ASIA PACIFIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization
The Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization, hereinafter referred to as “APOSHO”, is an international body composed of non-profit and professional organizations dedicated to promote occupational safety and health practices in the Asia Pacific Region. The first APOSHO Annual Conference took place in Singapore in August 1985 and was chaired by the Chairman of the National Safety Council of Australia. Representatives from the Safety Councils of India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines and Singapore attended and founded the Organization initially called the “Coordinating Committee of Asia Pacific National Safety Councils”. In 1992, with the consensus of the Annual General Meeting, it was renamed the Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization.
The Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization consists of memberships from the National Organizations/Associations/Societies in the Asia Pacific Region and beyond, engaged in activities related to the promotion and enhancement of occupational safety and health (OSH) practices.
The Asia Pacific Region is defined in the attached list.
Although full membership is given to non-government organization in the Asia Pacific Region, any occupational safety and health organization outside the Asia Pacific Region, may join APOSHO as an affiliate member.
Each Member Organization shall bear its own expenses for attending Annual General Meetings and Conferences organized by the hosting Member Organization.
The objectives of APOSHO are as follows:
APOSHO shall have four (4) categories of membership, namely Full Member, Associate Member, Affiliate Member and Honorary Member.
An Organization/Association/Society based in the Asia Pacific Region which is an independent, non-government, non-profit and non-political organization, engaged mainly in promoting activities and programs related to Occupational Safety and Health practices, shall be eligible for full membership of APOSHO.
AFull Members shall have voting rights at all APOSHO meetings including the Annual General Meeting.
In case that no organization in the Asia Pacific region qualifies for a) above in the said countries or areas, any governmental organization engaged in activities related to Occupational, Safety and Health in the said country or areamay become a member of APOSHO as an Associate Member.
An Associate Member shall not have voting rights at the APOSHO Annual General Meeting except for an organization in the country or area it represents does not have a Full Member.
An Affiliate Member within the Asia Pacific Region which has continuously demonstrated an active participation in APOSHO activity, may only apply to be upgraded to Associate Member status.
A non-government organization within the Asia Pacific Region, which is engaged in activities related to the promotion of Occupational Safety and Health practices, shall be eligible for Affiliate Membership of APOSHO.
An independent, non-government, non-profit and non-political organization outside the Asia Pacific Region, which is mainly engaged in promoting activities and programs related to Occupational Safety and Health practices, shall be eligible for Affiliate Membership of APOSHO.
Affiliate Members shall not have voting rights at the APOSHO Annual General Meeting.
An Individual from a Full or Associate Member Organization in the Region, having voting rights, who has made outstanding and significant contribution to APOSHO, may be nominated by his/her organization for the Honorary Membership. Such nomination shall be supported in writing by a minimum of 5(five) Full Members of APOSHO.
Such nomination shall be made in writing to the Secretary General of APOSHO.
An Honorary Member shall not have voting rights at the APOSHO Annual General Meeting.
A Member organization having undergone significant change(s) in organizational structure, functional activities, resources and profit allocation, and/or any status affecting the provisions stated in Article 3 above, shall have an absolute duty to inform APOSHO and shall provide a written report to the Secretary General for the consideration of the Membership Committee. A resolution of the Membership Committee shall be tabled at an Annual General Meeting for approval.
Suspension of membership shall apply if a Member of APOSHO has failed to attend three (3) consecutive Annual General Meetings. The Member shall write to the Secretary General of APOSHO to explain the reason(s) for the absence. A decision shall then be made at the Annual General Meeting to determine the future status of the said Member.
An Honorary Member shall not display any acts constituting an improper representation of APOSHO and shall have an absolute duty to inform APOSHO of any condition(s) in the respects of misconduct, professional negligence, breach of professional ethics, and/or his/her being expelled from the Member organization to which he/she originally belonged. The Member organization to which the Honorary Member originally belonged shall also have a duty to report to APOSHO. Reporting of the same shall be made in writing to the Secretary General for the consideration of the Membership Committee. A resolution of the Membership Committee shall be tabled at an Annual General Meeting for approval.
Only an individual from a Full Member shall be eligible for nomination and election to the position of Secretary General at the Annual General Meeting.
The term of the Secretary General shall be for a period of three (3) consecutive Annual General Meetings. The Maximum number of terms is to be 2(two).
The Secretary General shall be responsible for promoting, developing and fostering the activities and operation of APOSHO and inter alia, the following duties and responsibilities:
The immediate past Secretary General shall stay for one (1) year to work closely with the current Secretary General to ensure the smooth transition and continuation of the outstanding projects/activities. He/She may be required to attend APOSHO Special meetings, Committee and Annual General Meetings and discussions with the current Secretary General on the request of the Chairperson.
The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be more than fifty percent of the total membership of Full Members and Associate Members having voting rights. In the event that the required quorum is not reached, then the number of Full members and Associate Members having voting rights present shall constitute the quorum and the Chairperson shall proceed to convene the meeting. All matters transacted and decisions made at the meeting shall be deemed valid except constitutional amendment.
The official language of administration for APOSHO shall be English and the conduct of the Annual General Meeting shall be in English.
Other committees may be formed as deemed necessary in the Annual General Meeting.
The Chairperson of each Committee shall be a Full Member or Associate Member having voting right appointed by the Annual General Meeting.
Membership of the Committees shall be open to Members of all categories and shall be approved at the Annual General Meeting.
The term of office of Chairperson and members of each Committee shall be three (3) years, except that of the Chairperson of the Management and Development Committee and the Membership Committee who shall be the Chairman of APOSHO, and the term of office shall be one (1) year.
The Secretariat for organizing the APOSHO Annual General Meeting shall be set up by the Chairperson at his/her organization.
All expenses pertaining to the organizing of APOSHO events including the APOSHO Annual General Meeting and the Secretariat support shall be borne by the Chairperson’s organization.
APOSHO shall collect levy in the form of annual membership subscription and/or voluntary contribution if it deems necessary for the future development of APOSHO. Resolution of a levy collection shall be approved at the Annual General Meeting.
The Annual General Meeting shall have the power to call for the review of the Constitution as the need arises.
This Constitution shall not affect the status and rights of existing members of APOSHO, except under the condition in which Article 5 of this Constitution may apply.
This Constitution shall take effect on June 4,2015at APOSHO 30 in Seoul, Korea.
Asia Pacific is the area generally regarded as encompassing littoral East Asia, South East Asia and Australia near the Pacific Ocean, plus the status in the ocean itself (Oceania)
Specifically, the component areas of the Asia Pacific region generally includes the following countries / areas namely: Australia, Brunel, Cambodia, Fiji Indonesia, Japan Kiribati, Vietnam, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste, Tonga, Taiwan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macao, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianna Islands (US Territories), India, Mongolia, Myanmar and Russia(sometimes included)
(Note: This is extracted from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Prepared by the National Safety Council of India at APOSHO 31 in April 2016