Safe

Handling
of
Chemical
 • Types of Chemical Hazards
• Potentials Routes of Entry
• Importance of Dose
Content of this • Where do Chemical Affect?
Presentation • When do Chemical Affect the
Human Body?
• Risk Assessment
• Globally Harmonized System
(GHS)
• Labels
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
 Chemicals: Hazards
There are two broad types of hazards associated with
hazardous chemicals
(1) Health hazards
(2) Physicochemical hazards (many chemicals have both
health and physicochemical hazards)
Health Hazards – These are properties of a chemical that
have the potential to cause adverse health effects
Adverse health effects can be acute (short term)
- headaches, nausea or vomiting and skin corrosion
chronic (long term)
- asthma, dermatitis, nerve damage or cancer
 Chemicals: Hazards (cont.)
Physicochemical Hazards – These are physical or
chemical properties of the substance, mixture or article
that pose risks to workers other than health risks, as they
do not occur as a consequence of the biological interaction
of the chemical with people.

They arise through inappropriate handling or use and can

often result in injury to people and/or damage to property
as a result of the intrinsic physical hazard.

Examples includes (flammable, corrosive, explosive,

chemically reactive and oxidizing chemicals)
Potential Routes of Entry

Chemicals can enter the body and

harm us via the following routes of
exposure:
• Inhalation (breathing in)
• Absorption (through skin or eyes)
• Needle-stick (injection)
• Ingestion (eating or swallowing)
Importance of Dose

• Dose takes into consideration HOW

LONG we are exposed to a chemical
and at what CONCENTRATION

• For example, a very high concentration

of alcohol for a short time might be lethal
while intermittent exposure to lower
amounts of alcohol may do little harm
 Where do Chemicals Affect?
Chemicals in the body can be described by which part of
the body they affect:
EFFECT DEFINITION EXAMPLE
LOCAL Adverse effects to the Phenol can severely
particular tissue damage the skin
Ammonia can irritate the
respiratory tract
SYSTEMIC Adverse effects on one Lead affects the nervous
of the systems of the system, blood, kidneys
body
Organophosphate
pesticides may affect the
nervous system
When do Chemicals Affect the Body?
EFFECT DEFINITION EXAMPLE
ACUTE Short lasting and develop Irritant gases immediately
soon after exposure irritate the eyes
Excessive exposure to organic
solvents can induce narcotic
effects such as headaches
Death from high, short term
exposure to carbon monoxide
CHRONIC Long lasting and sometimes Leukaemia from benzene
permanent. Onset may be exposure
soon after exposure or
delayed
Reduced fertility from lead
exposure
 Risk Assessment of Chemicals
• Must manage the risks associated in using, handling, generating or
storing of hazardous chemicals at a workplace
• When managing the risks, regard must be had to the following
factors:
- the hazardous properties of the hazardous chemical
- any potentially hazardous reaction (chemical or physical)
between the hazardous chemical and another substance or
mixture, including a substance that may be generated by the
reaction
- the nature of the work to be carried out with the hazardous
chemical
- any structure, plant or system of work that:
o is used in the use, handling, generation or storage of the
hazardous chemical
ocould interact with the hazardous chemical at the workplace.
 Implementing Control Measures to
Minimize the Risk
When controlling chemical hazards, the hierarchy of control should be
followed:
• Elimination of the chemical/process
• Substitution of chemical or process e.g. asbestos with glass wool,
benzene with xylene, changing from a dry process to wet, dipping
instead of spraying
• Engineering (ventilation) e.g. fume hoods, canopy hoods, filtration
systems
• Engineering (isolation) e.g. a glove box for handling toxics, remote
controls, performing certain work after hours
• Administrative e.g. modifying work schedules, air monitoring,
training,
work methods, signage, health monitoring
• Personal Protective Equipment e.g. gloves, respirators, goggles, lab
coats, enclosed footwear
 Prohibited and Restricted Hazardous
Chemicals
The Regulations prohibit or restrict the use, storage or handling of
certain hazardous chemicals in certain situations.
• substances containing arsenic must not be used in spray
painting or abrasive blasting;
• a number of carcinogens such as 4-nitrodiphenyls are prohibited
from all uses except for genuine research or analysis authorized
by the regulator;
• certain chemicals can be used, handled or stored in the
workplace after receiving authorization from the regulator. eg
cyclophosphamide in therapeutic use in hospitals.
Health and Safety Duties in Relation to
Hazardous Chemicals
• Designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of
substances must ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, that the substance they design, manufacture,
import or supply is without risks to health and safety.
• Correctly classify hazardous chemicals.
• Prepare safety data sheets (SDS), the disclosure of
ingredients, packing, labeling and supply of hazardous
chemicals
 Health and Safety Duties in Relation to
Hazardous Chemicals
• Regulations include specific duties for a person
conducting a business or undertaking to manage the
risks to health and safety associated with using, handling,
generating and storing hazardous chemicals at a
workplace.

