Participants at a Chemical Safety and Security Management Course held in Argentina.
Nineteen participants from the Latin America and Caribbean region recently participated in a course on chemical safety and security in Argentina. Organised by the OPCW in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI), in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the course was conducted from 15 to 19 June 2015 for laboratory personnel from OPCW Member States in the region.
Conducted on site at INTI headquarters, the course was opened by Ambassador Carolina Pérez Colman, Under-Secretary for External Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina; Mr Sergio Pérez Gunella, Executive Secretary of the National Authority of Argentina; and Ing. Daniel Lupi, Executive Director, INTI.
Based on a ‘train the trainers’ approach, the objective of the training course was to build the capacity of regional national laboratories within OPCW Member States to mentor and support laboratories in the region to carry out relevant obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The course delivered content related to the implementation of safety and security procedures in laboratories, with a focus on on-site safety standards and the handling of chemicals and microbiological agents.
Participants were comprised of professionals involved in the application of occupational safety practices in public and private entities which have chemical, physical and microbiological laboratories. OPCW Member States that participated included Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.