The rights of workers and toxic chemical exposure | UN calls for submissions

The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Hazardous Substances and Wastes report to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2018 will focus on the rights of workers and toxic chemical exposure. For this reason, the Special Rapporteur is calling for submissions from civil society organizations, academic organizations, and business sector representatives

According to the ILO, nearly two million workers per year – or three workers per minute – die prematurely from non-communicable diseases such as cancer and respiratory illnesses brought on by toxic exposures in the workplace.  Global supply chains are often implicated for both failing to protect workers from toxic exposures and refusing to provide an effective remedy for individuals harmed. Poverty, gender, age, ethnicity and migration are among the many themes that frequently recur in cases of workers and toxic harms.

As detailed in the information note enclosed, (English, Spanish) the UN Special Rapporteur intention in this study will be to map the main challenges faced in the protection of workers from hazardous substances in various contexts and the main international and national legal and institutional instruments relevant to promote their protection. As a result the study will provide recommendations on the integration of human rights norms into international and national efforts to ensure occupational health and safety.