UNECE IAN System
UNECE Industrial Accident Notification (IAN) System - an introduction
The Points of Contact are designated by the Parties to the Convention to notify other Parties of an industrial accident and to ask for mutual assistance.
The Points of Contact must operate the Industrial Accidents Notification (IAN) System. The IAN System was established by the Conference of the Parties at its first meeting in 2000 (ECE/CP.TEIA/2, annex II, decision 2000/1). The system comprised three categories of reports:
- Early-warning
- Information
- Request for Assistance
The System was amended at the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2004 /CP.TEIA/12, annex III, decision 2004/3). At the fifth meeting the Conference of the Parties decided (ECE/CP.TEIA/15/Add.1 decision 2006/3) that the System should be enhanced by the creation of a web-based application.
The IAN System web-based application was launched in 2008. The Points of Contact have individual password protected accounts in the application and the system is available in normal and exercise mode, with the latter one used for testing.
A notification of an industrial accident is made by completing and submitting an online form based on early-warning/information or request for assistance reports. The notification is then sent by e-mail to relevant Points of Contact.
The web-based application contains a database with contact details of all registered Points of Contact and each one is responsible for keeping their contact details up-to-date.
Instructions on the use of the IAN System web-based application are available in English and Russian.
The Points of Contact review the effectiveness of the IAN System during regular consultations and they also perform communication tests and analytical exercises using the IAN System. Guidelines for performing analytical exercises are available in English and Russian.
The current agreement to perform tests and exercises includes:
- Communication tests should be performed by each Point of Contact with all Points of Contact of neighbouring countries once or twice each year
- Analytical exercises should be performed once every two years with a Point of Contact from a neighbouring country. The Points of Contact should plan the exercise together and also inform the secretariat of the planned exercise.
Meetings and consultations:
- Eighth Consultation of the Points of Contact (10 November 2022)
- Seventh Consultation for Point of Contact (online 10 June 2020)
- Sixth Consultation for Point of Contact (online 22 November 2018)
- Fifth Consultation for Points of Contact (online 15 February 2016)
- Fourth Consultation for Points of Contact (Zagreb 25 - 26 March 2010)
- Third Consultation for Points of Contact (Sibiu 1 - 3 April 2008)
- Second Consultation for Points of Contact (Rome 19 - 21 October 2005)
- First Consultation for Points of Contact (Bratislava 10 - 11 November 2003)
- Meetings of the Task Force