Workplace Chemical Safety: What Workers Need to Know

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

The allegations surrounding Samsung's Vietnam operations raise a wider question about how workers can protect themselves when they don't know what chemicals they are exposed to.

Oct 1, 2026

by Treasure Ayanfe Adetula

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?

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.