THE World Day For Safety And Health At Work today is a campaign to raise awareness of and to focus international attention on emerging trends in the field of occupational safety and health.

Today is also the day where the World's Trade Union movement holds its International Commemoration Day For Dead And Injured Workers.

The theme is "Safety and health in the use of chemicals at work".

With concerted efforts, governments, employers, and workers and their organisations can achieve the sound management of chemicals for an appropriate balance between the benefits of chemical use and the preventive and control measures of potential adverse effects on workers, workplaces, communities and the environment.

Chemicals are necessary for healthy living and modern convenience. They range from pesticides to pharmaceuticals and cleaning products.

Chemicals pose a broad range of potential risks, from health hazards, such as cancers, and physical hazards, like flammability, to environmental hazards, such as widespread contamination and toxicity to aquatic life.

Many fires, explosions and other disasters result from inadequate control over the physical hazards of chemicals.

Workers who are exposed to hazardous substances should have the right to work in a safe and healthy environment and be properly informed, trained and protected.

A coherent global response is necessary to coordinate the continuous scientific and technological progress, the growth in chemicals production and changes in the organisation of work.

Likewise, new tools need to be developed to provide readily available information on chemical hazards and risk, and associated preventive and protective measures.

Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, chairman, National Institute of Safety and Health