Background
Every year, thousands of workers suffer ill health from working with hazardous substances, contracting lung diseases such as asthma, cancer and skin disease such as dermatitis. We are responsible for taking effective measures to control exposure to hazardous substances and protect the health of our employees. Hazardous substances include; chemical products containing, fumes, dusts, vapours, mists, nanotechnology, gases and asphyxiating gases and biological agents (germs).
All persons at work should understand the necessary safety precautions so as not to endanger themselves or others through exposure to substances hazardous to health.
Products you use may be ‘dangerous for supply’. If so, they will have a label that has one or more hazard symbols. Some examples are given here.
These products include common substances in everyday use such as paint, bleach, solvent, or fillers. When a product is ‘dangerous for supply’, by law, the supplier must provide you with a safety data sheet.
Safety data sheets can be hard to understand, with little information on measures for control. However, to find out about health risks and emergency situations, concentrate on:
- Sections 2 and 16 of the sheet, which tell you what the dangers are.
- Sections 4-8, which tell you about emergencies, storage and handling.
As of the 1st June 2017, no products identifying the European warning symbols can be sold.
(Orange squares with black warning symbol)
Since 2009, new international symbols have been gradually replacing the European symbols. Some of them are similar to the European symbols, but there is no single word describing the hazard.
Ensure that you read the hazard statement on the packaging and the safety data sheet or that the information from the safety data sheet and the appropriate safety precautions and control measures are made available to you.
COSHH Assessment Form – – In the near future plans are in place to develop a COSHH assessment tool to simplify the process of conducting a risk assessment.
These videos are provided to give a greater understanding for the safe use of chemicals.