Ghs chemicals at work , working on your body

GHS Chemicals at work ,working on your body!

Absorption is the process in which a fluid is dissolved by a liquid or a solid (absorbent). Adsorption is the process in which atoms, ions or molecules from a substance (it could be gas, liquid or dissolved solid) adhere to a surface of the adsorbent. Adsorption is a surface-based

process where a film of adsorbate is created on the surface while absorption involves the entire volume of the absorbing substance.

What Can it Look Like to the rest of the body inside andoutif you ignore thesafetyPlan

What Can it Look Like to the rest of the body inside andoutif you ignore thesafetyPlan

What Can it Look Like to the rest of the body inside andoutif you ignore thesafetyPlan

What Can it Look Like to the rest of the body inside andoutif you ignore thesafetyPlan

Assess, Plan and ProtectOnce you have identified the hazardous chemicals in your workplace you should assess:•the risks that may arise from their use•the extent of the risk. This will allow you to take appropriate risk control measures. The first step in assessing the risks of hazardous chemicals is to read the safety data sheet (SDS). The SDS provides information about the health hazards if it is breathed in, swallowed, or if there is contact with the skin or eyes. It also provides other hazard information such as whether it is flammable or toxic. Assess the extent of the risk and decide how to manage it Once you have assessed what chemicals pose a safety risk in your workplace, you should:•consider how significant the risk is•check if anyone is being exposed to the hazardous chemical and might be◦breathing in fumes or dust◦swallowing them from contaminated hands or face◦getting them on their skin or in their eyes•consider how exposure to hazardous chemicals should be controlled•consider the hazards for storage and handling, and how you might, for example, control ignition sources around flammable substances or ensure reactive chemicals do not interact•decide if exposure monitoring or health monitoring is needed.

Hazardous chemicals are substances that can cause adverse health effects such as poisoning, breathing problems, skin rashes, allergic reactions, allergic sensitisation, cancer, and other health problems from exposure.Many hazardous chemicals are also classified as dangerous goods. These can cause fires, explosions, corrosion, and hazardous reactions if not handled safely.Examples of hazardous chemicals include:• paints• drugs• Cosmetics not all are exempt• cleaning chemicals• degreasers• detergents• gas cylinders• refrigerant gases• pesticides• herbicides• diesel fuel• petrol• liquefied petroleum gas• welding fumes• asbestos• flammable liquids• gases• corrosives• chemically reactive or acutely (highly) toxic substances.

They have separate and combined risks to you and your fellow workers

Workplace hazardous chemicals are substances, mixtures and articles used in the workplace that can be classified according to their health and physicochemical hazards. Health hazards are hazards like skin irritants, carcinogens or respiratory sensitisers that have an adverse effect on a worker’s health as a result of direct contact with or exposure to the chemical, usually through inhalation, skin contact or ingestion. Physicochemical hazards generally result from the physical or chemical properties, like flammable, corrosive, oxidising or explosive substances.

A living document that is addressed regularly

Record your assessment for the risks and develop a risk management plan. Include information on what decisions should be made about the risks, including how they can be avoided and what safety measures should be used. You will need to update this plan regularly and make sure any new chemicals are included. Find out more about workplace health and safety risk management. Outgoing employees who may have been exposed to a carcinogen You must provide a copy of the risk assessment for hazardous chemicals in your workplace to employees who leave your business if they have, or if you suspect they have, been exposed to a carcinogenic substance.

Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants

Workplace exposure standards are airborne concentrations of a particular chemical or substance in the workers’ breathing zone that should not cause adverse health effects or cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers. Exposure standards are legal concentration limits that must be adhered to.A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure that a worker is not exposed to airborne contaminants above the workplace exposure standard. To comply with the Work Health and Safety Regulations, monitoring of workplace contaminant levels for chemicals with exposure standards may need to be carried out if:• there is an uncertainty whether or not the exposure standard has been or

may be exceeded, or • it is necessary to determine whether there is a risk to health. • Records of air monitoring for airborne contaminants must be kept for a

minimum of 30 years, and must be available to workers who are exposed.

