Chemical safety, vol 4 No.1: 3 May 1997Editorialby Prof. Nguyen An Luong |
Chemical safety - our great concern
According to the figures currently available, more than 400 million tonnes of chemicals are now being produced annually throughout the world. Among the millions of known chemical substances, around 100,00 varieties are available on the market. Some ten thousand of these substances are hazardous, including about 200 to 300 carcinogenic agents. In addition, thousands of new chemicals are produced and utilized every year.
Chemicals are now employed widely in most manufacturing industries, research institutes and universities as well as in numerous other branches. However, a great many chemicals pose significant hazards such as fire, explosions, environmental pollution and loss of assets. Hazardous chemicals also present a serious threat to people's health. We still remember well the horrible disaster that occurred on December 3, 1984, when gas leaked from the Union Carbide Pesticide Plant in Bhopal, India, killing thousands of people and injuring and poisoning many thousands more. Many workers have suffered from mild and chronic poisoning, ailments and occupational diseases - including cancer - caused by chemicals. Of all diseases acknowledged to be occupational in origin and compensated as occupational diseases by nations throughout the world, those caused by chemicals comprise a very high proportion.
Although we are well aware of the situation, we have had to accept that the production and use of chemicals are necessary for human development. It is therefore essential to minimize the adverse effects of chemicals on the environment and on human health, and to reduce the damage caused by the use of chemicals as much as possible. These tasks are the main purpose of occupational safety and health measures with regard to chemicals, which we call "chemical safety" for short.
Chemical safety encompasses a wide range of activities, including the establishment, promulgation and implementation of laws; organization and management; inspection and supervision; education and training; technical, scientific and biomedical measures, etc. in order to ensure environmental protection and to promote the safety of people engaged in the production, storage, circulation, and utilization of chemicals. Chemical safety also means finding solutions that prevent unsafe incidents; for instance, low or non-toxic substances should be used instead of those having a higher poison content and technological processes should be clean and enclosed. Also an active, safety-oriented approach should be adopted when planning projects, constructing new factories and manufacturing new equipment.
Chemical safety must include measures for collecting and treating chemicals, toxic gas, vapour and dust that arise in the production process. Personal protective equipment should be used, and first-aid and treatment should be available for poisoned victims.
Whatever measures are taken, however, the key factor in ensuring chemical safety is people themselves. Everyone from high-ranking officials, managers, specialists and employers to workers must bear responsibility in assuring chemical safety and must know how to protect themselves and others.
In the past few years, both globally and nationally, many significant efforts and activities have been carried out in order to enhance the chemical safety. The worldwide cooperation programmes initiated thus far are strong evidence of these efforts. Examples of this cooperation are the International Programme on Chemical Safety, in which the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) and other international institutions are participating, and multilateral and bilateral cooperation between international organizations and with governments, especially the technical cooperation between the ILO and nations throughout the world concerning the safe use of chemical substances at places of work. In addition, many countries have their own national programmes.
The ILO has also promulgated many Conventions and Recommendations on, for example, benzene (1971), occupational cancer (1974), the working environment (1977) and occupational safety and health (1981). Of particular relevance are Convention No. 170 and Recommendation No.177, released in 1990, on safety in the use of chemicals at workplaces. These Conventions and Recommendations have been ratified and are applied in several nations.
Many countries have taken bold steps to assure and protect the safety and health of people dealing with chemicals. These steps, however, have not been adequate to keep pace with the present rapid increases in production and use of chemicals. Efforts must be intensified in the coming years.
Chemical safety is the duty of all nations and of every individual. All contributions, promoting workers' safety and health and protecting the global environment are worthwhile.
Prof. Nguyen An Luong
Vice-president, Vietnam General
Confederation of Labour
Director, National Institute of Labour
Protection