Martin von Muralt, the former director of the Champs-Dollon prison in Geneva, will take on the new role of delegate for the Swiss Security Network at the beginning of August. From 2001 to 2003, von Muralt was a police inspector with the Criminal Investigation Department in Geneva. From 2003 to 2011, he held the positions of Interpol coordinator and investigator at Fedpol. The 47-year-old studied political science at the University of Geneva, graduating with a master's degree in 2001. In 2010, he passed the Advanced Federal Diploma Examination for Police Officer.

According to the Federal Council, Mr. von Muralt's education and training and many years of experience in various security-related fields such as police and law enforcement make him the "ideal fit" for the new position.

According to a statement by the federal government, a search committee was set up for the position to be filled, in which the federal government and the cantons were equally represented. The members of the SVS political platform (heads of FDJP and DDPS, presidents of RK MZF and KKJPD) then recommended Martin von Muralt for appointment.

Source: the Federal Council

Brussels is adopting numerous old fluorescent lamps that contain mercury. The reason: Following the Ecodesign Regulation, the regulation on the restriction of mercury - more precisely the EU Directive on the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic Equipment (RoHS) - is now also taking effect.

It was already clear that T8 fluorescent lamps, for example, would be phased out in September of next year. From August 25, 2023, T5 lamps will be banned in addition to T8 fluorescent lamps. (A T5 fluorescent lamp has a diameter of about 1.5 cm, while a T8 fluorescent lamp has a diameter of about 2.5 cm).

Lamps can be purchased and used further

All discharge lamps contain mercury - albeit only to a small extent. These include T5 fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps with pin bases, which were previously still considered exceptions. Now the special regulations for fluorescent lamps for general lighting are to expire after twelve or 18 months: Compact fluorescent lamps without integrated ballast from February 25 and T5 from August 25, 2023. This means they will disappear from the market much earlier and to a much greater extent.

"Illuminants do not have to be exchanged therefore necessarily and already acquired lamps may be also still taken in enterprise , explain Dr. J?rgen waldorf, managing director of the industry initiative "light.com". The trade continues to sell its stocks until they are used up. However, no new lamps are produced or marketed in Europe after the respective cut-off dates. The technical term for this is "phasing out".

For operators of commercial properties, the refurbishment of the lighting may be due sooner. Private households will hardly have any difficulties as a result of the innovation; they will simply reach for the energy-saving LED the next time they go shopping.

Source: licht.de 

In research, we are also confronted with an almost unmanageable amount of health data. However, well-founded data analyses could help to improve the supply of care.

However, the potential is still underutilized for data protection reasons, since patient data is known to be particularly sensitive. However, according to the Federal Council, stakeholders from research, practice, politics and business are interested in the multiple use of data.

Experts consulted for fundamental issues

According to the Federal Council, various prerequisites would have to be created so that health data can be linked and further used in research in the future. These include, for example, standards for common data exchange, unique personal identifiers, but also the creation of legal foundations for data access and further use.

Against this backdrop, the Federal Council has commissioned the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) to work with various specialist bodies in the federal administration and external experts to clarify the requirements in terms of structural, process and application-oriented requirements. The results of these clarifications are to be submitted to the Federal Council by the end of 2023.

Source: The Federal Council 

As the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC). in its half-year report writes, attacks on process-oriented control of goods and services are increasingly being carried out. Attacks on the so-called supply chain lead to serious errors such as a production stop. The NCSC cites an incident of a supply chain attack on the software company Kaseya in mid-2021, as a result of which websites of the city and canton of St. Gallen were unavailable for a longer period of time due to a DDoS attack on hosting providers.

More blackmail waves

The NCSC recorded more than 11,000 cyber incidents. According to the report, the most frequent reports were of various forms of fraud. Fraudulent emails were reported very often. Other scams include investment fraud, CEO fraud and classified ad tricks. According to the semi-annual report, there were again numerous attacks with encryption Trojans.

Patterns of double blackmail are increasingly emerging in this context. For example, data is increasingly being copied before it is encrypted in order to threaten the publication of such data in the event of ransomware.

In the case of classic phishing, an increasing number of attacks involving supposed parcel deliveries are being reported. Other reports concerned phishing attempts in connection with webmail and Office 365, and phishing e-mails concerning allegedly duplicate payments were also a constant source of concern.

