Evaluating a national support strategy for managing chemical risks in small firms

1
Evaluating a national support strategy for
managing chemical risks in small firms

• The Dutch experience

2
This presentation

• General information on chemicals and exposure
• Chemicals management
• Special Dutch initiatives
• Evaluation
• Current trends

3
Sectors (1)

• 26 High risk sectors
• High risks agents allergenic agents (organic
  dust, latex, isocyanates, biocides), organic
  solvents (in paints, glues etc.), wood dust,
  asbestos, quartz, chromium, welding fumes,
  cleaning substances, metal working fluids
• The most hazardous working processes manual
  cleaning and washing work (wet work), pouring,
  weighing and mixing of powders, spraying of
  paints and alike, slivering operations
• Main health risks allergy, skin effects,
  neurological effects (like OPS), respiratory
  effects, cancer.

4
Sectors (2)26 high risk sectors (number of
workers)

• Bakeries, flour industry (44,500)
• Car industry (34,000)
• Car recycling (11,250)
• Car trade and repairs (gt 42,000)
• Cattle-fodder industry (??)
• Cement, chalk, gypsum, concrete, ceramics,
  natural stone (19,500)
• Cleaning of buildings (200,000)
• Construction of building (440,000)
• Fish and meat industry (29,800)
• Furniture production (24,000)
• Glass and glass products
• Hair dressers (35,000)
• Health care (211,000)

• Hotels, restaurants, cafes (300,000)
• Metal products industry (450,000)
• Paint and ink production (7,000)
• Polyester construction industry ( 30.000)
• Primary metal production (27,500)
• Printing and publishing shops (45,000)
• Recycling construction and demolishment materials
  (6,000)
• Roads and utility construction (See Construction
  of buildings)
• Rubber products industry (4,500)
• Ship construction industry (??)
• Tapestry and parquet flooring (37,000)
• Chemical industry (various)
• Wood products industry (17,000)

5
Hazardous substances(percentage of companies)

• Organic solvents (9)
• Exhaust fumes (8)
• Corn, wood or flour dust (4)
• Quartz (2)
• Welding fumes (5)
• Tar products (1)
• Reproduction toxic agents (1)
• Other carcinogenic agents (1)
• Pesticides (4)
• Dangerous cleaning agents (15)
• Other chemicals (13)
• Other (10)

6
Exposure and health effects

• 1.7 million workers exposed (population 16
  million)
• 17000 workers with health effects
• 1850 workers die early
• Main health effects
• Skin disorders
• Respiratory disorders
• OPS, headache, migraine
• Injuries due to accidents

7
Chemicals management - actors (1)

• Seven main actors in Dutch chemicals management
• Governmental
• OSH-service companies
• Suppliers of chemicals
• Branch organisations
• Sector specific training and education
  organisations
• Professional associations
• Trade unions

8
Chemicals management - actors (2)

• Government (6 ministries)
• Social Affairs and Employment (labour, OSH)
• Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment
  (environment)
• Health, Welfare and Sport (public health,
  consumer safety)
• Interior and Kingdom Relations (fire brigades,
  fire prevention)
• Transport, Public Works and Water Management
  (transport)
• Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (enforcement
  of labelling)

9
Legislation

• Implementation of European Directives requires
  lots of tuning long implementation time

10
Special Dutch initiatives (1)

• 1997 - 2004 OSH covenants.
• In 14 of 62 covenants the handling of hazardous
  chemicals was part of the plan of action. Large
  programmes with multimillion EURO budgets.
• 1998 - 2003 SOMS
• (Strategie OMgaan met Stoffen - Strategy for the
  handling of chemicals) was initiated by the Dutch
  government in 1998 with the goal of eliminating
  risks from chemicals by 2020.
• 2004 - 2007 VASt
• (VASt Versterking Arbeidsveiligheid Stoffen -
  Enhancement of Occupational Safety regarding
  Hazardous Chemicals) was directly aimed at
  improving chemical risk management in SMEs.

11
Special Dutch initiatives (2)

• Mandatory contracts with OSH service companies
  (now forbidden by EU)
• Mandatory assessment of risk assessment by OSH
  services (partly abandoned)
• MAC values policy (700 values - now mostly
  abandoned)
• Policy on reproductive substances (Dutch list of
  substances)
• Policy on OPS (substitution of organic solvents
  for indoor use)

12
Dutch strategies for chemicals management (1)

• General
• Legislation is main driving force
• Policy making is based on consultation of
  involved interest groups (employers, employees,
  NGOs, professional associations, etc) the
  polder-model covenants
• Prevention gets much attention in science and
  policy. This results in a substantial amount of
  research on health and environmental effects of
  chemicals
• Mid nineties to 2005 4 step assurance of
  adequate OSH service (1) certificates for OSH
  servies, (2) accreditation of 4 mandatory
  disciplines, (3) approval of risk assessment, and
  (4) four mandatory services in contract with
  company

13
Dutch strategies for chemicals management (2)

• NOW
• No more covenants
• SOMS overruled by EU legislation
• VASt finished in 2007
• No new Dutch legislation
• Contracts with OSH services less strict
• NEW
• Arbocatalogus (OSH catalogue - best practices)
• REACh (exposure scenarios)

14
Results of the VASt-programme (1)

• Purpose to strengthen chemicals management in
  SMEs
• Period 2004 - 2007
• 24 action plans in branches and sectors
• Indicators for chemicals management
• Use of branch specific risk assessment
• Percentage of companies measuring exposure
• Percentage of companies not receiving SDSs
• Percentage of companies that find branch
  organisation useful
• Percentage of companies giving adequate
  instruction
• Percentage of companies satisfied with
  information on chemicals

15
Result of the VASt programme (2)
16
Strategies in the Netherlands - 2008

• Government
• Implementation of European legislation, including
  REACh. No more new Dutch legislation
• Shift from government responsibility to industry
  responsibility
• REACh
• MAC values from public to private
• Risk assessment responsibility of company
• Government supports the development of OSH
  catalogues with best practices and instruments
  per sector / branch (labour inspection regime is
  dependent on use of catalogue)
• Industry
• Chemical industry renewed attention to
  Responsible Care - Global Charter
• Huge effort in implementation of REACh

17
Discussion

• Who is helping SMEs in Wales?
• Regarding occupational safety and health in
  general?
• With questions on the safe use of hazardous
  substances?
• What is the best way for improvement?