Because the chemical industry is so bound up in regulations, it is crucial that companies receive the best legal advice possible.
The amount of legislation governing the industry has grown dramatically in recent years, which has made the work done by specialist law firms ever more valuable.
The range of that legal advice is extensive, including:
• Employment law, including contracts and industrial relations
• Health and safety law, including in chemical plants, refineries, clean rooms in high-tech manufacturing, factories and warehouses. Common industrial accidents include forklift accidents, falling objects, slips, trips, and falls, machinery or equipment injuries, explosions or blast injuries, and chemical burns or inhalation. Personal injury laws are a major area of practice related to industrial laws. According to the US-based Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which monitors workplace safety conditions. many of the top violations resulting in citations are given to industrial workplaces. Common problems include poor communication, lack of respiratory protection, poor electrical design, inadequate or disabled machine guards and improper or unlicensed use of powered industrial trucks.
• Environmental law, including ensuring that companies meet emissions legislation and legislation governing potentially harmful chemicals, including REACH.
However, the chemical industry is not just complying with legislation, it is also playing its part in shaping new and improved laws. Leading the legislation changes are organisations like the European Commission and the chemical industry has shown its willingness to work with EC legislators on shaping new laws.
For instance, the UK-based Chemical Industries Association recently welcomed Commissioner Marianne Thyssen’s announcement on a legislative proposal for inclusion of additional substances and occupational exposure limits within the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive. CIA Chief Executive Steve Elliott said: “The health of workers in the chemical industry is a top priority for businesses.
“A workplace can have a significant impact on an individuals’ health, and protecting the health of those who work for an organisation is at the heart of every sustainable business. Good health leadership, which CIA strongly advocates to its members and beyond, means looking after the organisation’s best resource, its people. “CIA urges the Commission to work with industry and stakeholders in agreeing the final details to implement.”
