| Hazardous Substances, you would think that the | | | | a MSDS it must keep it in a register, and keep a |
| name itself would indicate that caution needs to | | | | copy close to where the substance is being used |
| be taken. Then why do so many people have | | | | to allow workers who may be exposed to refer |
| such a lax attitude to managing hazardous | | | | to it easily. |
| substances, risking the health of their employees, | | | | Labelling Containers When you purchase |
| friends and family? | | | | containers of hazardous substances they will be |
| When I go to worksites I repeatedly see things | | | | labelled. If the substance is decanted (put into |
| which demonstrate that not enough people think | | | | another container) ensure the correct labelling is |
| much about the hazards involved in hazardous | | | | attached / fixed to the container. |
| substances: | | | | Risk Assessment You need to conduct a risk |
| - Hazardous substances in drink bottles | | | | assessment for each of the hazardous |
| - Hazardous substances stored in unlabelled | | | | substances they have. Why? To ensure any risk |
| containers | | | | identified with using the substance is controlled. |
| - Incompatible substances stored together | | | | Retain Records There are several records that |
| - No register of Material Safety Data Sheets | | | | need to be retained in relation to hazardous |
| (MSDS) or stored in no logical order for easy | | | | substances; they are: |
| retrieval in an emergency | | | | - Risk Assessments: o For each substance record |
| - No MSDS at all | | | | the product name or other information, control |
| - Chemwatch or ChemAlert only available to | | | | measures for the substance, date of assessment, |
| Supervisor's | | | | degree of risk, monitoring required and if any |
| - Contractors bringing in hazardous substances | | | | health surveillance is required. |
| with no MSDS | | | | - If the risk assessment shows a significant risk |
| - Different types of Gas Cylinders being stored | | | | you must keep the risk assessment, monitoring |
| together | | | | results and health surveillance reports for 30 |
| - No bunding to contain spills Only recently there | | | | years. |
| was a news article where a young boy went to | | | | - If the risk is not significant you must keep the |
| the fridge and drank what he thought was a | | | | risk assessment for 5 years. |
| bottle of juice. However, unbeknown to the | | | | Monitoring Results: |
| youngster, he just drank a bottle of garden | | | | - Ensure any workers who may have been |
| insecticide! Luckily, the young boy survived; but | | | | exposed receive a copy of the results; and |
| not before a having his stomach pumped and five | | | | - Allow workers access to inspect monitoring |
| days in hospital. | | | | results at any time. |
| There are significant health, safety and | | | | Health Surveillance: |
| environmental issues with all hazardous | | | | - Keep health surveillance reports. |
| substances. As demonstrated by the incident with | | | | Induction and Training: |
| the young boy, it is not restricted to workplaces. | | | | - Keep induction and training records for 5 years, |
| Does your family understand the risks? | | | | the record must include: |
| In each and every state of Australia, Hazardous | | | | - Date of the session; |
| Substance is managed through the Health and | | | | - Topics dealt with at the session; |
| Safety regulations. Why, you might have asked | | | | - Name of person who conducted the session; |
| are there so many regulations? Because it has | | | | - Names of workers who attended the session. |
| been proven that these substances cause a risk | | | | Controlling Exposure Implement any controls as |
| to people, including .... YOU! | | | | identified by the risk assessment. Remember, if |
| To easily manage the minimum requirements we | | | | having identified Personal Protective Equipment |
| only need to look at the regulations. | | | | (PPE) as a control the following needs to be done: |
| For example, the legislation for employers under | | | | - Supply the PPE; |
| the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations in | | | | - Train personnel in the use of the PPE; and |
| Queensland requires employers to: | | | | - Ensure the PPE is worn. Conduct Monitoring and |
| - Obtain an Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) | | | | Health Surveillance Complete monitoring or health |
| - Record and Display MSDS | | | | surveillance if it was identified during the risk |
| - Label containers | | | | assessment as a control. |
| - Complete a risk Assessment | | | | Register of MSDS's The MSDS register must |
| - Retain Records | | | | contain the following: |
| - Control Exposure | | | | - A list of all hazardous substances used at the |
| - Conduct Monitoring and Health Surveillance | | | | workplace; and |
| - Maintain a register of MSDS | | | | - The current MSDS for each substance. You |
| - Complete Induction and Training For those | | | | must also allow employees who may be exposed |
| readers wondering 'How am I going to manage all | | | | to hazardous substances to inspect the register |
| of this'; IT'S NOT THAT HARD. A brief look at | | | | at any reasonable time. |
| the requirements reveals: | | | | Induction and Training All employers must give |
| Obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) If | | | | induction and training to workers who may be |
| you purchase hazardous substances, the supplier | | | | exposed to a hazardous substance. |
| should also supply a MSDS. If they don't request a | | | | Meeting the regulations for hazardous substances |
| copy of the current MSDS. There is also a | | | | is not difficult and is not a chore. Completing some |
| requirement that the MSDS's be updated every | | | | simple processes will protect the health of |
| five years to ensure the correct information is | | | | yourself, your friends, your employees and your |
| held. | | | | family. |
| Recording and displaying MSDS When you receive | | | | |