Online toolkit alerts workforces to hazard pictograms

A new toolkit highlighting the changes to the labelling of chemical substances has been launched by EU-OSHA. The toolkit helps employers and their workers handle dangerous substances with care and keep themselves safe at work.

The new online toolkit includes the film 'Danger: chemicals!', a poster and a leaflet. The central character is 'Napo', the hero in a series of animated films, aimed at introducing workplace safety and health in a funny and memorable way.

New hazard pictograms for chemical products are being gradually implemented in Member States as part of a globally harmonised system, but recent research by the European Chemicals Agency shows that many of these pictograms are not recognised or properly understood. The kit reminds employers and their workers of the new signage and helps them understand what they mean to keep themselves safe at work.

About 15% of Europe's workers report handling dangerous substances as part of their daily work. Just a single exposure to some of these substances can harm workers' health, with effects ranging from mild eye and skin irritations to asthma, reproductive problems, birth defects and cancer. EU-OSHA wants to ensure that workers and their employers are familiar with the new chemical hazard pictograms, and handle dangerous substances with care.

EU-OSHA is supporting the European Commission in their efforts to raise awareness about the changes in labelling requirements and their relevance for workplaces. A dedicated web section provides access to the toolkit and a variety of additional training materials and guidance documents, as well as 'frequently asked questions' on CLP (the European Union's classification, labelling and packaging regulation) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) that provide more insight on the topic.