Source: National Cyber Security Center NCSC

Apart from the mechanical signals triggered by the heartbeat, for example, health sensors have so far mostly analyzed sweat secretions to make statements about the wearer's state of health. But these require certain amounts of body fluid to make correct statements.

Glucose sensors, like those used by diabetics, have an electrode that is inserted into the subcutaneous fatty tissue. "Our sensor, on the other hand, is completely non-invasive," says doctoral researcher Anthony Annerino. "Our sensor breaks a sound barrier," says Pelagia-Iren Gouma, professor of materials science and engineering, who is Annerino's scientific supervisor.

The analysis of gases is a technical standard, at least in certain areas such as the measurement of blood alcohol content and the detection of viral infections based on the breath. But such use requires active intervention by others and also records only a snapshot. In addition, the amount of breath such devices require to make accurate statements is enormous, he said. The new sensors, on the other hand, make do with very low concentrations. Moreover, they are so small that they can be worn on the body without any problems.

Acetone analysis revealing

The sensor detects the concentration of acetone, for example. This tells a lot about blood sugar levels and fat burning rates. Or ethanol, which indicates liver damage. Annerino and Gouma have developed a film made of derivatives of plant cellulose and electroactive polymers. They held these over solutions containing ethanol (alcohol), acetone and water to measure sensitivity, selectivity and repeatability.

"We discovered that the film bends characteristically when exposed to certain gases. This happens in milliseconds," Annerino said. Machine learning is used to assign the particular bending to a specific gas.

Source: Press release

Both QNAP and Synology are currently warning about security-related vulnerabilities in their NAS solutions. The vulnerabilities allow remote attackers to access sensitive information and potentially execute arbitrary code via a vulnerable version of the NAS operating systems. The affected versions at Synology are DSM 7.0, DSM 6.2, and SMR 1.2, with the only version not affected being DSM 7.1.

QNAP's versions QTS 5.0.x and QTS 4.5.4 and higher are affected, as well as QTS 4.3.6 and QTS 4.3.4 and later. QNAP recommends disabling the AFP protocol until an update is available.

Source: Cachy's Blog

SicherheitsForum, the Swiss trade magazine for security, is once again publishing the special issue "Video Security" in cooperation with the German information service "Sicherheits-Berater". The special issue with a lot of SES technical information will be published on June 22, 2022 together with the main issue as a separate supplement and is distributed in a large print run in the DACH region.

Special edition with market and manufacturer overview

With a comprehensive Market overview SicherheitsForum aims to provide both safety engineers, buyers and decision-makers with practical and quick information. The market overview is rounded off by many editorial tips. Experts and planners use our topic special as an informative and detailed platform to find out about a wide range of systems and components and make the right purchasing decisions.

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In addition to extensive editorial coverage, including topics such as artificial intelligence in video analytics, background on video security standards, the special issue includes a market overview that details:

• Manufacturer information
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According to a statement by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the earliest possible date for the National Co-operative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) to start negotiating new deep geological repository sites is autumn 2022. By then at the latest, the cantons likely to be affected by such a deep repository will be known.

The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is now working with the parties involved to clarify various issues, such as how a negotiating delegation is to be formed at regional level, or how and by whom a contract that is eventually negotiated must be ratified. Negotiations on compensation between the waste producers, the siting cantons and the municipalities in the siting region can begin as soon as the sites have been announced.

Source: SFOE

Via sea and land routes from Israel, the first two drones and ground control stations of the new reconnaissance drone system (ADS 15) arrived in Emmen on April 21 and 26, 2022. The first drone has already been assembled by a team of specialists, according to Armasuisse. After an initial functional check, it will be ready for further flight testing. A second drone (enrollment D-14) is to be delivered in the next few days.

Replacement for drone systems from the eighties

The ADS 15 is an unmanned and unarmed reconnaissance system that is to replace previous reconnaissance drone systems in the Swiss Armed Forces, which, according to Armasuisse, now correspond to the state of the art of the 1980s. The new type is expected to have a service life of up to 20 years.

If required, the ADS 15 can be equipped with additional sensors such as a radar for detecting the ground situation and sensors for night operations. The drone is suitable for monitoring large areas and for searching and tracking targets, as well as for protecting critical infrastructure. The intended user groups are military and civilian corps such as the cantonal command staffs of the police, rescue services and border guards.