Managing risks of airborne contaminants

Exposure to substances or mixtures in the workplace occurs through inhalation, skin contact or by ingestion and can cause serious health issues. Although skin absorption is a significant source of exposure for some chemicals, the majority of exposures occur through inhalation of hazardous chemicals as vapours, dusts, particles, fibres, fumes or gases or combinations of these. A person conducting a business or undertaking must take steps to eliminate or, if the risk cannot be eliminated, minimize the risk of exposure to workers from hazardous chemicals and the risk of exposure to airborne contaminants. The airborne concentration of any substance or mixture hazardous to health must be kept as low as practicable to minimize the risk of health effects. In simple cases the risk of airborne contaminants can be managed through the application of basic controls like increasing ventilation or providing workers with protective equipment. However higher-risk operations which generate airborne contaminants require engineering controls like local exhaust ventilation, fume cupboards, down-flow booths or mechanical extraction. The Industry Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace provides practical guidance on minimizing the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals by implementing the hierarchy of controls. Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants Exposure standards are an important tool in assessing the risk to workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals. Approximately 700 substances and mixtures have regulated exposure standards. For these substances worker exposures are not permitted to exceed the standard. There are also many other hazardous substances and mixtures used in workplaces which do not have an exposure standard. To determine whether an exposure standard is being exceeded, or if there is uncertainty, air monitoring may be required. Health monitoring may also be required for workers who are at risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Note to SELF

What are hazardous substances?Hazardous substances are those that, following worker exposure, can have an adverse effect on health. Examples of hazardous substances include poisons, substances that cause burns or skin and eye irritation, and substances that may cause cancer. Many hazardous substances are also classified as dangerous goods.

E A P risk cycleEliminating and minimizing risksWhen controlling the risks of hazardous chemicals, your first strategy must always be to eliminate the hazard and associated risk. If this is not reasonably practicable, the risk must be minimized by using one or more of the following approaches: substitution isolation engineering controls.Using Administrative controlsIf a risk still remains, it must be minimized with administrative controls (e.g. procedures, employee training, and signs and warning labels), so far as is reasonably practicable. Any remaining risk must be minimized with suitable personal protective equipment (PPE).Administrative control measures and PPE rely on human behaviour and supervision and, when used on their own, tend to be the least effective ways of minimizing risks.

SDS’s will help if your read it, ignore the data and the product may kill you!

• Section 1 – Identification: Product identifier and chemical identity• Section 2 – Hazard(s) identification• Section 3 – Composition and information on ingredients, in accordance with Schedule 8• Section 4 – First-aid measures• Section 5 – Firefighting measures• Section 6 – Accidental release measures• Section 7 – Handling and storage, including how the chemical may be safely used• Section 8 – Exposure controls and personal protection• Section 9 – Physical and chemical properties• Section 10 – Stability and reactivity• Section 11 – Toxicological information• Section 12 – Ecological information• Section 13 – Disposal considerations• Section 14 – Transport information• Section 15 – Regulatory information• Section 16 – Any other relevant information.

Safely managing hazardous chemicals can involve any or all of the below activities:

• Labelling and safety data sheets - identifying hazardous chemicals.• Providing information, training and supervision in evacuation and firefighting procedures.• Controlling fire and explosion risks - through controlling ignition sources such as naked lights, sparks and mobile

phones where flammable atmospheres may exist.• Managing incompatible goods - to prevent hazardous reactions by segregation and separation and managing

leaks and spills.• Selecting, providing and maintaining safety equipment and personal protective equipment.• Storage and handling systems - ensure safe design, location and installation of bulk.• Maintaining storage or handling systems to ensure integrity.• Placarding workplaces with hazardous chemicals in packages stored or handled above the prescribed placarding

quantities • Displaying a clearly visible information placard on tanks (a container having a capacity more than 500 L)

containing hazardous chemicals.• Using documented safety management systems.• Emergency planning - for hazardous chemical hazards and an emergency manifest.• Compressed gas cylinders contain gas stored under significant pressure, presenting a significant hazard in the

workplace.• Abandoned underground tanks or associated pipework is potentially dangerous and can cause explosions

unless suitable procedures are adopted• Pipelines may carry materials that are flammable, explosive, or toxic, which means they can pose a danger to

people and property if a release occurs because of a pipeline failure.• Carcinogens can be found in a variety of industries including manufacturing, construction, scientific research

and healthcare and may cause cancer.

