Book Course HSL is to run a 1 day course on Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Conference. Thursday 21st April 2016 The 10th UK & Ireland Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Conference (OEEC2016) will take place in Buxton, Derbyshire and is being hosted by the Science Directorate of the Health & Safety Executive at our state of the art laboratory facility.  This conference brings together active researchers in the broad field of occupational and environmental epidemiology.  The event will include keynote lectures, oral presentations and posters. Keynote speakers: Prof Leslie Stayner, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago Prof Paul Wilkinson, Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Prof Leslie Stayner, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago Prof Paul Wilkinson, Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine     Key dates for OEEC2016 are: Registration now open Abstract submission now closed Abstract decisions released to authors Monday 22nd February 2016   In 2016, the conference will be joining up with the 4th UK & Ireland Exposure Science Meeting.  This will be held the day before OEEC2016 at the same venue.  More information is available on their webpage. See preliminary programme here. Abstract submission closed Cost The cost of the conference is £60 per person. Evening Meal There will be an optional, additionally charged, evening meal at the Old Hall Hotel on 20th April, at £42+vat per person, please register for that separately here. Location Health and Safety Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 9JN. See HSL location details here. Accommodation Details of hotels in the Buxton area can be found at www.visitpeakdistrict.com The Evening Meal with be held at the Old Hall Hotel Travel Buxton is in the heart of the Peak District and has good links to mainline train stations. Trains from London to Macclesfield are approx 1 hour and 40 minutes, taxis from Macclesfield to Buxton or HSL are approx £25. Trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton are approx 1 hour, taxis from Buxton train station to HSL are approx £7. We may offer a minibus to pick up from Macclesfield train station, and also drop off. If you would be interested in this service please email Samantha on OEEC2016@hsl.gsi.gov.uk Buxton Taxis Allied Taxis – 01298 72123 Buxton Radio Taxis – 01298 23457 Crescent Cars – 01298 73515 Jam Taxis – 01298 72333   Email: OEEC2016@hsl.gsi.gov.uk for queries and further information.     Book Course For further information email: training@hsl.gsi.gov.uk or contact the Training & Conferences Unit at HSL directly on +44 (0)1298 218806. Back to Health and Safety Seminars Source link

©Getty Saudi Arabia lost market share in more than half of the most important countries it sold crude to in the past three years, even as the kingdom increased output to record levels. The world’s biggest oil exporter lost ground to rivals in nine out of 15 top markets between 2013 and 2015, including China, South Africa and the US, according to an analysis of customs data. Saudi Arabia set itself a goal in late 2014 of maintaining its crude market share amid a glut that prompted a collapse in oil prices, but the imports data compiled by FGE, an energy consultancy, suggest the country’s strategy suffered setbacks in some of its key customer countries last year. Other data show that Saudi Arabia achieved a limited increase in global market share in 2015 compared to 2014, although last year’s figure was lower than that recorded in 2013. “Saudi Arabia has had a very difficult time selling oil in this environment,” says Ed Morse, an analyst at Citigroup. “Its rivals are going into a very crowded market in a very aggressive way.” Oil producers including Russia and Iraq are putting pressure on Saudi Arabia in markets it regards as strategically important trading partners. Saudi Arabia signalled a shift in its market share strategy last month by reaching a provisional agreement with Russia and some other producers to cap output at January levels. This deal partly reflects the damaging impact of falling oil prices on producer economies, including Saudi Arabia. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark which plunged to a 13-year low of less than $30 a barrel in January, has dropped from a peak of $115 in mid-2014 to $40.71 on Monday. Brent started falling in the second half of 2014 due to swelling global oil supplies led by the US shale boom. It then plunged after the Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi led a landmark decision by Opec, the producers’ cartel, in November 2014 not to cut crude output to support prices. Saudi Aramco, the state-controlled energy company that is implementing the oil ministry’s strategy, has raised production to more than 10m barrels a day since the Opec meeting. Saudi exports have held above 7m b/d. Since late 2014, Saudi officials have repeatedly made the case for maintaining crude market share and sacrificing short-term oil revenue, saying the kingdom would not subsidise higher cost rivals, including US shale operators, by reducing production. But FGE’s data shows Saudi Arabia’s share of total Chinese oil imports fell from more than 19 per cent in 2013 to almost 15 per cent in 2015, because of increased supplies from Russia. Saudi Arabia’s share of South African imports dropped sharply during this period, from almost 53 per cent to 22 per cent, as Nigeria and Angola increased their shipments. Meanwhile, the US shale oil boom reduced the country’s need to buy crude from overseas. Saudi Arabia’s share of US imports fell from 17 per cent to almost 14 per cent between 2013 and 2015. Over the three years Saudi Arabia also lost ground in South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and several western European countries. Saudi Arabia remains the largest oil supplier to many countries including China, however, and it secured crude market share gains in Brazil, India and Japan between 2013 and 2015. The FGE data also show that Saudi Arabia’s average market share loss across the 15 core countries slowed in 2015 compared to the previous year. But it did not fully halt the slide. Saudi Aramco did not respond to requests for comment about FGE’s data. Saudi Arabia increased its global market share marginally last year, according to calculations based on figures from Jodi, an oil database backed by Opec, and the International Energy Agency, an energy statistics body. Saudi crude exports represented 8.1 per cent of global oil demand — excluding the kingdom’s own needs — in 2015, compared to 7.9 per cent in 2014. The equivalent figure for 2013 was 8.5 per cent. The intensity of the battle over market share is highlighted by how Saudi Arabia is now confronting Russia in its own backyard. The kingdom has increased its focus on Europe by striking supply deals with traditional buyers of Russian oil, such as Preem, the Swedish refiner, and PKN Orlen and Lotos, Polish counterparts. “It’s basic economics,” says one Saudi Aramco insider. “There is a lot of crude out there. The Russians and Iraqis are going after new markets, and of course the Iranians [after the lifting of international sanctions] will try to regain their old buyers. We are [also] looking to make the most of this environment.” Jodi data show that Saudi Arabia’s crude exports rose to a 10-month high of 7.8m b/d in January. But given the kingdom’s growing domestic crude usage of about 3m b/d and production limitations, some industry insiders question the country’s capability to increase exports further to curb market share losses. Other analysts say Saudi Arabia is playing a long game. Saudi Aramco is using its financial muscle to buy more stakes in overseas refineries to lock in crude sales. The company — which this month announced plans to take full ownership of a Texas refinery, the largest in North America — is looking for more facilities in China, where it already has a presence, as well as India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. “This is the future Saudi export strategy,” says Jim Krane, a fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. “Create captive markets in important importing countries by owning refineries in those countries. That way their market share is secured.” This initiative also highlights how Saudi Aramco is seeking a more balanced business model. The company is prioritising output of higher margin refined products such as diesel — exports of these fuels grew rapidly to more than 1m b/d last year. Saudi Aramco has ambitious plans to almost double its refining capacity to 10m b/d, which would be more in line with its production capabilities. “We have to be more

