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“Safe leather” must mean safe for operators and workers, as well as safe for consumers and safe communities.

Sustainable development of an industry many countries of the globe is today critically dependent on its ability to coexist with nature in a non-intrusive manner Succeeding generation deserve to get earth that is not worse off, if not better off, from the present generation Environment compatibility of industry, therefore, has taken the centre stage Equally relevant is the concern shown by the world community towards the work environment in factories Though laws do exist in all countries of the world for providing a safe and healthy work environment, often for lack of knowledge or resources, these are not effectively implemented.

Tanning hides and skins of animals into leather has been a widely practised industrial activity. Over the years, the tanning industry has declined in industrialised countries for a variety of reasons. At the same time, the characteristics of the tanning industry have been well suited to the needs in emerging economies: high labour intensity, availability of raw material and high added value. By tanning hides and skins, leather manufacturing also contributes to reducing waste generated by the meat industry as well as lowering the price and increasing the availability of meat, which helps tackle malnourishment. 

Anyhow, there are some challenges to fully reap the benefits of the industry. One of them is Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). Due to high unemployment rates in developing countries, it is easy to find workers who will accept any job regardless of the dangers and bad working conditions. In job markets where labour is abundant, employers often do not see the reasons to invest in the improvement of health and safety standards. Such thinking puts the health and lives of employees at risk. Sacrificing OSH standards for economic growth is a careless, immoral and short-sighted approach that backfires in long run causing losses, setbacks, disruptions and numerous complications. 

The leather sector is often leveraged in growing economies to create thousands of jobs and earn foreign currency, but OSH standards are poor due to the lack of structures, organisation and experience. To protect workers and the jobs created by tanneries, special care must be put in raising awareness of the risks and hazards of the leather making process as well as constantly improving working conditions and safety standards. The main reason for this is, of course, to protect human health and life, which is the highest priority and importance in any human activity, and in this case in a well-managed sustainable business. On top of that, any accident or irregularity in tanneries can spoil the perception of leather businesses in the public eye by creating an image of poor conditions of an undeveloped industry. Therefore, to protect lives, the jobs created, the industry’s image and its drive to be the source of solutions not problems, it is in the best interest of the entire leather sector to keep the standards of health and safety in tanneries as high as possible.