Industry must follow best global practices for safe use of chemicals: Mandaviya

The industry will follow these practices, and the government will monitor the implementation, he added. The MoU was signed in the presence of Mandaviya and Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagwanth Khutba. As per the Ficci statement, the MoU seeks to adopt the International Chemical Safety Cards ICSCs for information dissemination to the chemical industry. The ICSCs are data sheets intended to concisely provide essential safety and health information on chemicals. Arti Ahuja, Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, emphasized the need to manage potential hazards.

Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday asked the chemicals and petrochemicals industry to follow the best global practices to ensure the safety of persons working in this sector.

Employees working in the chemicals industry should get the best information and training on the safe use of chemicals, he said while referring to incidents like the Bhopal Gas tragedy. In this regard, Mandaviya said the department of chemicals and petrochemicals has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with International Labour Organisation (ILO) to ensure the adoption of best global practices and standards.

The objective of the cards is to promote the safe use of chemicals in the workplace. Therefore, the primary target users are workers and those responsible for occupational safety and health.

''Human safety and humanity are paramount for the nation,'' Mandaviya said while addressing a Ficci conference on ''Safe use of Chemicals''.

The minister said India readily accepts any best practice that ensures the safety and security of life, humanity, the environment, and the industry. ''The MoU with ILO will ensure the safety of personnel in the chemicals and petrochemicals industry. The industry will follow these practices, and the government will monitor the implementation,'' he added.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Mandaviya and Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagwanth Khutba.

As per the Ficci statement, the MoU seeks to adopt the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs) for information dissemination to the chemical industry.

The ICSCs are data sheets intended to concisely provide essential safety and health information on chemicals.

Arti Ahuja, Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, emphasized the need to manage potential hazards. ''Anchoring a culture of safety is important,'' she said. Ahuja said there is a need to adopt a ''standardized format which is internationally acceptable''. The secretary also said that the chemical safety cards developed by the ILO and WHO are globally recognized. The industry should prominently disseminate the information to workers, she said, adding that the department would also organize training of trainers in association with the ILO to build a talent pool on safety standards.

Kelvin A Sergeant, who spoke on behalf of ILO Director Dagmar Walter, said, ''ILO constituents, government employers, and workers of 187 member states recognized the importance of occupational safety and health at the International Labour conference last month''.

He added that occupational safety and health became part of fundamental principles and rights at work.

''Nearly 1 billion workers worldwide, particularly in developing countries, economies in transition, and the informal economy, are disproportionately exposed to hazardous substances, including pollutants, dust, vapors, and fumes. An estimated 1 million workers die each year due to exposure to hazardous chemicals,'' Sergeant said.

Prabh Das, Chair, Ficci Petrochemical Committee & MD & CEO, HPCL- Mittal Energy, said the industry stands with the government on safety and is doing everything best possible to make sure that the industry is run safely and all the persons who come to work, go back home safe and healthy. ''As far as safety is concerned, we feel that it is not a cost to the company,'' he said.

Susanta Kumar Purohit, Joint Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, said: ''The MoU will help in adopting the international safety cards and help in answering the safe use of chemicals at the workplace, and ensure safety for workers and people in the chemical industry''.