Transcript
04/10/23 1
Harmful SubstancesHarmful Substances
Eddie CummingsEddie Cummings
WelcomeWelcome
04/10/23 2
Course AdministrationCourse Administration
Time table
Emergency procedures
Safety & comfort
Mobile phones
Questions
04/10/23 3
Harmful SubstancesHarmful Substances
Any material or substance with the potential to
cause illness or injury to people who come
into contact with it
A substance may be hazardous because it is
explosive, flammable, harmful, irritant,
corrosive, toxic, produces a chemical reaction
or an allergic reaction
04/10/23 4
Harmful SubstancesHarmful Substances
In the UK every year:
2.2 million people suffer work related ill health
6,000 die as a result of work related cancer
500 die from other work related diseases
39 million working days lost
Costs £4 - £6 billion
Figures from HSE
04/10/23 5
Harmful SubstancesHarmful Substances Used directly in the work process
Paints & thinners, solvents, cleaning agents
Generated during the work process
Dust, gases, fumes
Naturally occurring substances
Grain dust, silica, asbestos, flour
Biological Agents
Spores, bacteria, viruses, moulds, fungus
04/10/23 6
Harmful EffectsHarmful Effects
Acute – Chronic
Cancer Asthma Lung disease Skin disease - dermatitis Burns Irritation – skin, eyes, lungs Sensitisation Infectious diseases - hepatitis Neurological damage – lead, mercury Birth defects Impaired fertility
04/10/23 7
Harmful EffectsHarmful Effects
Burns caused by lime powder Cancer causing asbestos dust
Dermatitis from contact with harmful chemicals
04/10/23 8
Second woman dies after drinks mix-up
Ten elderly residents drank some of the rinsing fluid
A second pensioner has died six days after drinking a detergent liquid she was given instead of blackcurrant cordial. The elderly woman, who has not been named, was one of 10 people given dishwasher rinse to drink by mistake at a private care home in Slough, Berkshire.
Joan Walters, 80, died earlier in the week after being taken to Wrexham Park Hospital, Slough. Eight other residents of the Lady Astor Court nursing home were treated after drinking the purple detergent liquid.
A care assistant is believed to have confused two similarly packaged bottles
04/10/23 9
Hallmark Healthcare fined £40,000 + £6,000 costs.
Elderly resident with Alzheimer's drank from a jug containing sodium hydroxide-based liquid. Jug left unattended in an office accessible to residents. Lack of
competence and poor management.
Romney Marsh Potato Co fined £3,000 + £2,100 costs and director N Winmill fined £750 + £528 costs.
Pesticide decanted into a milk carton and stored in an eating area. Worker injured after assuming carton contained orange juice. No safe system of work or training. Director failed to act
04/10/23 10
LegislationLegislation
The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002
The Chemicals (Hazard Information & Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 (CHIPS)
04/10/23 11
The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
“It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees”:
– Safe plant and systems of work
– Safe use, handling, transport, storage of substances and articles
– Provision of information, instruction & training
– Safe place of work including access and egress
– Safe working environment with adequate welfare facilities
– A written safety policy if more than four employees
Further duties extend this requirement to include non employees who may still be affected by the work undertaking
04/10/23 12
The COSHH Regulations 2002The COSHH Regulations 2002
Designed to protect employees and others from the effects of harmful substances
Provides more specific guidance than the general arrangements
Outlines an 8 step approach to managing harmful substances in the workplace
04/10/23 13
The COSHH Regulations 2002The COSHH Regulations 2002
Not included under the COSHH regulations:
Biological agents outside the employers control (flu, colds, measles etc)
Asbestos & Lead
Substances that are hazardous only because they are:– Radioactive– At high pressure– At extreme temperatures
04/10/23 14
