SATRA is helping companies worldwide avoid health and safety problems with a new publication titled Hazardous Substances in Factories.

It identifies and details potential risks from solvents and chemicals commonly used to make consumer products such as footwear and apparel – examples of which are regularly tested at the UK technology centre.

The publication is aimed chiefly at companies sourcing footwear and similar products from different parts of the world, but it will also benefit key personnel responsible for the health and safety of employees.

The guide describes the hazards, shows how to undertake a risk assessment when auditing a factory and offers practical guidance on reducing these risks. It also defines exposure limits for various solvents and how to measure them.

‘This is a valuable tool with which educate operatives and managers to ensure best practice and high standards of health and safety throughout supplier factories’, says SATRA assistant director Peter Perkins.