Proper Safety when Working with Chemicals

There are rigid legal requirements regarding the proper safety using chemicals in the workplace and there is a good reason for this. It is vital to observe these in their entirety, mainly for the safety of the employees and staff, but also for the moral conscience and good reputation of the company. There are too many hazards to list them all separately, so find out what chemicals are used where you work, preferably before starting, and what measures are taken to ensure employee safety. Each chemical is distinctive and every country has different laws, but even if the law does not oblige a company to take certain safety measures, that does not mean they can not do so anyway.

With around 7 million different chemicals and an estimated 400 million tons produced each year the dangers can not be underestimated.

The truth about working with chemicals, and therefore how to protect against the dangers, is frightening. The long-term, and in some cases, even short-term, effects of many chemicals are unknown, making safety a problem, so extra measures, rather than fewer are preferable.

Deciding factors in safety measures are; what type of danger is there; dust, solid, vapor, liquid and gas and how they can enter or damage the body, i.e. Inhalation, entering through the lungs; absorption, through the skin; ingestion, through the mouth.

Masks, "space suits" or whatever items may prevent chemicals entering should not only be provided, but should be checked and replaced regularly. A wonderful total body suit and helmet is of no use if there is even a tiny hole through which a chemical can enter, and once inside, the damage is done.

Regular medical check-ups should be mandatory for any worker who comes into contact, however briefly, with any dangerous chemical.

Employees expected to have contact with dangerous chemicals should receive sufficient training before being allowed near the chemical.

It is also important that the company checks regularly for leaks or spillage.

If left unattended these could do untold damage.

One important factor, often overlooked is washing. The business should provide protective clothing, which is "washed" within the company - not taken home and put in the machine with the babies clothes. Showering facilities for employees should be on-site, eliminating the risk of transporting the toxin elsewhere.

It is also important for employers to talk to employees in a language they can understand, and I do not mean French, Spanish etc, but rather using non-technical terms and phrases. Not everyone exposed to chemicals are nuclear chemists.

To sum up, yes the company is responsible, but only up to the point of the law. A company may feel a moral obligation or none at all, so employees must find out for themselves what the risks are and ensure adequate measures are taken.

Proper Safety Training when Working with Chemicals

Becoming properly and expertly trained before working with chemicals is very important. In some cases the company will provide this training, in others, businesses look for people already trained.

If you do not feel the training has totally prepared you for whatever field you intend to work in, look for more guidance. This is not an area where "I'm sure it will be all right" applies. Chemicals can kill, and you must feel comfortable in your knowledge before approaching them.

Training can be divided into different areas, although many basics apply to all the ways you can come into contact with chemicals. You can learn to handle and use chemicals, transport or store them, work with them, or dispose of them. The specific training depends on the type of job you intend to do. Obviously learning to dispose of chemicals, where you may have to pour them into something is not the same as driving along a road with tons of them sitting behind you.

There are some basic things that apply to anyone having contact with any chemical; stability, i.e.

how it reacts to the environment or movement; how each chemical can enter the body, eg. Inhalation, by breathing it in, (and this depends on what form it takes, dust liquid etc.); - what risks are associated with it, i.e. does it make you scratch or do you die or become paralyzed; are the risks long-term or short-term, i.e. you feel fine today, but in 10 years time what will happen?

Training should teach people how to handle, use and dispose, but it should also include how to deal with accidents quickly and effectively. The amount of damage done in the case of a spill can often depend on the amount of time the chemical is "free".

If it is cleared up quickly and the leak sealed off, there will be a smaller quantity around to do damage. It will have covered a smaller area and maybe less people will have been affected. It should also include some first aid, or emergency response procedures, as these can be vital in making a difference while waiting for the authorities to send an ambulance and expert team.

You will learn about "toxicology", "the study of adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms". This prepares you for the worst and hopefully helps prevent it.

You should find out what is available in your area, as many countries offer free training as part of a "health and safety" campaign, and you can not learn too much where safety is concerned.

Safety Measures When Working With Chemicals

There are rigid legal requirements regarding the proper safety using chemicals in the workplace and there is a good reason for this. It is vital to observe these in their entirety, mainly for the safety of the employees and staff, but also for the moral conscience and good reputation of the company. There are too many hazards to list them all separately, so find out what chemicals are used where you work, preferably before starting, and what measures are taken to ensure employee safety. Each chemical is distinctive and every country has different laws, but even if the law does not oblige a company to take certain safety measures, that does not mean they can not do so anyway.

With around 7 million different chemicals and an estimated 400 million tons produced each year the dangers can not be underestimated. The truth about working with chemicals, and therefore how to protect against the dangers, is frightening. The long-term, and in some cases, even short-term, effects of many chemicals are unknown, making safety a problem, so extra measures, rather than fewer are preferable.

Deciding factors in safety measures are; what type of danger is there; dust, solid, vapor, liquid and gas and how they can enter or damage the body, i.e. Inhalation, entering through the lungs; absorption, through the skin; ingestion, through the mouth.

Masks, "space suits" or whatever items may prevent chemicals entering should not only be provided, but should be checked and replaced regularly. A wonderful total body suit and helmet is of no use if there is even a tiny hole through which a chemical can enter, and once inside, the damage is done.

Regular medical check-ups should be mandatory for any worker who comes into contact, however briefly, with any dangerous chemical.

Employees expected to have contact with dangerous chemicals should receive sufficient training before being allowed near the chemical.

It is also important that the company checks regularly for leaks or spillage. If left unattended these could do untold damage.

One important factor, often overlooked is washing. The business should provide protective clothing, which is "washed" within the company - not taken home and put in the machine with the babies clothes. Showering facilities for employees should be on-site, eliminating the risk of transporting the toxin elsewhere.

It is also important for employers to talk to employees in a language they can understand, and I do not mean French, Spanish etc, but rather using non-technical terms and phrases. Not everyone exposed to chemicals are nuclear chemists.

To sum up, yes the company is responsible, but only up to the point of the law. A company may feel a moral obligation or none at all, so employees must find out for themselves what the risks are and ensure adequate measures are taken.