the main menu on the left.

At an awarding ceremony in Brussels, the European Safety Charter, an Initiative by the European Commission, awarded seven organisations which have undertaken specific commitments to reduce the number of road fatalities in their communities. The winners were selected from more than 500 signatories of the Road Safety Charter following an evaluation made by the Commission. Two of the winners have been undertaking special educational efforts for road safety:
1. In the institutions category, MATERSKÁ ŠKOLA DÉNEŠOVA, a kindergarten in Slovakia, committed to teaching children, in partnership with their parents, how to behave safely on the road. The kindergarten is located in Košice, east part of Slovakia. The awarded project is called ¨Bezpečne na ceste¨ (Safety on the road). More information here.
2. In the local and regional authorities' category, AYUNTAMIENTO DE VERÍN & CÂMERA MUNICIPAL DE CHAVES, two municipalities on the border between Spain and Portugal, committed to carry out together road safety education courses targeted at different risk groups and to launch a common road safety prevention campaign on both sides of the border. More information on this project here (Verin City Council, Spain) and here (Chaves City Hall, Portugal).
For more information on Excellence in Road Safety Awards, the other winners and the European Road Safety Charter, please go to www.erscharter.eu. All links in this article lead to the website of the European Road Safety Charter.

The International Initiative to End Child Labour (IIECL), in collaboration with the Emily Sandall Foundation, is now accepting applications for mini-grants in the spring and fall of 2011.
Young persons, adults, teachers, schools, students or non-governmental organizations who had an interest or is working with children and/or youth and need a small amount of funds to support a project idea to help end exploitative child labor, can apply for this award.
Emily grant applications are being accepted until midnight on March 31, 2010. Four mini-grants will be awarded in the spring of 2011. Individual awards are a maximum of $500 US. Emily grant application guidelines are very easy to follow. Each application received will be given full consideration.
For further information regarding the application process, please refer to the Emily Sandall Grants section of the website endchildlabor.org. Reports of past award grantees are contained on the website as well.
Students, youth, young adults and teachers are encouraged to apply. Be creative with your ideas as to how to raise awareness and promote education to end child labor at your school and/or local community!

ETUCE (The European Trade Union Committee for Education) is seeking for research institutes who are able to carry out a study in 500 schools in the EU/EFTA countries on teachers' work-related stress. Therefore, ETUCE has opened a call for subcontracting external expertise for a European-wide survey – assessment, comparison and evaluation of the impact of psychosocial factors on teachers at their workplace in the EU. Replies are expected by 15/12/10.
Please click here for the call for tenders (PDF file).