Occupational health and the environment, in the crosshairs of the wood sector

Among the materials of such action, aimed at employers in the sector, the 'information guide on REACH', which aims to provide guidance on the legal obligations of the REACH (registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals and substances) to facilitate their proper implementation has developedto achieve an improvement in the safety and health of workers, environmental improvement and increase of enterprise competitiveness through a proper manufacture and marketing of products to facilitate its subsequent use and manipulation in safe conditions.

In addition he has edited the guide ' data sheets for safety and labelling of chemicals according to REACH regulation and Regulation (classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures) CLP', with the aim of providing basic information about the new legislation introduced by Regulation (EC) No. 1272 / 2008 on classificationlabelling and packaging of substances and mixtures to the main tools of risk communication.

On the other hand the 'Prevention of accidents' Guide in order that companies implement actions to prevent accidents and long-term illness has been published in the handling of chemicals. Actions which must undergo a follow-up and continuous improvement to integrate the safety of workers, quality and protection of the environment through appropriate work procedures and instructions.

For more information about the development project ' labour Ecohealth addressed to entrepreneurs of the wood industry ', the general Secretary of Confemadera, Paula Francesc Pons has given to the timber industry Interempresas the following interview.

Currently, the employer of the wood has enough information on the hazards of chemical substances in their day to day?

The channels of information in the field of prevention of occupational hazards in our sector are varied because the Confederation is committed to occupational health in the industry in all areas, from the occupational safety, ergonomics and psycho-sociology and industrial hygiene. All the work that we undertake from the Confederacy pursued as ultimate goal promote a genuine culture of prevention, and that can only be achieved with a strategy of training and information to employers and employees.

However, enough to transmit the theoretical information companies, is not necessary to provide didactic and practical tools to facilitate the implementation of the legislation and regulations that they be applicable in each case to the extent possible. Let us not forget that the wood and furniture sector is comprised of a wide variety of companies of different typology and characteristics, from the mill to the manufacture of furniture.

In this regard, had been detected that chemical substances was a field where we should focus, given that his employment is common in many of the productive processes of the subsectors of the wood.

"In Confemadera we have to continue betting to develop a significant role in the promotion of prevention in" "winches to three areas: training, information and awareness-raising"

Currently, the employer and the worker of the sector are more aware and concerned about the prevention of occupational risks?

No doubt the prevention of occupational risks has given a very important twist. Legislation have regulated and regulated increasingly more aspects relating to safety and occupational health, which leads associated some duties and obligations which have to meet both employers and workers. The latest data of accidents in the wood and furniture sector we can deduce that Yes means are being so that the management of prevention will no longer be somewhat theoretical and jump to a practical level: according to the report drawn up within the framework of the Industrial wood Observatory, consisting of Confemadera, the trade unions Fecoma-CCOO and MCA-UGT, the Federation of organizations of innovation and technology (FEDIT) and the Ministry of industry, tourism and Commerce (MITYC), accidents have experienced a steady downtrend since 2005:

 How do you respond sector initiatives such as this?

In general it and all the initiatives that we carry out since Confemadera have a great reception. This project and a few others as the 'Guide on prevention of occupational risks in the Sector of wood', the ' Guide on the adaptation to the RD 1215 / 97 in the Timber Sector', 'Conditions of the area of work in the Sector of furniture' and 'Improvement of the prevention of the noise in the wood and furniture industry', as well as several audiovisual materials: Prevemad and wood without risks! they have been material driven from the Commission of health labor of the Convention State timber, composed of Confemadera and the most representative trade unions in our sector, Fecoma-CC.OO and UGT-MCA. It is therefore of joint projects which provide rigour and who have a great impact among employers, workers and other actors related to the prevention.

What is missing to the Spanish industry of wood in prevention of occupational risks? (interest, knowledge, awareness...)

In general in the Spanish industry, not only in the wood and furniture, should continue to work for the prevention of occupational hazards. Still have much to do and we cannot accept us with a decline in accidents, although no doubt help us to continue forward. Our aim must be to minimize the risks to eliminate work-related accidents. So we must continue investing in developing, as patron of the wood and furniture, a significant role in the promotion of prevention initiatives in three areas: training, information and awareness-raising.