Session 5: The Role of Business and Industry, and Public Interest and Labour

Organisations in GHS ImplementationThe perspective of Labour Organization

Chemical is used in many aspect in workplace, worker may be the most at risk of exposure to chemical hazards and can be directly affected by chemicals accidents and over exposures to the point where lives can be in danger. Worker has important role in production, handling, storing and transporting chemical and dangerous goods.

Worker need to know the hazard specific to the chemical used and or handled properly as well as information about the specific protective measures required to avoid the adverse effect that might be caused by those hazard. The tool most commonly used for providing this information is the label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

The label should keep user informed about potential physical, health and environmental chemical hazards of the product & basic advice on using the chemical safely.

SDS should be able to provide comprehensive information about chemical substance or mixture to use in workplace setting. SDS is resource that enable employer to undertake worker and environmental protection activities, including training that are specific to the individual workplace.

By the GHS implementation, the same format label & SDS will:

Improved safety for workers & other through consistent and simplified communications on chemical hazards and practices to follow for safe handling and use.

Greater awareness of hazards, resulting in safer use of chemicals in the workplace and in the home.

Labour organization represents the interests of workers who may be directly involved in any stage of the chemicals life cycle, then:

Labour organization play an important source of information for workers on how to protect themselves from potential risks at the workplace, and have to react in case of chemicals incidents, thereby helping to create a well informed workforce and contributing to the attainment of occupational health and safety.

With knowledge on Legal implementation of GHS, Labour organization is a Government partner for enforcement GHS implementation for the safer workplace.

Labour organization encourage:

ILO-UNITAR to provide training material and chemical safety recommendations, codes and guidelines to the GHS in particular in the areas of occupational health, safety, prevention and treatment of poisoning respectively.

Government to use legal enforcement to protect worker especially worker who handling of chemical barrel who most exposed to chemical hazard, so company should provide:◦ education and literacy of handling, storing, transporting

chemical hazard that might be occur as per SDS and have a bearing on the incidence of chemical

◦ appropriate personal protective equipment ◦ measured on chemical exposed and monitor their healthy

periodically.◦ first-aid facilities and training available to treat accidents

Pay attention to transport worker, especially land transportation, to receive adequate training on the GHS and for point 2 above due to business trend now that most company that use Chemical outsource their transport worker or use third party.

Thank You