Chemical Safety and the Environment
Chemicals are widely used throughout society, with both positive and negative effects on health, well-being, socio-economic aspects and the environment. Workers around the world are disproportionally exposed across almost all workplace sectors, with more than 1 billion workers exposed to hazardous substances, including pollutants, dusts, vapours and fumes, each year.
An estimated 1 million of these workers lose their lives each year due to exposure to hazardous chemicals. For those who do not lose their lives, they may face non-fatal injuries and diseases resulting in disability, debilitating chronic disease and other health impacts. All of these deaths, injuries and illnesses are entirely preventable.
Major industrial accidents, such as the 2020 Beirut Port Explosion of ammonium nitrate, show the urgency of this global health crisis.
Key resources
ILO Conventions and Recommendations in the field of Chemical Safety
ILO Codes of Practice and Guides in the field of Chemical Safety
International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC)
The Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
Publications
Research Report
Hazardous exposures to plastics in the world of work
Research Report
Exposure to lead in the world of work: Impacts for occupational safety and health
Research report
Chemicals and climate change in the world of work: Impacts for occupational safety and health
Developing a National GHS Implementation Strategy
Brochure
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
Report
Exposure to Mercury in the World of Work: A review of the evidence and key priority actions
Report
The GHS in the world of work: Mapping synergies between ILO Instruments and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
Report
Exposure to hazardous chemicals at work and resulting health impacts: A global review
Report
ILO Instruments on Chemical Safety
Brochure
The Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste in the World of Work
Brochure
All You Need to Know: Convention No. 170
2014 World Day for Safety and Health at Work Report
Safety and health in the use of chemicals at work
Report
Tackling informality in e-waste management: The potential of cooperative enterprises
Report
The global impact of e-waste: Addressing the challenge
International agreements in the field of chemical safety and the environment
Developing a Policy Framework for Hazardous Substances
ILO Collaboration on Chemicals
The Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC)
Video Overview of the IOMC
IOMC Toolbox - Occupational Safety and Health Management Scheme
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
ILO Indicators of progress in implementing SAICM
The Globally Harmonised System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
Synergies with the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
Minamata Convention on Mercury
International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS)
Risk Management (Control Banding)
Training materials
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ILO Resources
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ITC-ILO Trainings
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Guide to the Training Modules
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Training Modules on Chemical Safety
- Introduction to chemical safety in the world of work
- Routes of chemical exposure and health impacts
- State of the evidence: Results from the ILO Global Chemicals Review (2021)
- ILO OSH Conventions relating to chemical safety
- Chemical exposure in the World of Work: Preventative measures at the policy level
- Chemical exposure in the world of work: Preventative measures at the workplace level
- OSH Management Systems and Chemical Management
- Preventative measures for key chemical hazards
- Spotlight on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
- International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
- Chemical hazards in the mining sector: An industry case study
- Chemical hazards in the agricultural sector
- Spotlight on mercury in the world of work
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Training Modules on Chemicals and Climate Change
Further ILO Resources
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Sectors at Particular Risk
Publications
Hazardous exposures to plastics in the world of work
Exposure to lead in the world of work: Impacts for occupational safety and health
Technical guidelines on biological hazards in the working environment