Twenty eight international experts from 13 countries* plus representatives from the European Commission, the International Labour Office (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) met in Geneva from 17 to 21 October 2005 within the framework of the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) to review some 100 International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs). The meeting was organized by the CIS and supported financially by the IPCS. It brought together chemical safety specialists, toxicologists, and environmental and emergency response professionals from national health and safety organizations and research institutes.

International experts get together twice a year to undertake peer review of the Cards. It represents the final and most important step in the process before dissemination. The Cards are translated into 15 languages (including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Swahili, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese as well as many European languages) and are available on various Internet sites including that of CIS [www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/icsc/index.htm].

The next ICSC peer-review meeting will be held at the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) in Lódz, Poland, in April 2006.

Click here to know more about the ICSCs projet and access the link to select and view individual Cards by name of chemical.

* Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America.