Page 179 - CW E-Magazine (5-9-2023)

Special Report Special Report

Why manufacturers must review their chemical  Risk assessments – Employers must cess, while safety committees facili- destroyed in a fi re, manufacturing opera-
undertake periodic COSHH risk tate the discovery and implementation tions are halted, leading to signifi cant
assessments.
of safety enhancements. Furthermore, revenue losses.
safety protocols  Limits – Employers must ensure manufacturers can employ safety met-
Target Your Market More Effectively
they don’t expose workers to hazar- rics to monitor safety performance over By prioritising chemical safety
ndia’s chemical manufacturing and UN Special Rapporteur on Human SURESH TANWAR dous materials beyond the Work- time, like tracking the frequency of measures, organisations can safeguard
processing industry is among the Rights and Hazardous Substances and Head of Audit and Consultancy place Exposure Limit (WEL). accidents and near misses and evaluating the well-being of employees, reduce
ChemImpex
IndiaChemTrade
Ilargest and most diverse sectors. Wastes states that one life is lost every British Safety Council – India  Supervision – Supervisors must the effectiveness of safety controls. costs associated with injuries and pro-
For subscribers only
Globally, India ranks among the top 6 30 seconds due to toxic exposure at the scrutinise if employees are carrying Free for subscribers of Chemical Weekly
perty damage, and enhance overall pro-
largest producers of chemicals. The sec- workplace. With 2.78 million deaths new set of rules, manufacturers should ChemImpex, the trade database, tracks, on a daily IndiaChemTrade provides consolidated trade statistics
out tasks as per the protocol.
By minimising injuries and ill-
ductivity in the workplace. Therefore,
tor comprises petrochemicals, fertilisers, per year attributable to unhealthy or do their bit to improve workplace basis, exports and imports of chemicals and related of India. The information provided here is based on the
nesses, companies can save money by chemical manufacturers and associated
pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and paints, unsafe workplaces, the report warned safety. A chemical safety risk assess- products through the major ports in India — a vital annual trade data published by the Directorate General
Similarly, employees must comply avoiding the direct and indirect costs industries that deal with hazardous mate-
collectively accounting for over 70,000 that women, children, migrant workers, ment is the fi rst step in that direction. with the above guidelines to carry out of chemical exposures. An employee’s rials must prioritise safety and contin-
source of commercial intelligence. Find out on-line
of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Government
commercial products that contain or are and the poor are especially vulnerable A safety audit will determine whether the tasks safely without harming them- injury often leads to work absences and ually review their safety protocols and
how international markets are moving; where your
of India. The database can be searched by: Chemical
made from chemicals. Of these, seve- to work-related fatalities, injuries companies should be going back to the selves or others. COSHH is not man- the need to hire or train replacement procedures to guarantee their continued
Name/Harmonised Code to obtain the consolidated
competitors are exporting and at what price; where
ral are hazardous chemicals. A media and ill health. According to the WHO, drawing board on their chemical safety dated by law in India yet; however, workers, resulting in decreased pro- effectiveness and alignment with cur-
imports are coming from and how
report states India produces and stores most deaths from exposure to hazardous protocols. following the precepts may help organi- their prices are trade (import or export) in that item; or by Country to
ductivity. Incident investigations and rent standards.
moving. Download all this data,
over 3,000 hazardous chemicals. Those chemicals are preventable. The solutions sations get a head-start when REACH/seamlessly, for a obtain the trade (import or export) in all chemicals and
corrective actions also consume time
involved in manufacturing, handling, to solve this global crisis of public occu- Critical responsibilities of employers CMSR takes effect in India. and effort, constituting further indirect About the British Safety Council
related products between India and that country
small fee — online, anytime, with no hassles.
or distributing these goods know the pational health require the participation In the UK, COSHH (Control of costs. Direct costs include medical ex- The British Safety Council (www.
ChemXchange
importance of good safety protocols. of businesses, governments and not- Substances Hazardous to Health) is a Organisations must strive for conti- penses related to chemical exposure britsafe.in) (BSC) are world leading
However, being aware is not enough. for-profi t organisations. set of regulations to protect workers nuous improvement in safety Open to all registered users — no subscription required
incidents.
experts in workplace health, safety and
Companies that work in such sectors at risk from working with hazardous ChemXchange — the chemical exchange with a difference — is where you can identify your buyers and sup-
Continuous improvement entails
environmental management. Its vision
should also ensure that they review their Impact of chemical cocktails chemicals. It defi nes the critical res- assessing and enhancing safety processes Adhering to best practices for is that no-one should be injured or
plyers on-line, any time. This unique platform is free to all advertisers in the print version of Chemical Weekly.
chemical safety protocols periodically. The impact of chemical cocktails ponsibilities of employers in key focus and protocols to ensure their effi cacy chemical storage safety signifi cantly made ill through work. For over 60
Because not doing so can have severe on the environment also must be tack- areas outlined below: and relevance. Continuous improve- reduces the risk of property damage. years, BSC has been helping organi
For more information contact: 022-24044477. Fax: 022-24044450
consequences on workers’ health, com- led. New research in the UK in 2023 ment can be achieved through various Proper segregation of incompatible sations across the globe to look after
Email: corporate@chemicalweekly.com or log on to chemicalweekly.com
munities, and the environment. showed the presence of harmful toxic  Exposure – Employers must pro- strategies, such as utilising safety chemicals helps prevent fi res and ex- their workers. Its aim is to keep people

