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Protecting workers
from harmful
IFCS
chemical exposures
in the workplace

Recommendations and Priorities for

Occupational Health and Safety

IFCS Secretariat, c/o World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
tel: +41 22 791 3650 / 3873 fax: +41 22 791 4875 e-mail: ifcs@who.int website: www.ifcs.ch
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety
IFCS
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IFCS IFCS
Recommendations and Priorities for Occupational Health and Safety

The Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) is a broad alliance of stakeholders concerned The IFCS has recommended that the following action be taken to protect the health of workers and address
occupational health and safety concerns caused by chemicals:
with global chemical safety through the sound management of chemicals. IFCS serves as a global platform
where governments, international, regional and national organizations, industry groups, public interest ❯ Develop and implement relevant
associations, labour organizations, scientific associations and representatives of civil society meet to approaches and standards for
recording, collecting and analyzing
develop partnerships and strategies, provide advice and guidance, make recommendations and monitor workplace data essential for
progress of initiatives and issues related to global chemical safety. international assessment of chemical
risks from workplaces. Also establish
suitable measures to facilitate the
monitoring of workplaces and careful
clinical surveillance of workers must
Challenge also be established.
❯ Develop harmonized data elements
Chemicals are widely used in workplaces throughout the world and play a role in virtually all work for recording relevant workplace data in
activities, be it related to production, distribution, transport, storage, use, disposal or recycling.
company-specific databases. Facilitate
Chemicals in the workplace during production and use are two major sources of human toxic
the collection of data for analysis with
exposures that affect workers as well as the public. Other work activities such as pesticide
means to ensure that the data elements
application and indiscriminate disposal methods also represent major sources of release of
chemicals to the environment. cannot be tracked back to specific
workers, worksites or employers. Also
The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that of the 2 million work- establish the role and responsibilities of
related fatalities each year, 439,000 are caused by chemicals and of the 160 million employers, employees and governments
cases of work-related diseases, 35 million are caused by chemicals. in reporting, recording, collecting and
assessing data from workplaces.
This detrimental effect on the health and increased mortality of workers continues to the present ❯ Establish approaches and methods to
day despite efforts by the ILO to address chemical safety issues. The enormity of the estimated communicate relevant information from
human toll, economic cost and social disruption due to occupational exposure to chemicals the results of international risk
demand the focused attention of all concerned – governments, employers, employees and
assessment to appropriate workplace
other stakeholders.
participants and stipulate related roles
and responsibilities of employers,
Solutions
employees and governments.
Effective chemical management in the workplace and during work activities with emphasis on ❯ Establish roles and responsibilities of
prevention of exposure, represents one of the most effective strategies to reduce the adverse employers, employees and
consequences of not only occupational exposure, but also of harm to the environment and the governments in the implementation of
public. For this strategy to work, emphasis must be placed on action plans and priorities that the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
involve both workers and managers/employers who are in positions to influence outcome at the for the Classification and Labelling of
work settings, where it really matters. There is a compelling need to raise awareness, deepen
Chemicals. Develop and make available
understanding, strengthen capabilities and harness the best efforts of governments, employees,
the necessary assistance, tools and
employers and others concerned. IFCS is helping to accomplish this by influencing its participants
other facilities for effective
to develop new measures as necessary and to implement the relevant measures that have
implementation in the workplace.
already been developed.
❯ Include relevant elements of GHS as
an integral component of ILO’s
SafeWork Programme.
❯ Establish a means of developing and ❯ Implement the ILO Guidelines on
updating internationally-evaluated Occupational Safety and Health
sources of information on chemicals Management System (ILO-OSH 2001)
in the workplace by intergovernmental and the ILO National SafeWork
organizations as well as reliable sources, Programmes, considering the safe use
in forms and languages suitable for use of chemicals as an integral component.
by workplace participants. As well,
❯ Identify the particular demands and
make this information readily and
needs with respect to institutions and
conveniently available to employers,
organisations responsible for
employees and governments.
workplace- related activities concerning
❯ Promote the establishment of a risk reduction and chemical safety, and
direct the capacity-building efforts
National SafeWork Programme, including
the ratification and implementation of accordingly.
ILO Conventions 170, 174 and 184.
❯ Include in national government
❯ Implement an integrated approach to occupational safety and health policies
the safe use of chemicals in the work- specific sections/text on chemicals
place by establishing new mechanisms management, with a clear emphasis
to expand and update ILO Conventions on preventive measures. As well,
related to hazardous substances and incorporate in government legislation
linking these to various other actions, the requirement that workplace risk
such as those associated with codes, assessments and hazard prevention
information dissemination, enforcement, measures be carried out, based on the
technical co-operation, etc. recognized hierarchy of prevention
and control measures.
❯ Facilitate the development, enhance-
ment, updating and implementation
of ILO Conventions and supplementary
consensus instruments that help to
promote the sound management
of chemicals in the workplace.
❯ Pay special attention to the needs of
workers in the informal sector, migrant
workers and vulnerable groups,
including children and young persons,
in addressing risk reduction
programmes for chemical safety in the
workplace.