Hazardous Substances Campaign

The European Agency for Safety and Health (EU-OSHA) has launched the Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances campaign to increase the awareness of the risks associated with using hazardous substances. There are health risks associated with many commonly used substances, including some that are known to be carcinogens.

The campaign is designed to identify appropriate ways of managing risks effectively such as through risk assessment, substitution for less hazardous products and adopting better techniques to limit exposure. The campaign website includes a number of case studies that identify risks associated with certain substances and processes.

The most useful resource is the Dangerous Substances e-tool. By answering a number of questions users will be able to identify whether current practices are suitable and sufficient. It will also provide guidance on potential improvements.

This is a European Union-led campaign rather than an HSE one, so there is no specific enforcement activity linked to it. However, managing health risks is one of the HSE’s priorities currently, so reviewing how hazardous substances are managed would be a productive thing to do.