Transferring knowledge for effective management of chemical risks in small firms Where are we now in Wales? Emma Wadsworth & Katherine Chaplin

Background Investigation of: – Practice – Needs – Problems – Key support mechanisms For effective knowledge transfer mechanisms of chemical risk management strategies to small firms in Wales

Project timeline Work package 4 Final report & recommendations Work package 3 Interviews & workshop Work package 2 Establishing special interest group Work package 1 Background & context TimeOctoberNovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruaryMarch

Establishing the special interest group Small firms & their representatives Suppliers Regulators Practitioners

Interviews with special interest group Aims: – Establish these groups’ perspectives on the current situation – Discuss their views on possible ways forward – Consider each area’s awareness of the approaches taken and resources used by the other 3 areas – Identify areas of consistency and difference between the 4 areas

Themes emerging from interviews Current perspectives: 1. Infrastructure: – Small firms are hard to reach – From an SME perspective, it may pay to be reactive not proactive – Communication in all directions

Themes emerging from interviews Current perspectives: 2. Instruments – Not widely used outside “high risk” groups – Other (interactive, flexible) tools and/or information sources needed?

Themes emerging from interviews Awareness of other approaches & resources – Broad - but not in depth – But – welcoming of attempts to improve communication between & across areas

Themes emerging from interviews Areas of consistency and difference: – We have a problem! – One of the main challenges may be to overcome the widespread feeling that interest is high but: morale is low, and the structure for a combined approach is lacking

Conclusions from the interviews SME’s Courses Websites SDS Instruments

Conclusions from the interviews General agreement that: – Current approach does not work well enough – No clear line of responsibility – Despite COSHH Essentials, REACH, etc, the situation in Wales is still problematic

Project future Final report & recommendations Special interest group input – Get it off your chest today!

Project future