The CHIPS Regulations 2002The CHIPS Regulations 2002
CHIP requires the supplier of a dangerous chemical to:
Identify the hazards (dangers) of the chemical, this is known as ‘classification’;
Give information about the hazards to their customers. Suppliers usually provide this information on the package itself (eg a label) and, if supplied for use at work, in a material safety data sheet (MSDS);
Package the chemical safely
04/10/23 15
The 8 Steps to Reducing RiskThe 8 Steps to Reducing RiskStep 1 Assess the risk
Step 2 Decide what precautions are needed
Step 3 Prevent or control exposure
Step 4 Ensure control measures are used
Step 5 Monitor the exposure
Step 6 Carry out health appropriate surveillance
Step 7 Plan for accidents and emergencies
Step 8 Provide employees with information, training and supervision
04/10/23 16
Step 1- Assess the RisksStep 1- Assess the Risks
Identify the hazardous substances present in the workplace:
– Warning labels
– Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
– HSE website – EH40/2005
– Dept of Health
– Trade Associations
– Specialist agencies
04/10/23 17
Chemical Hazard SymbolsChemical Hazard Symbols
Oxidising Agent
Radioactive
Biohazard
Explosive
Toxic
Flammable
Corrosive
Harmful
Harmful to the environment
04/10/23 18
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Legal requirement placed on commercial suppliers of
chemicals and products
16 Headings
Updated as appropriate
Not designed as a risk assessment
Use of Risk Phrases
Not all harmful substances will have a MSDS
04/10/23 19
Difficulties With IdentificationDifficulties With Identification
Unlabelled containers
Substance cannot be detected by our senses
Hazard results from reactions between chemicals
Gradual increases in concentration
Specialist competence required
04/10/23 20
Nursing home faces chemical alert
Thirteen residents had to be evacuated from a nursing home after chlorine-based chemicals were accidentally mixed together. Firefighters were called to the Nyton House Nursing Home, in Aldingbourne, West Sussex, on Wednesday morning to a strong smell of chlorine fumes.
The chemicals had been placed in a bucket, but were removed by fire crews to a sealed container. Four people were treated in hospital for the effects of the fumes.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said it seemed two chlorine-based chemicals used for the swimming pool at the nursing home had been mistakenly mixed together by a workman, causing the release of the fumes
04/10/23 21
Assessing The RiskAssessing The Risk
Describes the likelihood of harm occurring:
Risk = Severity of Harm x Extent of Exposure
04/10/23 22
Exposure - DoseExposure - Dose
Amount Of Substance Method Of Use Form Of Substance Routes Of Entry Length Of Exposure Existing Controls Consider everyone who may be exposed Working environment
04/10/23 23
Amount Of SubstanceAmount Of Substance
Can be difficult to determine
Factors to consider include:
– Varying concentrations over time– Duration of exposure– Accurate measuring of quantities– Changes to form of substance
04/10/23 24
Form Of The SubstanceForm Of The Substance
Solid – Liquid – Gas
Dust The term used for small particles of a solid suspended in the air
Vapour The term used to describe the gaseous state of solids or liquids
Fumes Formed when solid vapours condense in the atmosphere
Mists Small liquid droplets that form when a liquid is atomised
04/10/23 25
Changes Of Physical FormChanges Of Physical Form
Solid To Dust – Asbestos & Hardwood Dust
Liquid To Vapour – Petrol
Solid To Fumes – Lead Oxide, Chlorine gas
Liquid To Mist –Paint Spray, Pesticides
04/10/23 26
Fumes poison workers at animal charity premises
Norfolk animal charity and two of its managers were fined a total of £30,100 and ordered to pay £21,120 costs by Norwich magistrates after three workers were badly affected by inhaling toxic fumes from rat poison.
All parties pleaded guilty to all charges.
04/10/23 27
Routes of Entry Into BodyRoutes of Entry Into Body
Inhalation
Ingestion – Food/Drink
Absorption – Skin/Cuts
Injection
04/10/23 28
Route of Entry!Route of Entry!
