ILO’s Global Framework Tackles Workplace Hazardous Chemicals
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has embraced a new Global Framework, designed to reduce environmental and health risks caused by chemicals and waste.
The Global Framework on Chemicals, backed by a High-Level Declaration, outlines specific goals and guidelines for managing chemicals throughout their lifecycle, with a focus on phasing out the most harmful ones.
Since 2006, the ILO, along with workers’ and employers’ groups and governments, has actively shaped this Framework and worked to improve the management of hazardous chemicals in workplaces. Twenty-two international labor standards address the handling of these dangers.
The Framework emphasizes the concept of a “Just Transition” as a guiding principle. It advocates for an environmentally sustainable economy and responsible chemical and waste management, all of which contribute to goals such as decent work, social inclusion, human rights protection, and poverty reduction.
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo remarked, “This is a significant step forward. Hazardous chemicals harm workers, the public, and the environment, jeopardizing the broader goals of decent work and social justice. By prioritizing responsible chemical and waste management within a just transition framework, we can safeguard workers, promote sustainability, and create good job opportunities.”
Each year, hazardous substances claim the lives of about 1.1 million workers worldwide, or roughly 2,900 per day, while toxic chemical exposures result in the loss of tens of millions of working days due to disability, illness, or premature death. The economic impact is estimated to reach 2.1 percent of annual global GDP, and these effects are expected to grow with the increasing use of chemicals and longer life expectancies.
The Framework not only outlines best practices for chemical and waste management but also seeks to align with other global development priorities, including climate change, biodiversity conservation, human rights, and workplace safety. It asserts that every worker has the right to a safe and healthy working environment, and it calls for the integration of workplace measures and policies, including the adoption of relevant international labor standards, into chemical and waste management efforts.
The Global Framework on Chemicals was adopted at the fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5), organized by the United Nations and held in Bonn, Germany. This marks a pivotal moment in the global effort to address the risks posed by chemicals and waste while advancing broader social and environmental goals.
Source: ILO
Category: Education
