Programme Area D – Establishment of Risk Reduction Programmes

 Risk reduction programmes for chemical safety in workplaces are generally conducted as a sub-set of the overall occupational safety and health programmes. With respect to the sound management of chemicals, workplace risk reduction programmes offer wide-ranging opportunities for intervention at source, thereby extending the benefits beyond health and safety considerations within the enterprise to those of the environment and the public.

The ILO standards on workplace safety, health and the environment are a vital source of protection to people at work throughout the world. They fulfil the need for occupational health, safety and environmental policies at country levels to be supported by a universally accepted global formative framework. The ILO standards are also effective advocacy instruments for stakeholders seeking reforms at the country level.

IFCS should support and encourage the development, enhancement, updating and implementation of ILO’s SafeWork standards, including supplementary consensus guidelines, codes of practice and other non-binding instruments influencing safe use of chemicals in the workplace.

Recommended action items:

• Facilitate the development, enhancement, 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 SMEs, the informal sector, migrant workers, self employed, waged workers and vulnerable groups, including children, young persons , women and elderly in addressing risk reduction programmes for chemical safety in the workplace.
  
• Implement the ILO Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management System (ILO-OSH 2001) paying special attention to the safe use of chemicals.
  
• Implement the ILO National Safe Work Programmes, incorporating safe use of chemicals as an integral component.
  
• Enact and strengthen legislation to protect the health of workers in and the public, covering the entire spectrum of work situations where chemicals are handled, including such sectors as agriculture and health.
  
• Address special chemical safety related problems of illegal work and illegal migrants.
  
• Develop system of health and environment impact assessment in chemicals handling and incorporate it in occupational safety and health programmes in countries as a pre-requisite to boost prevention efforts.
  
• Promote the necessary training and capacity to all people involved directly and indirectly with pesticides use and application in rural areas.
  
• Apply the measures from ILO Convention 169 about work conditions of indigenous and tribal population in order to prevent the use of specialy dangerous pesticides (art. 3).
  
• Enhance risk reduction programmes through the expansion of insurance coverage and compensation systems.