Right Container Right Place All the time

A storage and handling system includes things like: • bottles• packages• cylinders• drums• carboys• intermediate bulk containers (IBCs)• tanks• vessels• reaction vessels• blending and mixing equipment• associated pipework and connections.A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure that a system used at their workplace for the use, handling or storage of hazardous chemicals is used only for the purpose for which it was designed, manufactured, modified, installed or supplied.

Proper storage prevents leaking or breakage which prevents part of the risk

Managing their storage• If you are a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) who

manages the storage of incompatible goods, you must: • identify each of the hazardous chemicals used, stored or handled at the

workplace• recognize goods or other materials that are incompatible• put in place suitable measures to prevent the interaction of incompatible

goods.• You should review the storage and handling information provided in the

safety data sheet (SDS) for each hazardous chemical when identifying incompatible goods.

• After you review the SDS information you should list each incompatible hazardous chemical or other material mentioned and take appropriate measures to keep them apart.

Think and know before you set it down

The factors influencing compatibility are complex and you should consider the following list of issues: • Whether a violent reaction (fire or explosion) between one or more highly reactive chemicals

may occur.• A reaction between two or more spilt goods may release flammable, toxic, or corrosive vapours

or gases. Such reactions may occur rapidly or slowly over time until a build up of a hazardous material occurs, which can then cause an emergency situation.

• Released or spilled goods may deteriorate, contaminate or destroy the packaging materials of another incompatible product to worsen a situation.

• Flammable goods stored next to other toxic or corrosive materials may catch fire causing rapid dispersal of the toxic or corrosive materials into the environment.

• Flammable materials may catch fire and cause flame impingement on products stored nearby (e.g. gas cylinders) resulting in rupturing of the gas cylinder.

• Fire suppression media suitable for one type of hazardous chemical may be incompatible with another hazardous chemical stored in the same area.

• How the materials used in the construction of spill catchment systems will react with hazardous chemicals spilt in the catchment (e.g. hydrochloric acid will rapidly corrode concrete walls used as a spill containment system unless a protective coating is used (e.g. chemical resistant epoxy resin).

3 m rule is in place in some casesWhen segregating hazardous chemicals the following methods are generally used: • segregate using distance or by using inert materials

– segregate using cut-off/partitioned storage areas• segregate using detached storage• ensure that incompatible goods are not stored above one another.Using distance or inert materials• You can use distance or inert (mutually compatible) materials between incompatible goods when

materials will not react violently together. A minimum separation distance of 3m will generally be suitable for most hazardous chemicals that are dangerous goods of packing group III.

• You should take extra care with those hazardous chemicals that are equivalent to dangerous goods assigned to packing group II, as these can be more reactive or more dangerous in other ways (e.g. highly toxic). Where one or more of the incompatible goods are assigned to packing group II, or if they may react dangerously, a minimum segregation distance of 5m is recommended.

• 'React dangerously' means reactions that create a hazard because they: • are violent• produce an explosion• produce a potentially explosive combination of products• produce a fire or rapid evolution of heat• produce toxic vapour or toxic gas.

Storing hazardous with non-hazardous chemicals• When storing hazardous chemicals, it is important to also consider that adverse reactions can arise between these

and other materials that are not hazardous. Some examples of incompatibility between hazardous chemicals and common products include:

• metals that react adversely with some corrosive chemicals (e.g. strong acids) to give off flammable hydrogen gas• aqueous (water containing) solutions (e.g. detergents) can react adversely with dangerous when-wet substances

(e.g. calcium carbide) to give off flammable and or toxic gases and heat• combustible products (e.g. saw dust, paper, timber products, asphalt, organic fibres) can react with oxidizing

agents• organic peroxides that react violently even with small traces of zinc, copper, iron, combustible materials and other

contaminants.

Storing small quantities of hazardous chemicals• There are times where it may not be practicable to store smaller and aggregate quantities of hazardous chemicals

apart by 3m or more (e.g. retail places, laboratory work benches and cabinets).• However you must still manage the risk from incompatible goods. Incompatible goods must not be stored either

vertically or horizontally on the same shelves.• Control measures may include: • segregate goods using a liquid tight partition between incompatible materials• segregate incompatible materials in different fire-rated, self-bunded chemical storage cabinets• store incompatible materials on different shelves to ensure they do not come into contact• store glass bottles on lower shelves to minimize breakage• ensure liquid goods are not placed above solids and powders.

