There are countless chemicals used today in workplaces, factories, and organisations across a wide of sectors. Skin exposure, inhalation, or ingestion of harmful chemicals can have severe consequences for human health and life – a chemical burn, for example, can range from mild to serious. On the other hand, exposure to chemicals can have long-term and even fatal consequences such as cancer. Hazardous chemicals include acids, pesticides, solvents or disinfectants, or even paint thinner and car battery water.
Whenever you use chemicals, it is imperative to know how to use safely them to ensure you protect yourself and others. Here are five valuable tips for safely working with chemicals in your workplace.
- Know the Chemicals You Use
First thing’s first: you must know what chemicals you are working with, their hazards, and how to properly work with them. Follow the guidelines suggested by international safety organisations like the OSHA to categorise the chemicals used so that you know what precautions to take while handling them.
Every chemical comes with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), which contains all the safety information you need to know. It is mandatory for suppliers to supply a SDS, so be sure to ask for this if it is not. Safety Data Sheets contain valuable information about potential health impacts, safe storage, precautions, first aid, and emergency contact details. Employers should also train their staff on the importance of Safety Data Sheets and how to use them.
- Use Protective Gear (PPE)
Depending on the chemical you’re working with, it may be necessary to use PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Protective clothing and equipment protects your body, eyes, skin, respiratory tract, or all of the above from the harmful effects of chemicals. If you handle chemicals you should use protective gowns or coveralls, specified safety masks, goggles, and gloves appropriate to the chemicals you’re working with.
- Store the Chemicals Safely
Chemicals can be dangerous and harmful not only when you handle them, but also if they are not stored properly. Always keep chemicals away from food preparation areas as well as any substances that may react with them. Ensure that you set up a storage area that specially designated for hazardous chemicals in an area with ample ventilation.
All chemicals must be stored in their original containers as they may react with container materials if stored in a new container. Additionally, it is very important to label all chemicals properly in storage and to always store a particular chemical on the same part of the shelf or in the same place so that it will not be mistaken for any other material.
- Train Employees on Chemical Safety
Awareness of how to safely handle and work with chemicals is essential for not only supervisors and managers, but also for employees. All staff should be thoroughly trained on chemical hazards and their consequences. They must also be educated on how to handle and use chemicals, their storage, other safe practices, and what to do in case of an emergency.
Employees should also be aware of how to read and understand chemical Safety Data Sheets, warnings, cautions, and any other chemical safety-related information and signs. You should hold regular training sessions so that any new staff will be brought up to speed and existing staff can refresh their knowledge.
- Quick First Aid and Medical Care
Everyone handling hazardous chemicals must know what to do in case of an emergency. Staff should be trained in necessary first-aid procedures related to the chemicals they use in the workplace. They must be able to judge if the victim of a chemical incident can be treated onsite or be taken to hospital, based on the severity of the hazard. In some cases, the consequences can be severe even if they seem minor initially.
In the case of chemical burns to the skin, you have to wash the area thoroughly with plenty of water for at least twenty minutes. If the eyes or any critical part of the body such as the face, joints, hands, or groin are affected, the victim must be immediately taken to hospital. A routine health assessment of all employees should also be carried out periodically.
Chemicals can involve a wide range of hazards ranging from minor irritation to potentially-fatal incidents. No chemical hazard, however minor, should be treated lightly. Proper knowledge of how to handle the chemicals you use regularly in the workplace is an essential preventive measure to keep everyone safe from hazards.
Routine safety procedures, using protective gear, safe storage practices, and knowing what to do in an emergency can avoid a lot of problems and could even save someone’s life. Chemical safety is as important as any other aspect of occupational safety, so appropriate safety procedures must be followed in the workplace to keep everyone safe from chemical hazards.
