TheInternationalProgrammefortheImprovementofWorkingConditionsandEnvironment(PIACT)waslaunchedbytheInternationalLabourOrganisationin1976attherequestoftheInternationalLabourConferenceandafterextensiveconsultationswithmemberStates.PACTisdesignedtopromoteorsupportactionbymemberStatestosetandattaindefiniteobjectivesaimingat"makingworkmorehuman".TheProgrammeisthusconcernedwithimprovingthequalityofworkinglifeinallitsaspects:forexample,thepreventionofoccupationalaccidentsanddiseases,awiderapplicationoftheprinciplesofergonomics,thearrangementofworkingtime,theimprovementofthecontentandorganisationofworkandofconditionsofworkingeneral,agreaterconcernforthehumanelementinthetransferoftechnology.Toachievetheseaims,PIACTmakesuseofandco-ordinatesthetraditionalmeansofILOaction,including:–thepreparationandrevisionofinternationallabourstandards;–operationalactivities,includingthedispatchofmultidisciplinaryteamstoassistmemberStatesonrequest;–tripartitemeetingsbetweenrepresentativesofgovernments,employersandworkers,includingindustrialcommitteestostudytheproblemsfacingmajorindustries,regionalmeetingsandmeetingsofexperts;–action-orientedstudiesandresearch;and–clearing-houseactivities,especiallythroughtheInternationalOccupationalSafetyandHealthInformationCentre(CIS)andtheClearing-housefortheDisseminationofInformationonConditionsofWork.ThispublicationistheoutcomeofaPIACTproject.Coverphotographs:ExxonChemical'sethyleneplant,Fife(Scotland).PreventionofmajorindustrialaccidentsAnILOcodeofpracticePreventionofmajorindustrialaccidentsAnILOcontributiontotheInternationalProgrammeonChemicalSafetyofUNEP,theILOandtheWHO(IPCS)InternationalLabourOfficeGenevaCopyright©InternationalLabourOrganization1991Firstpublished1991PublicationsoftheInternationalLabourOfficeenjoycopyrightunderProtocol2oftheUniversalCopyrightConvention.Nevertheless,shortexcerptsfromthemmaybereproducedwithoutauthorisation,onconditionthatthesourceisindicated.Forrightsofreproductionortranslation,applicationshouldbemadetothePublicationsBranch(RightsandPermissions),InternationalLabourOffice,CH-1211Geneva22,Switzerland.TheInternationalLabourOfficewelcomessuchapplications.ThedesignationsemployedinILOpublications,whichareinconformitywithUnitedNationspractice,andthepresentationofmaterialthereindonotimplytheexpressionofanyopinionwhatsoeveronthepartoftheInternationalLabourOfficeconcerningthelegalstatusofanycountry,areaorterritoryorofitsauthorities,orconcerningthedelimitationofitsfrontiers.Theresponsibilityforopinionsexpressedinsignedarticles,studiesandothercontributionsrestssolelywiththeirauthors,andpublicationdoesnotconstituteanendorsementbytheInternationalLabourOfficeoftheopinionsexpressedinthem.ReferencetonamesoffirmsandcommercialproductsandprocessesdoesnotimplytheirendorsementbytheInternationalLabourOffice,andanyfailuretomentionaparticularfirm,commercialproductorprocessisnotasignofdisapproval.ILOpublicationscanbeobtainedthroughmajorbooksellersorILOlocalofficesinmanycountries,ordirectfromILOPublications,InternationalLabourOffice,CH-1211Geneva22,Switzerland.Acatalogueorlistofnewpublicationswillbesentfreeofchargefromtheaboveaddress.PrintedinSwitzerlandIRLILOPreventionofmajorindustrialaccidentsGeneva,InternationalLabourOffice,1991/Codeofpractice/,/occupationalsafety/,/occupationalaccident/s,/hazard/s,/industrialenterprise/s.13.04.2ISBN92-2-10710...