04/10/23 29
Step 2 - Decide What Precautions Step 2 - Decide What Precautions are Needed are Needed
Compare existing control measures against recognised management standards:
www.hse.gov.uk/coshhessentials Industry sector best practice Information on Material Safety Data Sheets Information on labels In house policy and guidance Specialist advise and guidance Government advice (Dept of Health, HSE etc)
04/10/23 30
Step 3 – Prevent or Control ExposureStep 3 – Prevent or Control ExposureHierarchy of Controls
Eliminate Substitute Isolation Reduce Exposure – Engineering Controls Reduce Exposure – Procedural Controls Personal Protective Equipment Welfare Facilities
04/10/23 31
Reduce Exposure – Procedural ControlsReduce Exposure – Procedural Controls
Reduce numbers exposed to the hazard Reduce duration of exposure Prohibit eating-drinking-smoking Provide welfare facilities Good personal hygiene Safe storage of harmful substances Safe systems of work for routine and non routine
activities
04/10/23 32
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Use as a last resort if only control measure The hazard remains unaffected It’s effectiveness relies on correct use Only the wearer is protected Effectiveness may be reduced over time Supplied, maintained, cleaned, stored and replaced free of
charge May require specialist fit testing etc May require specialist disposal Can be uncomfortable to wear
04/10/23 33
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
04/10/23 34
Step 4 – Ensure That Control Measures Step 4 – Ensure That Control Measures Are Used And MaintainedAre Used And Maintained
Testing of equipment including PPE Review of Safe Systems of Work Review of Risk Assessments Systems for reporting defects Accident and incident reporting Refresher-Update training
04/10/23 35
Step 5 – Monitor ExposureStep 5 – Monitor Exposure
Mainly concerned with measuring the concentration of hazardous substances in the air likely to be breathed by employees or others
May not be required if other methods of adequately controlling employees exposure can be demonstrated
04/10/23 36
Step 6 – Health SurveillanceStep 6 – Health Surveillance
This is usually only undertaken in specific instances where:
There is an identifiable disease or other identifiable adverse health outcome linked to the work
The disease or health effect may be related to exposure There is a likelihood that the disease or health effect
may occur There are valid techniques for detecting indications of
the disease or health effects exposure to a substance linked to a particular disease or adverse health effects
04/10/23 37
Step 7 – Plan for Accidents and Step 7 – Plan for Accidents and EmergenciesEmergencies
Applies to circumstances where the risk of an accident or emergency involving exposure to a hazardous substance goes beyond the risks associated with normal
day to day work
04/10/23 38
Step 8 – Provide Employees with Suitable Step 8 – Provide Employees with Suitable Information- Instruction - Training Information- Instruction - Training
Legal requirement to provide in a format likely to be understood
Updated as required Based on required level of competency General Approach – Low Level Hazard specific – WELs Provided by a competent person
04/10/23 39
Information-Instruction-TrainingInformation-Instruction-Training
Details of the hazards associated with work Risks created by exposure Significant findings of risk assessments Access to MSDSs Appropriate safety precautions PPE requirements Findings of any health surveillance First aid/emergency arrangements Arrangements for reporting of defects or faults
04/10/23 40
Golden Rules for SafetyGolden Rules for Safety
Always check labels before use Only store in suitable and labelled containers Store chemicals in a secure area
Never mix chemicals without appropriate advice & guidance Always wear appropriate PPE correctly Clear up spillages immediately Follow Safe Systems of Work Report any symptoms of ill health immediately Report any operational or equipment failures
04/10/23 41
Chemicals mix-up could have ended in disaster
A chemical distribution company in Leicestershire found itself in the dock after an employee unwittingly mixed two chemicals together during a routine tidy-up, causing toxic and potentially explosive fumes to billow
around the company’s yard, close to the M1
Worker severely burned by chemical spill
Lack of protective clothing and bad practice led to a broken bottle containing corrosive chemicals severely burning an employee of Wellingborough chemical manufacturer, Mining and Chemical Products.
04/10/23 42
04/10/23 43
QuestionsQuestions
?