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Cleaning workers training programme to prevent chemical risks. Dolores Romano Mozo. Cleaners’ Seminar 2nd and 3rd December 2009, Brussels . 26/07/2014. Cleaning sector in Spain Training programm of Aragón Other training activities. Cleaning sector in Spain.
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Cleaning workers training programme to prevent chemical risks Dolores Romano Mozo Cleaners’ Seminar 2nd and 3rd December 2009, Brussels 26/07/2014
Cleaning sector in Spain • Training programm of Aragón • Other training activities
Cleaning sector in Spain Companies: 20.646 (Industrial cleaning services) Workers: 469.795 (78% women) Encuesta Anual de Servicios 2007, Instituto Nacional de Estadística Estimated use of chemical products in 2003: 31.000.000 litres
Chemical risk management in cleaning companies: Study: “Identification of chemical risks in the cleaning sector of the Region of Valencia”, CCOO País Valenciá. Cleaning sector Valencia: 1.400 companies 20.000 workers
Representative study: 600 workers of 560 companies interviewed Personal data: age and gender Company data: activities, workers, workers tasks) Information on occupational risks and on chemical risks. Level of information on protective measures.
Results: • 29% hadn’t recieved information on occupational risks. • 59% did not have access to MSDS • 8% said products they used were not labeled • 40% said products transfered to smaller containers were not labeled • 55% did not know simptoms of acute intoxication of the products they use
Results: • 70% did not know simptoms of chronic intoxication of the products they used • 59% did not know emergency measures of the products they used • 45% did not know which protective equipment they should use. • 37% did not use any at all. • 79% had not recieved training on chemical risks
Analysis of SDS of 241 products, containing 353 substances: No R phraseS at all: 70 products (29%) No classification: 84 products (34%) No S phrases: 23 products (10%)
Working conditions: • Excesive rates of work, nonobservance of H&S rules, stress, tiredness, lack of appropriate means to develop the work in a decent, safe and profesional manner. • Many cleaning services are subcontracted: cleaners have difficulties to negotiate better working conditions. • Job insecurity: low wages, high turnover, temporary jobs. • Poor prevention culture in cleaning companies. • Lack of training of employers and workers on occupational risks.
Cleaning workers have more health problems Las limpiadoras padecen el triple de trastornos sobre la salud.
Health problems of women per occupation. cleaning Other manual Not manual Bad health state Bad mental health Restriction of activity Pain “Les desigualtats socials en salut a Catalunya”Centre d’Anàlisis i Programes Sanitaris y Fundació Jaume Bofill, 2003.
Training cleaning workers to prevent chemical risks CC.OO. Aragón 2002/2003
Cleaning worker Rep training programme in Aragón Goals: Raise awareness and provide information about the risks involved in the handling of chemical substances. Facilitate prevention delegates involvement in the prevention of chemical risks. Assist preventin delegates improve health and safety conditions in their workplaces.
11 Prevention delegates from 5 companies, with basic training on H&S (company) and on risk prevention (union).
RESULTS: Participants were able to apply their knowledge to the workplace in a variety of ways, including: - discussing issues with employers - informing other workers of risks and the proposals to prevent them. They learned how to ask the enterprise for information about risks caused by dangerous substances, and how to obtain the labels and safety data sheets of the products and analyse them.
RESULTS: Delegates in two-thirds of the companies presented a proposal to the management for the substitution of dangerous products with lower risk alternatives. Delegates developed a better image of their job and greater confidence to speak with, negotiate and present proposals to their employers.
Guide for the elimination of toxic substances in the cleaning sector
Other activities of CC.OO. Aragón regarding cleaning sector: Leaflets, booklets
Seminars • Colective bargaining • Public tenders
Other activities of ISTAS and CCOO: • State Seminar for prevention delegates in Madrid • Seminars and technical advise in Cantabria • Study of chemical risk in the cleaning sector in Valencia • Articles