Most countries that manufacture fertilizers have introduced regulatory initiatives to reinforce safety over the years

Most countries that manufacture fertilizers have introduced regulatory initiatives to reinforce safety over the years, in particular:

• Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) adopted by the United States in 1970. The resulting annual US benchmarking index compares the safety performance of the different fertilizer manufacturers.

• Directive (91/115/EEC) and its amendment (93/112/EEC) implemented in the European Community, define the safety information to be given on fertilizer products, as well as the way in which it must be expressed.

• Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies on a Local Level (APELL) is a programme developed by UNEP in conjunction with governments and industry with the purpose of minimizing the occurrence and harmful effects of technological accidents and environmental emergencies.
  The strategy of the APELL approach is to identify and create awareness of risks in an industrialized community, to initiate measures for risk reduction and mitigation, and to develop coordinated preparedness between the industry, the local authorities and the local population.

Since 1950, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shared a common definition of occupational health:

"Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job."

Occupational safety and health involves the protection of the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The concept can also be expanded to include the protection of:

• co-workers,
• family members,
• employers,
• customers,
• suppliers,
• nearby communities,
• other members of the public who are impacted by industrial activities.
•                   IFA developed a series of 12 principles for use in fertilizer operations globally.
  
  All members shall:
  
• demonstrate leadership and management commitment with regards to safety, security, health and environmental issues in fertilizer production, distribution and sales;
• strive for zero harm and adverse environmental impact whilst maintaining a healthy work place for all employees and contractual staff. 
• All members shall ensure that safety, security, health and environment issues are integrated into their corporate policy and receive the utmost importance and priority;
• ensure adequate financial and human resources for continual improvement of safety, security, health and the environment performance.
• All members shall comply with local safety, security, health and environmental laws and strive to embrace international laws and best practices as much as possible;
• establish and improve their safety, security, health and environmental performance through annual objectives, targets or key performance indicators.
• All members shall establish adequate procedures and controls to ensure that safety, security, health and environment are not jeopardized at any time or in any form;
• ensure that all employees and contractual staff have the right competence and are adequately trained and informed about safety, security, health and environment related to their specific activities, and shall encourage the participation of employees and contractual staff for further improvements. 
• All members shall adhere to the principles of hazard and risk assessment in evaluating all their activities to ensure that safety, security, health and environment standards are continually enhanced;
• strive to subscribe to safety, security, health and environment management systems that will be subjected to internal and external auditing. 
• All members shall voluntarily share information with regards to experiences and lessons related to safety, health and the environment with all employees and contractual staff, and with other IFA members, unless under legal constraints or if the information is of proprietary nature;
• strive to continually promote safety, security, health and environmental matters to enhance the social responsibility and accountability of the global fertilizer industry.

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