• Officers, such as company directors, have a duty to

exercise due diligence to ensure that the business or
undertaking complies with Regulations. This includes
taking reasonable steps to ensure that the business or
undertaking has and uses appropriate resources and
processes to eliminate or minimize risks that arise from
hazardous chemicals at the workplace.
 Duties: Officers
The duties include:
• Maintaining a register of hazardous chemicals
• Identifying risk of physical or chemical reaction of
hazardous chemicals and ensuring the stability of
hazardous chemicals
• Ensuring that exposure standards are not exceeded
• Provision of health monitoring to workers if required
• Provision of information, training, instruction and
supervision to workers – and records kept
provision of spill containment system for hazardous
chemicals if necessary
• Obtaining the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) from the
manufacturer, importer or supplier of the chemical
 Duties: Officers (cont.)
• Ensuring chemicals are correctly labeled (remain labeled)
• Controlling ignition sources and accumulation of
flammable and combustible substances
• Provision and availability of fire protection, fire fighting
equipment and emergency and safety equipment
• Preparing an emergency plan if the quantity of a class of
hazardous chemical at a workplace exceeds the manifest
quantity for that hazardous chemical
• Stability and support of containers for bulk hazardous
chemicals including pipework and attachments
• Decommissioning of underground storage and handling
systems, and notifying the regulator as soon as practicable
of abandoned tanks in certain circumstances
 Duties: Workers
Workers have a duty to:

• Follow health and safety instructions

• Follow safe work practices
• Take reasonable care for their own health and safety
• Take reasonable care that their actions do not adversely
affect the health and safety of others
• Participate in training and/or inductions
• Assist in identifying, assessing and managing risks
Use appropriate safety systems, equipment and personal
protective equipment as required
 Hazard Pictograms & Dangerous
Goods Class Labels
• There are 9 hazard pictograms in the GHS which
represent the physical, health and environmental hazards.
When to use Hazard Pictograms or Labels?
- All decanted substances should have GHS hazard
pictograms on label
- All transported substances (e.g. air, road, rail) must
have Class Labels
• Users of chemicals must ensure they understand the
meaning and use of the GHS Hazard Pictograms and the
Class labels.
 Comparison of hazard pictograms
from the GHS & the corresponding
Code class labels
 Labels
• All chemical packages, containers, tanks or bulk stores must be
clearly labeled with the following information:
• The product identifier
• Proper shipping name and UN number (if chemical is dangerous
goods)
• The contact details of manufacturer or importer
• Identity and proportion of each ingredient
• Any hazard pictogram or a dangerous goods class label (for
transport)
• Any hazard statement, signal word and precautionary statement
• Any information about the hazards, first aid and emergency
procedures
• Expiry date
Labels
 Example of GHS labels

Product identifier

Ingredient proportions
EX Signal word

Hazard pictograms
AM Hazard statements

PL
E Precautionary statements

Supplier information
 Labeling – Decanted Substances

• When a substance is decanted

from the original container and
not used immediately (or given to
someone else), the decanted
container must have a label
which states:
- the product identifier (name)
- hazard pictogram or hazard
statement
 Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

• Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a chemical

information sheet provided by the manufacturer
or supplier of chemicals
• It describes the identity, properties, uses,
precautions for use and safe handling
procedures of a hazardous chemical
• SDS must be readily available at each location
where the chemical is used
 Safety Data Sheets (cont.)
• The supplier must provide the current safety data sheet
for the hazardous chemical when the chemical is first
supplied to the workplace and if the SDS is amended,
when the hazardous chemical is first supplied to the
workplace after the SDS is amended

• Must obtain the safety data sheet (and any amended

version) for a hazardous chemical from the manufacturer,
importer or supplier no later than when the chemical is first
supplied at the workplace or as soon as practicable after it
is first supplied but before it is used at the workplace
*insert sample SDS
Thank You
and Be
Safe!