General provisions

• Pages: 1-3

1

1. General provisions

1.1. Objectives

1.1.1. The objectives of this code are:

(a) to prevent or reduce the incidence and severity of illness and injury arising from

specified hazardous ambient factors at work;

(b) to protect workers from hazards or risks to safety and health resulting from

exposure to them;

(c) to assist and facilitate the improved management of occupational health issues in or

about the workplace;

thereby enhancing the protection of the general public and the environment.

1.1.2. This code provides guidance on the role and obligations of competent

authorities and the responsibilities, duties and rights of employers, workers and all other

parties involved, with regard to hazardous ambient factors, in particular in:

(a) setting up effective legal and administrative frameworks for the prevention and

reduction of hazards and risks;

(b) the aims of and mechanisms for eliminating, minimizing and controlling hazards;

(c) the assessment of risk and of the measures that need to be taken;

(d) the surveillance of the working environment;

(e) providing information and training to workers.

1.1.3. This code is intended to provide practical guidance on the application of

the provisions of the Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration)

Convention (No. 148), and Recommendation (No. 156), 1977, the Occupational Safety

and Health Convention (No. 155), and Recommendation (No. 164), 1981, the

Occupational Health Services Convention (No. 161), and Recommendation (No. 171),

1985, the Chemicals Convention (No. 170), and Recommendation (No. 177), 1990, and

the Home Work Convention (No. 177), and Recommendation (No. 184), 1996. More

specific guidance on chemicals, particularly classification and labelling, is provided by

the ILO code of practice Safety in the use of chemicals at work (Geneva, 1993). Where

workers are exposed to ionizing radiations as a result of the use of radioactive

chemicals, the provisions of the Radiation Protection Convention (No. 115), and

Recommendation (No. 114), 1960, the ILO code of practice Radiation protection of

workers (ionizing radiations) (Geneva, 1987) and International basic safety standards

for protection against ionizing radiation and for the safety of radiation sources (jointly

sponsored by the FAO, IAEA, ILO, OECD/NEA, PAHO and WHO, hereinafter referred

to as the “Basic safety standards “) apply.