Dear Colleagues,
European Union legal provisions on occupational safety and health and the uniform internal market require that personal protective equipment (PPE) used in the working and living environment should ensure ultimate protection in the anticipated conditions of use. At the same time it should be adapted to the users’ features and needs. Due to the diversity of hazards, their changing intensity and the increasingly noted ergonomic aspects of the work process, it is necessary to disseminate the results of research and implementation work carried out to develop new testing methods and assessment criteria. It is also necessary to introduce training courses and tools supporting selection and use of new designs and materials for PPE. This process should be supported by a dialogue and exchange of experience among research institutes and certification bodies, PPE users, designers and manufacturers.

The enlargement of the European Union by the New Member States, and of the Single
Market by new economic entities, has created an additional need for an exchange of information and experience especially in the field of the compliance of PPE with the health, safety and ergonomics requirements and conformity assessment procedures contained in the Directive 686/89/EEC, as well as with the market surveillance rules.
Taking the above into consideration, we have the pleasure to invite everybody interested in the problems of research and development in the field of PPE to participate in an International Conference “Research and standardization in the field of development and use of personal protective equipment” to be held on 12–14 September 2005 in Cracow, Poland. It is particularly intended for representatives of notified bodies, testing laboratories, market inspection as well as manufacturers, employers and PPE users.

The Conference is organized under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Economy and Labour and the Horizontal Committee of Notified Bodies for the PPE Directive, as part of the “Centre for Testing and Measurement for Improvement of Safety of Products and Working Life” (TEST-PROSAFETY-LIFE) project, which is carried out within the 5th Framework Programme of the European Union.

Dr. Daniel Podgórski
Chair

ORGANIZER
Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute
ul. Czerniakowska 16
00-701 Warsaw, Poland

CONFERENCE TOPICS
The programme of the Conference will include the following topics:

• new technologies and materials for PPE,


• testing methods and criteria for assessing protective and usability parameters of PPE with respect to emerging hazards and its effectiveness in the conditions of use,


• principles, methods and tools supporting selection and safe use of PPE,


• standardization, certification and market surveillance in the field of PPE.

Conference topics will concern all kinds of PPE, i.e., respiratory protective equipment, protective clothing, protective helmets, hand and arm protective equipment, foot and leg protective equipment, eye and face protectors, equipment protecting against falls from a height, hearing protective devices.

DATE AND VENUE
The conference will take place on 12–14 September 2005 in Cracow, at the Sheraton Hotel, Powiśle 7.

DATE AND VENUE
The conference will take place on 12–14 September 2005 in Cracow, at the Sheraton Hotel, Powiśle 7.

LANGUAGE
All papers should be written in English. They can be presented at the Conference either in Polish or in English. Simultaneous interpretation from Polish into English and from English into Polish will be provided. Presented papers will be published in English; their abstracts – both in English and in Polish.

DEADLINES

• submission of registration form and fee 30 June 2005


• submission of full paper 30 June 2005

ACCOMPANYING EVENTS
The social programme will include a gala dinner at Collegium Maius of the Jagiellonian University,the oldest university in Poland. There will be an opportunity to visit the halls of Collegium Maius with a guide.

CONFERENCE FEE
The Conference fee:
paid before 30 April 2005 190 EUR
paid after 30 April 2005 220 EUR
The Conference fee covers access to all sessions, Conference Proceedings, lunches and a gala dinner.

ACCOMODATION
In order to book a hotel, please contact the Conference Secretariat. Accommodation will be provided in the following hotels in Cracow:

Single room / Double room

Ibis: 55 EUR per night / 76 EUR per night
http://www.ibishotel.com

Monopol: 54 EUR per night / 68 EUR per night
http://www.rthotels.com.pl/

Rezydent: 54 EUR per night / 68 EUR per night
http://www.rthotels.com.pl/

Royal: 39 EUR per night / 59 EUR per night
http://www.royal.com.pl/

Wawel: 64 EUR per night / 92 EUR per night
http://www.wawel-tourist.com.pl/

Conference participants are requested to cover the cost of their accommodation.

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Chair:
Prof. Danuta Koradecka, Ph.D., D.Med.Sc. - Central Institute for Labour Protection -National Research Institute (Poland)

Members:
Eberhard Christ, Ph.D. - Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Germany)
Prof. Leon Gradoń, Ph.D. - Warsaw University of Technology (Poland)
Prof. Witold Gądor, Ph.D. - Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute (Poland)
Sven van der Gijp, Ph.D. - TNO Prins Maurits Laboratory (Holland)
Prof. Ingvar Holmer - National Institute for Working Life (Sweden)
Eero Korhonen, M.Sc. - Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (Finland)
Joachim Lambert, Ph.D - Commission for Occupational Health and Safety and
Standardization (Germany)
Prof. Adam Lipowczan, Ph.D. - Central Mining Institute (Poland)
Helena Makinen, Ph.D. - Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (Finland)
Alain Mayer, M.Sc. - French National Research and Safety Institute (France)
Karl-Heinz Noetel, M.Sc. - German Federation of Institutions for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention (Germany)
Peter Paszkiewicz, Ph.D. - Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Germany)
Edward Szucht, Ph.D. - Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute (Poland)
Bogusław Więcek, Ph.D. - Lodz University of Technology (Poland)
Jan Wojtysiak, Ph.D. - Institute for Terotechnology in Radom (Poland)

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Chair:
Daniel Podgórski, Ph.D.

Vice Chair:
Katarzyna Majchrzycka, Ph.D.
Dariusz Pleban, Ph.D.

Members:
Grażyna Bartkowiak, Ph.D.
Krzysztof Baszczyński, Ph.D.
Katarzyna Bociek, M.Sc.
Ewa Kotarbińska, Ph.D.
Grzegorz Owczarek, Ph.D.
Piotr Pietrowski, Ph.D.
Bożena Popowicz, M.Sc.
Małgorzata Suchecka, Ph.D.
Katarzyna Tulkis, M.A.

REGISTRATION
In order to register for the Conference, please fill in the Registration Form and send it to the Organizing

Committee by post, fax or e-mail by 30 April 2005.

All correspondence should be sent to the following address:

Conference Organizing Committee
Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute
Department of Personal Protective Equipment
Wierzbowa 48, 90-133 Łódź, Poland

Ms. Katarzyna Tulkis
tel. (0 22) 623 36 78
fax. (0 22) 84 00 811
e-mail: katul@ciop.pl

Ms. Katarzyna Bociek
tel. (0 42) 678 19 63,
fax. (0 42) 678 19 15,
e-mail: kaboc@ciop.lodz.pl

CRACOW
Cracow is a unique place: one of the 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Poland. It is one of a kind because of the exceptional national cultural heritage, which is manifested in such places as the Wawel Hill – the coronation and residential place of the Polish kings, St. Mary’s Church with the famous Wit Stwosz altar, the second largest in Europe Marquet Square, the oldest Polish university – Jagiellonian University where Nicholas Copernicus, Jan Kochanowski (one of Poland’s most famous poets) and Karol Wojtyla, the present Pope, received their education, the unique Kazimierz Jewish district, once a town in its own right, today – one of the most original and enchanting relics of the Jewish heritage. Cracow’s past and its present have made it a wonderful city of art, culture and science. This must have been why in 2000 Cracow was the Cultural Capital of Europe.



The SHERATON hotel is situated on the Vistula river, at Powiśle 7. Its windows look out on the Wawel Royal Castle. It is an easy 10-minute walk to the Old Town.