chemical cocktails in over 1,600 water vide appropriate personal protective audits and establishing safety committees. plosions, which can otherwise result in as safe and healthy as possible in the
Industrial accidents in India bodies, including rivers, lakes, and equipment (PPE), where applicable, Safety audits identify potential safety substantial fi nancial losses due to pro- workplace through education and prac-
The National Disasters Manage- groundwater sites. to prevent or control exposure to hazards within the manufacturing pro- perty damage. If a workplace facility is tical guidance.
ment Authority (NDMA) estimates hazardous substances.
that 130 signifi cant chemical accidents The alarming statistics call for a  Control measures – Employers must

were reported in India in the last new approach focusing on a sustain- implement robust control measures
decade, causing 259 fatalities and in- able future. The strategy should focus around hazardous substances. The
juring 563 people. The NDMA points on embedding stricter standards, strin- control systems must be properly
to about 1,861 major accident hazard gent testing, more rigid controls, com- maintained, clean, and in complete
units across 301 districts, 25 states and prehensive monitoring, and research, working order. Missed a copy !!!
3 Union Territories. These numbers do so we know what’s in our rivers and air  Instruction – Employers must ensure

not include thousands of hazardous fac- and how it affects us, our environment, workers are provided with infor- For Digital Edition of this month’s issue & all other past issues
tories and unorganised sectors that deal and our natural world. mation, instruction and training on
with hazardous materials that can pose working with hazardous substan- Visit www.hpicindia.com
severe and complex disaster risks. Chemical safety laws ces.
There is a chemical safety law in the  Procedures – Employers must put

The World Health Organization works in India. The country put together in place procedures to deal with
(WHO) estimates that two million its fi fth draft of Chemical Safety Rules accidents and emergencies relating PDF copies available for download
Mrs. Usha S. - usha@hpicindia.com
people lost their lives due to exposure in 2020. The draft is still in the pro- to hazardous substances. Register Now
to hazardous chemicals in 2019, com- posal stage, but is expected to close the  Surveillance – Employers should

pared to 1.56 million in 2016, indicat- gap between India’s limited chemical ensure workers exposed to hazar- Contact: For Subscription : Mrs. Usha S. - usha@hpicindia.com
ing a 29% rise in fatalities due to chemi- regulations and the more inclusive ones dous substances are under proper For Advertising : Mr. Vijay Raghavan - vijay@hpicindia.com
cal exposure. Another report from the overseas. While the country awaits the surveillance.
178 Chemical Weekly September 5, 2023 Chemical Weekly September 5, 2023 179
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