Guidelines on the prevention of toxic exposures
Education and public awareness activities
Overview
A large number of people are injured or die each year as a result of exposure to both man-made chemicals and naturally occurring toxins. Furthermore, misuse of chemicals frequently leads to damage to the environment. For example, the high incidence of
pesticide poisonings in developing countries is an important problem, and misuse of pesticides frequently leads to damage to the ecosystem.
Toxic chemicals are also widely and unsafely used in a multitude of small-scale workshops and cottage
industries, such as textiles, tanning and metalworking. Chemicals are inappropriately handled and poorly labelled or stored, such as kerosene distributed in soft drink bottles. A growing number of chemicals are used in the home and surrounding domestic
environment, and contaminants or naturally occurring toxins are present in food (e.g. in fungi, plants and seafood). The storage and transport of highly dangerous substances such as chlorine, hydrocarbons and cyanide in urban areas create a potential
for major chemical disasters, in addition to the chemical incidents which frequently occur at industrial sites.
Acute and chronic, individual and mass toxic exposures occur due to lack of awareness among the general public of risks of chemicals. These exposures are preventable. The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) supports national
programmes for prevention and treatment of poisonings due to chemicals of synthetic and natural origin. The potential benefits of successful national chemical safety programmes are:
- A reduction in the number of exposures and poisonings
in the home, outdoor and indoor environments and the workplace.
- Detection and elimination of unusually hazardous commercial products through regulatory measures, repackaging or reformulation.
- Use of appropriate first aid measures in
case of toxic exposure.
- Reduction in the inappropriate use of emergency departments and emergency medical transportation systems.
- Improved care for poisoning victims as a result of education for health care professionals in the management
and prevention of poisonings, with a consequent reduction in disabilities and costly long-term medical care.
However, it takes time and effort to carry out national safety programmes and they may seem too complex and too costly to some decision-makers. These Guidelines have been prepared by IPCS to help governments, national agencies and urban
and rural communities plan, carry out and evaluate education campaigns addressed to the public as well as other activities to promote safe use of chemicals and prevention of poisoning