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Within Reach?: Managing Chemical Risks in Small Enterprises (Work, Health and Environment)
Within Reach Managing Chemical Risks in Small Enterprises - Work, Health and Environment Author:David Walters Controlling the risks of working with chemical substances is widely recognized as one of the major elements in ensuring a healthy workplace. Not surprisingly, control strategies for chemicals used in the workplace feature prominently in both regulatory and voluntary approaches to improving the work environment. But their impact on the vast major... more »ity of workplaces in which chemicals are used remains problematic. This is especially so in small enterprises across the whole range of economic sectors and work activity, in which there is demonstrably poor understanding among owner managers concerning their responsibilities for chemical risk management. Why this has been so, how it is being addressed, and with what results are the subjects of this book. Currently the regulatory profile governing the management of chemical risks at work is in the process of major restructuring in Europe, as discussions take place about implementation of the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) reforms in European legislation. It is claimed that the impact of these provisions will be substantial and significant, especially in relation to downstream use of chemicals in smaller enterprises, because the new regulations will aim to improve risk communication within the supply chain-identified as a particular weakness of previous approaches. The book examines the evidence for this weakness and the extent to which it is likely to be addressed by the new regulatory framework.« less