Chemical safety training workshop begins today

Roadtown, Tortola - The Department of Human Resources in collaboration with the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Services is currently conducting a chemical safety training workshop in the Territory.

The two-day workshop, which began today, is being held at the Public Service Training Centre to sensitise employees who work with cleaning products about safety issues associated with the various cleaning agents they use daily.
The facilitator of the workshop is Mr. Dale Morton, Extension Agent, University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Services.

Health and Safety Coordinator Mrs. Sylvia George speaking at the opening ceremony explained that the need for the workshop arose after stakeholders discussed a number of safety issues and concerns being faced by workers in the public service.

Mrs. George said “it became apparent that key employees were not given the type of basic training necessary in order to perform their duties safely and protect their health, which has caused the health of some key employees to be compromised, due to incorrect usage and long-term exposure to certain general household chemicals.” 

The main focus of the workshop is to highlight the proper way to use everyday household cleaning agents to avoid risks and threats to the health, safety and welfare of employees who utilise them on a daily basis.  The topics will include: definition of a chemical; classifications of chemicals and cleaning agents used on a daily basis; health and safety risks associated with the use of chemicals; routes chemicals can use to enter the body; identifying safe ways to use cleaning agents/chemicals and the use of alternative cleaning agents.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants are expected to be more aware of how regular exposure to various cleaning agents can affect their health and safety and identify safer alternative cleaning agents. 

The Health and Safety in the Workplace Programme was approved by Cabinet early last year. The main objectives of the programme are to protect and promote workers’ safety and health and to enhance the workplace safety culture of the Virgin Islands.