The first functional tests of the two drones are now intended to create the conditions for Armasuisse's teams of experts to begin ground and flight testing. The initial tests will include taxiing on the runway at Emmen airfield, followed by a maiden flight in mid-2022. It is planned to hand over the two drones to the air force in the course of the second semester.

Source: Armasuisse

The term "office eye syndrome" already indicates that frequent screen work can be a cause of dry eyes. Dry heating air, dust, cigarette smoke, allergenic substances or drafts can also be a cause. The symptoms occur more frequently during the cold season and are known among ophthalmologists as sicca syndrome or keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

Lipid layer prevents evaporation

A look at the surface of the eye shows how "dry eye" can occur. Our eyeball is protected by a watery layer (in blue in the graphic). This tear film cleans the surface of the eyeball and keeps it from drying out.
Above this is a thin oily layer (in yellow). This clear oily film is produced by the numerous tiny meibomian glands at the edge of the eye and has the task of stabilizing the tear film and protecting it from evaporation. If the structure of this lipid layer is disturbed, the tear film can no longer optimally wet the eye and the tears run off. Therefore, it comes to the paradox that of all things the dry eye can start to tear.

In addition to this hyperevaporative form (disturbed lipid layer, e.g., due to congested meibomian glands) of dry eye, a rarer hyposecretory form occurs in which tear production is decreased.

Do not play down complaints

Even though dry eyes are considered a widespread disease, the symptoms should not be trivialized. On the one hand, the risk of infection increases when germs that have entered the eye are less easily washed away. On the other hand, only an undisturbed, even tear film with an overlying oil film guarantees sharp vision. If this "coating" of the eyeball is disturbed, we see worse and contract the eye muscles. Therefore, as soon as the eyes itch or hurt, headaches and neck pain are usually not far behind. If left untreated, the cornea can also become cloudy and, in the worst case, blindness is imminent. Personal well-being, quality of life and work performance are also affected. Even anxiety disorders and depression have been observed in patients with dry eyes.

Improve air quality

Last but not least, "dry eyes" are also an occupational safety issue. Dry eyes can also be detrimental to occupational safety, particularly during monitoring tasks at the monitor or when safety goggles are involuntarily removed to rub the eyes when handling chemicals or infectious bio-substances. Employers are well advised not to dismiss their employees' eye complaints as personal (over)sensitivities, but to work with occupational physicians to find causes and solutions. The first starting point is a critical look at the quality of the air in the room and the extent to which it can be improved by regular ventilation, carefully adjusted air conditioning systems, avoidance of drafts or by air filters, air purifiers, humidifiers, etc. The first step in this direction is to identify the causes of dry eyes.

Tips for prevention and remedy

Anyone prone to dry eyes or advising others on health issues should be aware of the following advice from eye experts:
Drink enough: Our body's water balance is elementarily important for health and well-being. Drinking plenty of fluids can prevent dry eyes.

Tip: Always have a drink in sight at the workplace.

Blink consciously: A common trigger of dry eyes is that we often blink too little when working at a computer screen. This is because every blink distributes the tear fluid and also the thin oil of the meibomian glands evenly on the cornea. If the number of blinks decreases while staring intently at a monitor, the eye is no longer sufficiently moistened.

Tip: Place "Please blink" sticker on the edge of the monitor.

Take breaks from the screen: Avert your eyes from the monitor and relax, e.g. look into the distance or do small gymnastic and relaxation exercises.

Tip: Google search for "eye training" provides many suggestions.

Give your eyes a rest: If you're not typing or reading, you should close your eyes to think or concentrate.

Tip: Warm your hands by rubbing them together and then place your palms on your closed eyes and take a few deep breaths, very soothing.

It is important - in addition to glasses suitable for VDU work - to adjust one's monitor correctly. If the monitor is positioned too high, we pull our head back and tear our eyes open. It is more relaxing for the eyes and neck if the viewing direction is about 30 to 35 degrees below the horizontal.

Eye preparations rebuild the lipid layer

In addition to moistening with eye drops containing tear substitute fluids, there are also tear supplements in spray form. These liposomal (containing tiny droplets of oil) eye sprays are sprayed onto the closed eye. The ingredients then migrate to the edge of the eyelid, where they rebuild the disrupted lipid layer, restoring the natural function of the tear film. The eyelids can glide again without irritation, and the foreign body sensation disappears.