Book Course HSL is to run a 1 day course on LEV – Practical Management of Local Exhaust Ventilation Controls – BOHS Approved. 7 October 2016 Introduction Local exhaust ventilation is a commonly used method of controlling workers’ exposure to airborne contaminants. However, LEV is not always as effective as it could be and all too often fails to protect workers’ health. The reasons for LEV failure are varied, ranging from a failure at the design stage to poor maintenance and testing practices. The course will cover The course will demonstrate how to successfully manage LEV systems in order to get effective, efficient, and reliable control of contaminants at least cost. This course is a British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) approved course. Download our Practical Management of LEV flyer. Who should attend? The course will be of interest to a range of people including: Venue The course will be run at the HSL laboratory in the spa town of Buxton. Buxton is in the heart of the Peak District and has good links to mainline train stations and Manchester International Airport. Details of hotels in the Buxton area can be found at www.visitbuxton.co.uk Presenters include This course has been developed by HSE/HSL with input from other course providers. It will be delivered by Dr Mark Piney (former HSE Specialist Inspector and main author of HSG 258) in conjunction with HSL specialists in LEV. This LEV management course has been featured in the July 2011 issue of Safety and Health Practitioner magazine. Mark has summarised the key issues for employers, and their advisers, procuring or reviewing their LEV exposure controls. Cost The cost of the course is £450 per person (includes course notes, lunch and refreshments). Book Course     Please note the invoice option is not available within 4 weeks of the course date, or for overseas customers.  If you are selecting the invoice option for payment, it will be mandatory to input a purchase order/reference number as we are unable to process booking forms without this. For further dates and additional information email: training@hsl.gsi.gov.uk or contact the Training & Conferences Unitat HSL directly on +44 (0)1298 218806. Back to Health & Safety Training Courses Back to the top Source link

In an attempt to weather the storm of changes made to the buy-to-let landscape, a new survey by BDRC Continental has highlighted that an increased number of landlords are pondering a move towards registering their investment portfolio in the vehicle of a limited company – a bid to subvert the depreciating profitability of buy-to-let investments. The survey was produced by BDRC Continental, polling 1,400 private landlords to get their thoughts and insight into the industry. And from the results of the survey, it was revealed that some 41% did indeed state a consideration for establishing their portfolio under a limited company as a direct result of the government’s move to place limiters on tax relief made accessible to landlords. In addition, 5% are stated to have already taken the move to becoming a limited company, and amongst those larger landlords, 14% already operate under the banner of a limited company, with a further 63% giving the solution consideration. Of course, as has already been highlighted, some 43% of landlords have shown agreement that the reforms made to stamp duty will have a notable effect on their plans for purchasing further buy-to-let assets in the coming years. Looking at larger landlords, this figure shoots up to 63%, with those larger landlords displaying clear caution in the current buy-to-let landscape. Yet, despite concerns as to the profitability of buy-to-let investments, it has been reported that the demand from tenants for rented properties to be sitting at a considerable high, with 40% of landlords in the South West nodding to an increase in demand for rental properties, while 24% of those in the North East also reported on increasing demands. As a result of the increased demand for properties, average yields have, so far remained stable for across the nation, with last year’s value of 5.6% remaining unchanged from last year. Looking at the placement of these yields, the highest were noted in the North West, at 6.2%, and the lowest being in the outer London area, with only 5.1%