Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103351

Walter Jones, Occupational Health and Safety, Laborers Health and Safety Fund North America, 605 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, (202) 624-6960, wjones@lhsfna.org

This is the general abstract for the "Control Banding: Avoiding Standards or a New Way to Limit Exposures?" session. Prevention of risks to the health of the working population through exposure to chemicals is a global concern. It has been the focus of much scientific and regulatory action for more than a century. This effort has been mainly been directed at large industries and the chemical agents associated with them and the tools to assist intervention have been developed for these large scale enterprises which have access to skilled and costly professional support. Attention is now being given to the management of risks in small business and emerging economies where services may not be available through a lack of knowledge, geography, or financial constraints. Called Control banding, the approach uses information that is readily available to users from the suppliers of chemicals taking the users through a series of simple steps allowing them to choose practical control solutions that should reduce exposures to levels, which present no danger to health. This session will examine if this is an acceptable way to protect workers or if it is merely a way to get around standards and the standard setting process.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain control banding.
• Discuss UK Health and Safety Office Control Banding Toolkit.
• Explain why "one size does not fit all."

Keywords: Occupational Health, Workplace Safety

Recorded presentation