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EU-OSHA Launches Dangerous Substances Campaign

EU-OSHA Dangerous Substances Campaign

The European Agency for Safety & Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has launched their Dangerous Substances Campaign

It is a 2-year EU-wide ‘Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances’ campaign and has been launched to raise awareness of the risks that dangerous substances pose to workers. The campaign will promote the best ways of tackling the risks from substances from flour dust in bakeries and silica dust on construction sites.

Workers in all sectors are potentially at risk of exposure to dangerous substances. Overall, 38% of European enterprises report potentially dangerous chemical or biological substances in their workplaces. Therefore, it is vital that the risks are identified and managed.

dangerous substance is any solid, liquid or gas that has the potential to cause damage to the safety or health of workers. Exposure can occur through inhalation, skin penetration or ingestion.

Workplace exposures to dangerous substances are linked to acute and long-term health issues, including:

  • Respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma, rhinitis, asbestosis and silicosis)
  • Harm to inner organs, including the brain and the nervous system
  • Skin irritation and diseases
  • Occupational cancers (e.g. leukaemia, lung cancer, mesothelioma and cancer of the nasal cavity).

A prevention culture must be created to successfully prevent the ill health, injuries and deaths caused by dangerous substances in workplaces across Europe. Everyone in a workplace must be aware of dangerous substances, the risks they pose and how to reduce or eliminate risks and know how to raise awareness:

  • Employers are legally obliged to carry out risk assessments to identify all potential hazards associated with dangerous substances.
  • Managers should motivate workers to get involved.
  • Workers should understand the potential risks, be well informed of any preventive measures.

You can visit the campaign website for further information on the full campaign.

Acorn Health & Safety is a leading provider of health and safety consultancy in the South West. If you need further support, we can provide COSHH training (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health), Risk Assessment training, or can generally advise on all Health & Safety aspects with our consultancy service.