The Manufacturing Group’s Third Standard: Worker Safety Issues
Introduction:
This is an ongoing documentation of a series of dialogs between members of our Manufacturing Group, charged with the task of developing exceptional standards for jewelry manufacturing. Follow this link, https://fairjewelry.org/madison-dialogue-manufacturing-committee for full review of past discussions. The entire principles and standards document can be found here.
In this portion, I introduce the Third Standard, Worker Safety. This was accepted by the group as is, with only one comment, a strong endorsement of the entire process from a Project Head of Fairmade Jewelry, Vukani-Ubuntu, South Africa which is represented in our group by Mari Lee.
~Marc Choyt, Publisher, Fairjewelry.org
Marc Choyt Wrote:
Let us now consider the next standard: Safety.
I’ve been away for two weeks, but now hope to continue to move this forward at the previous pace. Below my signature, please find the proposed principle and standard.
Thank you for your ongoing consideration.
Sincerely,
Marc
WORKER SAFETY
Introductory Comments:
The amount of investment required to have a completely safe shop is considerable. In all countries around the world, regardless of economic status, jewelry continues to be made in such a way as to be harmful to workers.
In the developing world, non-toxic alternatives are often not available, they are too expensive, or they are not as efficient to use by piece workers. Resistance to change can be fierce, because a producer develops a strong relationship with his materials that increases his efficiency over time.
Recognizing the many variables, some of these requirements need to be viewed as goals with timetables, allowing a plant to work toward these improvements over time.
Principle
Employers will provide safe working conditions, ensuring training and monitoring are ongoing to uphold continual improvement in this regard.
Standard
Minimum Requirements for all fair made products:
3.1: Within two months, the dangers of all chemicals used in production are known by those who purchase them.
3.2: Within three months, the dangers of working with all materials are fully explained to, and understood by, the workers.
3.3: Within six months, minimum safeguards are put in place, such as at least some passive ventilation in soldering areas.
3.4: When less toxic compounds and chemicals are affordably available, they will gradually replace more harmful ones.
Intermediate requirements:
3.5i: Management develops awareness tools and visual guides on all safety issues.
3.6i: Active ventilation systems are put in place, including fans or other systems that remove toxins that result from soldering and finishing.
3.7i: Masks are provided and required for those who work in buffing areas.
3.8i: A handbook is created which outlines dangerous issues.
3.9i: All new employees are trained and given a handbook outlining the dangers of compounds and chemicals.
Progressive requirements:
3.10p: All compounds, fluxes and chemicals are evaluated. Those which are more harmful or dangerous are changed out for those that are less harmful or dangerous.
Flicka Goslett, Umjindi Jewellery Project Head, wrote to Demos Tukulas, who forwarded this on to Marc Choyt:
We agree we all Principles and Standards. We comply with all of them except in the area of a specific handbook in respect of safety issues. Signage is not expensive – as laminated Photostats of relevant topics could and should be displayed in work areas.
An economically viable handbook should be produced – possibly even with a mother tongue translation like some of the cookbooks printed in the past with recipes in English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Sotho and Xhosa. Even the ISO handbook comes with a Zulu translation.