Since there are different forms of dry eye and the symptoms can also have other causes, e.g. inflammation of the eyelid margin, an ophthalmologist should be consulted before self-medication. This can clarify which preparations promise relief in the specific case.

This technical article appeared in the printed edition SAFETY-PLUS 4-2021.

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According to police crime statistics, there are currently around 90 burglaries and sneak-ins per day. The number of burglaries and sneak-ins reached its lowest level since the revision of the police crime statistics in 2009. In 2020, 32,819 burglaries and sneak-ins were registered throughout Switzerland. This is 9.9 percent less than in 2019, and the number has been in constant decline since 2012.

However, the current figures cannot hide the fact that burglary crime in Switzerland remains high. Despite falling case numbers, a great many burglaries or attempted burglaries still occur, mostly via objects such as windows and doors. Where the perpetrators encounter little resistance, they are successful.

Doors and windows, for example, can be retrofitted with burglar-resistant products such as multipoint locks and additional locks. Residents should therefore carefully check whether there is a need to catch up in terms of burglary protection. It is worth investing in modern security technology and having protective measures carried out only by certified specialists.

How do burglars operate?

They come when no one is around. Burglars enter apartments and single-family houses during the day, when people are at work and out and about. In business premises, offices, warehouses and the like, burglaries basically take place at night, when no one is still on the premises or in the area. Burglars avoid confrontation with occupants. Unsecured objects are overcome by the burglar with simple tools (screwdriver) within a few seconds. On the other hand, the percentage of burglary attempts indicates that burglary-critical locations are increasingly equipped with high-quality burglary protection products.

Burglary protection and prevention

When it comes to burglary protection, the Swiss Secure Housing Association (SWS) relies on the "three-pillar principle" - a combination of three measures that help prevent break-ins:

1. Behavioral and organizational measures: These include making sure that no keys are left in the lock, that windows and doors are locked, and that people in the neighborhood look out for each other.
2. Structural-mechanical measures: These include, for example, tested windows and doors with increased resistance class, retrofit products such as additional locks, locks and window grilles.
3. Electrotechnical measures: These include, among other things, an intrusion alarm system that detects access via intrusion-critical points at an early stage, displays them locally and reports them to an alarm receiving point.

Integrate in construction planning

Today, building products such as windows and doors must meet a wide range of requirements. In new construction, the topic of burglary protection can be integrated directly into the planning. Building owners should ensure that only burglar-resistant windows and doors are installed.

Windows and doors closed

In principle, the same applies to windows as to doors: they are usually forced open and levered open by burglars at their weak points and should therefore be secured with special locking devices, so-called mushroom head pins. Each window handle must also be lockable to prevent it from being opened from the inside.
Multipoint locks provide multiple resistance to a door when attempted to be levered. If one side of the door is reinforced with an additional wooden panel, burglars with lever openings have a harder time. Furthermore, it is important to screw all locking bars solidly.
www.sicheres-wohnen-schweiz.ch

As part of a research project, the Clinique romande de réadaptation (CRR) has developed a systematic literature review on the return of accident victims after acute orthopedic trauma. The research results confirm that the "biopsychosocial approach" promises the greatest success.

While in the early phase the main barrier to returning to work was the severity of the injury, after six months, age, severity of injury, extent of pain, level of education, type of work (construction worker), and type of financial compensation (through insurance companies) determined whether or not work was resumed. To a lesser extent, subjective expectations of full recovery and physical stress on the job also had an effect.

Prediction models for the return to work

Current evidence suggests that the severity of injury plays a critical role in both the early and late phases. The now published review also highlights the many aspects of the biopsychosocial model that influence return to work after orthopedic trauma.

There are several approaches to this: Promoting suitable jobs for older workers, improving access to medical care and rehabilitation stays, and adapting the workplace (to reduce physical strain). The work has a double practical benefit for the rehabilitation sector: On the one hand, current data can now be accessed, and on the other hand, prediction models for return to work and patient care can be adapted.

Other biopsychosocial factors are also thought to have an influence. However, further qualitative studies are needed to define the involvement of these factors in the return to work also in the early phase.

Source: Clinique romande de réadaptation (CRR)