There are rigid legal requirements regarding the proper safety using chemicals in the workplace and there is a good reason for this. It is vital to observe these in their entirety, mainly for the safety of the employees and staff, but also for the moral conscience and good reputation of the company. There are too many hazards to list them all separately, so find out what chemicals are used where you work, preferably before starting, and what measures are taken to ensure employee safety. Each chemical is distinctive and every country has different laws, but even if the law does not oblige a company to take certain safety measures, that does not mean they can not do so anyway.
With around 7 million different chemicals and an estimated 400 million tons produced each year the dangers can not be underestimated.
The truth about working with chemicals, and therefore how to protect against the dangers, is frightening. The long-term, and in some cases, even short-term, effects of many chemicals are unknown, making safety a problem, so extra measures, rather than fewer are preferable.Deciding factors in safety measures are; what type of danger is there; dust, solid, vapor, liquid and gas and how they can enter or damage the body, i.e. Inhalation, entering through the lungs; absorption, through the skin; ingestion, through the mouth.
Masks, "space suits" or whatever items may prevent chemicals entering should not only be provided, but should be checked and replaced regularly. A wonderful total body suit and helmet is of no use if there is even a tiny hole through which a chemical can enter, and once inside, the damage is done.
Regular medical check-ups should be mandatory for any worker who comes into contact, however briefly, with any dangerous chemical.
Employees expected to have contact with dangerous chemicals should receive sufficient training before being allowed near the chemical.
It is also important that the company checks regularly for leaks or spillage.
If left unattended these could do untold damage.One important factor, often overlooked is washing. The business should provide protective clothing, which is "washed" within the company - not taken home and put in the machine with the babies clothes. Showering facilities for employees should be on-site, eliminating the risk of transporting the toxin elsewhere.
It is also important for employers to talk to employees in a language they can understand, and I do not mean French, Spanish etc, but rather using non-technical terms and phrases. Not everyone exposed to chemicals are nuclear chemists.
To sum up, yes the company is responsible, but only up to the point of the law. A company may feel a moral obligation or none at all, so employees must find out for themselves what the risks are and ensure adequate measures are taken.