Preface

• Pages: V-IX

V

Preface

This ILO code of practice provides workers, employers

and governments with global guidelines — based on inter-

national labour standards and established best practice —

for addressing specific occupational hazards.

The code, which deals with the production of metal in

bulk, focuses on foundries and on the production of primary

non-ferrous metals, including from recycled material. It

does not deal with mining, nor does it address the fabrica-

tion of commercial products made from non-ferrous metals.

This code was adopted unanimously by a Meeting of

Experts on Safety and Health in the Non-ferrous Metals In-

dustries, held in Geneva from 28 August to 4 September

2001. The good spirit of cooperation among all participants

paved the way for developing a consensus on a comprehen-

sive and practical code that, if it is widely applied, will be

useful for all who work in the non-ferrous metals industries.

The Governing Body of the ILO approved the publication

of the code at its 282nd

Session (November 2001).

The code begins by setting out the general principles of

prevention and protection, including the duties of regu-

latory authorities, employers and workers. This first part

covers a range of topics, including risk assessment, risk

management, training, and workplace and health surveil-

lance. The main part of the code identifies and examines a

range of physical hazards that are commonly encountered

during the production of non-ferrous metals. These include

noise, vibration, heat stress, radiation, confined spaces, dust

and chemicals. Separate chapters deal with furnaces, mol-

ten metal and recycling.