Transferring Knowledge for Effective Management of Chemical Risks in Small Firms in Wales Cardiff Work Environment Research Centre

An Introduction to the Project — Ten years of developing a small firm focus for chemical risk management Chemical substances are both useful at the workplace and hazardous Major focus for regulatory controls in health and safety at work Regulatory approaches embedded technical/occupational hygiene concepts to achieve best practice Growing evidence of failure to reach small firms Switch of orientation Effectiveness?

The nature of the problem Small firms hard to reach - not small versions of large firms Hazardous chemicals used widely - effects largely unknown Multi-faceted lack of resources to ‘manage’ health and safety: –Lack of power and influence –Poor access to information/poor understanding –Limited inspection/specialist support –Weak union presence –Primary concern with day-to-day survival Technical issues especially challenging

Responding to the problem New instruments and tools - COSHH Essentials Supporting knowledge transfer processes Effective and sustainable strategies? Role of actors and infrastructures? REACH?

Aims of the project Identify, in collaboration with partners: –existing practice and problems of knowledge transfer –support needs of SMEs –relationships supporting knowledge transfer in networks in which small enterprises are embedded Consider how tools to support good practice on chemical risk management can most useful Explore the transferability of initiatives from other countries to Wales Identify barriers to such transfer and explore ways in which they might be overcome

Aims for this workshop To bring together key stakeholders:  Representatives of small firms –Regulators –Practitioners –Suppliers –Researchers Explore perceptions of current practice and problems, and insights into optimising knowledge transfer of chemical risk management strategies to small firms. Outline of today’s programme