Can Workers Protect Themselves From Chemicals They Don't Know About?

Can a worker protect themselves from a chemical hazard they don't know exists?

That question sits at the centre of allegations surrounding Samsung Electronics' manufacturing operations in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, where a former environmental safety officer claimed workers were exposed to hazardous chemicals and that safety problems weren't adequately addressed.

In April 2023, Rest of World reported that the Bac Ninh factory employed about 16,000 workers and produced around 100 million smartphones a year at the time.

Even though Samsung rejected those claims, saying that it “strictly complies with environmental and safety laws and regulations,” those allegations haven't disappeared.

In January 2026, UN human rights experts raised concerns about Samsung's chemical management and environmental pollution in Vietnam, including possible implications for workers' right to health and to work in a non-toxic environment.

The case raises a broader workplace-safety question: what information should workers have about the chemicals they handle, and what should employers do to help them understand and manage the risks?

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What Chemical Exposure Can Do to Workers

Chemical exposure at work doesn't always produce an obvious injury. Some effects can appear immediately, while others may develop after repeated or prolonged exposure.

Dr Tobi Joshua, a medical doctor who spoke to Techloy about workplace chemical safety, said the potential health effects can range from relatively immediate problems to serious long-term disease.

“Regular and long-term exposure to chemicals can cause a range of problems, from eye and skin irritation, burns, respiratory diseases, and even certain cancers, including lung, bladder and blood cancers,” he said.

The exact risk depends on the substance involved, the amount a worker is exposed to, and how long that exposure continues. The World Health Organisation similarly notes that hazardous chemicals can cause both acute and chronic health effects, including respiratory, reproductive, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, as well as cancer.

The International Labour Organisation has also described occupational exposure to toxic chemicals as a global health concern, linking exposure to diseases, cancers, poisonings and other injuries. That's why chemical safety starts with workers knowing what they are dealing with.

What Should Workers Know About Chemicals at Work?

Chemical transparency should mean more than giving workers a list of substances or a safety data sheet and leaving them to figure out the rest.

Dr Joshua said workers should understand the chemicals they are handling, their potential side effects, how exposure can occur, how the substances should be handled and stored, and what to do if something goes wrong.

The ILO's Chemicals Convention says employers should inform workers about the hazards associated with chemical exposure and train them to use labels and chemical safety data sheets.