Compatible goods guidance notes

• In most cases materials of the same class will be compatible. However, not all materials with different UN Numbers will always be compatible. The SDS should be checked.

• In many cases the goods will be compatible. Must check for subsidiary risk compatibility and the SDS.• If one of the goods present is also a fire risk substance (one of class 2.1, 3, 4, 5, a combustible liquid or has a

subsidiary risk of one of these) or elevated temperature goods, segregation is required by at least 3 m or more. Sub-risk MUST be considered. Other exceptions apply. Check the SDS.

• Not all class 5.1 goods are compatible as follows:– Ammonium nitrate is not compatible with tetranitromethane, dichloroisocyanuric acid, any bromate, chlorate,

chlorite, hypochlorites, or chloroisocyanurate, or any inorganic nitrate.– Calcium hypochlorite (and its mixtures) are incompatible with dichloroisocyanuric acid, ammonium nitrate, or any

chloroisocyanurate.• Organic peroxides are highly reactive materials. Please check the SDS to ensure compatibility.• Where one of the goods to be stored together is a concentrated strong acid and the other a concentrated

strong alkali, they should be deemed incompatible.• Class 4.3 goods must not be stored next to goods that are in a solution containing water, or where water or

foam is the chosen firefighting/spill/leak dispersal or suppression media for the storage area.• Except where the class 6.1 is cyanide and the class 8 an acid. Check the SDS.• Toxic gases ammonia and chlorine must be segregated due to risk of explosion. It is important to refer to

the SDS for incompatibilities within this class division. It is strongly recommended that each different toxic gas (Class 2.3) be segregated unless information in the SDS says otherwise.

Other guidance notes • Class 2 dangerous goods (i.e. gases) are generally not recommended to be stored with any other class of dangerous

goods particularly flammable dangerous goods due to the risk of flame impingement and overpressurisation of cylinders. Corrosive goods can cause corrosion damage to the gas cylinder walls and thus should be kept away from class 2. In a fire situation, gas cylinders need to have copious quantities of water applied to keep them cool. Toxic gases are stored away from other gases to minimize the release of toxic gases in a fire with other gases.

• Class 6.1 dangerous goods are not recommended to be stored with fire risk goods or gas cylinders. In the event of a fire, the toxic material will be liberated and may be spread more effectively due to the heat of the fire or explosion of gas cylinders.

• Two or more goods within the same class with incompatible subsidiary risk should be kept apart.• The packing group (PG) of dangerous goods denotes the magnitude of danger the material poses from its hazard. PG I is

most dangerous. PG II these are more dangerous than PG III. If one of the incompatible materials is a PG I or II dangerous goods it is recommended that a greater segregation distance or other means of segregation is employed.

• If class 4.3 dangerous goods are stored or handled care needs to be taken to segregate these away from all containers of aqueous (water containing) solutions even if the solutions are not dangerous goods. The areas these materials are stored in must not be serviced by a water based fire suppression system.

• If one of the incompatible goods is a liquid OR a solid that is likely to melt from the heat of a fire, separate spill catchment systems or means of separating the incompatible goods must be considered. Solid dangerous goods should not be stored in direct contact with floor surface to avoid contact with liquids.

• Fire rated walls constructed of appropriate impervious, chemically resistant materials may be used if provided with an FRL of 240/240/240. Timber structures are not appropriate barriers.

• In the case of incompatible gases in cylinders intended for use in welding (such as acetylene and oxygen), these gases may be stored together in a purpose built cradle and separated when not in use for extended periods of time.

• For oxidizing agents: Although only dangerous goods and combustible liquids feature in the compatibility chart care must also be taken to segregate oxidizers from those dangerous goods and other materials that are combustible in nature (e.g. polymeric beads, cotton bales, excess packing materials). Chlorine and some other halogens are considered potent oxidizers even though their class and assigned with any oxidizing agent subsidiary risk under the dangerous goods classification system.

So in the end it is about the big picture