The Ingenieur Vol 59 July-Sept 2014 The Ingenieur Vo. 59, July-Sept 2014 | Page 46

INGENIEUR
in-situ. While many individual
chemical
substances
are
adequately assessed in terms of
their safety and health effects,
mixtures of such substances
are generally unique to the
workplace involved, and are
rarely assessed or tested in
this form. Many workers are
exposed to mixtures, rather than
individual chemical substances,
therefore the control of exposure
to mixtures is critical for an
effective protective programme.
Impact of chemical exposures
on workers’ health
Chemicals can cause adverse
effects on every system of the
human body. The acute effects
of chemical exposures, such
as poisoning or fatality based
on a single exposure have been
broadly recognized as compared
to those that result from
repeated minor exposures over
time, because of the immediate
associated symptoms.
The significant impact
on an individual who has
developed a disease as a result
of numerous minor chemical
exposures may be incalculable.
Certainly, the victims of such
diseases often lose the ability to
work and to support themselves
and their families. The effects
can impact the day-to-day quality
of life and if the victim dies,
their families must deal with the
loss of a loved one, as well as a
loss of economic well-being and
stability. Enterprises also pay the
price of such diseases through
lost productivity, absenteeism,
and workers ‘compensation’
programmes.
The toll of occupational
diseases due to chemical
exposures is extensive. Although

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ingenieur 2014-July-FA.indd 44

The pesticides that help grow food by producing more and better
crops may result in adverse health effects in workers involved in
producing the pesticides, in applying them in the fields or exposed to
their residues.
the burden of disease from
chemicals remains unknown,
as not all of them can yet be
assessed at a global level, the
World Health Organisation (WHO)
circulated a note on the global
burden of disease attributable to
chemicals in September of 2012
at the International Conference
on Chemicals Management.
It included information which
encourages additional research
on the economic and social
costs of unsound chemicals
management, including the cost

of inaction and the implications
for health. The annex to the note
includes a systematic review
published by WHO on known and
unknowns on burden of disease
due to chemicals.
Achieving Decent Work
includes
preventing
the
occurrence of occupational
diseases due to chemical
exposures. The ILO estimates
that 2.34 million people die
each year from work-related
accidents and diseases. From
these fatalities, the majority

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VOL 55 JUNE SEPTEMBER 2014

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