Chemical Risk Factors for Occupational Health and Safety

Abstract

Despite the large number of institutionalized technical and regulatory provisions on safety in the supply and use of chemicals in the workplace and their continuous improvement, the most effective ways to assess and control the risks of hazardous substances in the majority of working situations remain the subject of some debate. This is particularly true for small enterprises, which make up the majority of workplaces where chemicals are used. Many lack both the regulatory oversight and the degree of technical sophistication necessary to support the chemical risk management approaches that have dominated regulatory and technical thinking on the subject in the past. Despite the significant regulatory attention given to risk management strategies for chemicals used in the workplace, ensuring safety in their use in enterprises remains a challenge, largely due to the same multifaceted lack of resources that also makes improving health and safety management in general in these enterprises a challenge.

In this context, measures such as controlling the chemicals used in workplaces, improving chemicals, improving the business climate and reducing risks cannot be possible only with the efforts of the enterprises themselves. For this reason, public institutions, businesses, non-governmental organizations, associations, foundations, universities and society should be in cooperation. In this context, it is planned to conduct this study with the idea that conducting scientific studies on chemical risk factors and reducing their negative effects in terms of occupational health and safety can make important contributions to the field.