Handling of Hazardous Substances
Dangerous materials can be corrosive, flammable, explosive, spontaneously combustible, toxic, oxidising, or water-reactive. The goods can be identified if it is dangerous through their symbols. These substances cause harm to people can be solid, liquid or gas. Substances can cause harm in an immediate or long term effect.
An accident which involves dangerous goods could seriously damage any property or even the environment. Dizziness, nausea and itchiness are few of the immediate harm caused by hazard sunsatnces. Dermatitis and cancer are two of the most common long term effect of hazardous substances. Some people can be more vulnerable than others.
Almost every day, we are using hazardous substances and dangerous goods. It may be antiseptic for a cut, the paints for the walls, or even a cleaning product for the bathroom. They might seem harmless to human but once these substances are mishandled, it can be make one sick. It is the work of the company to provide safety for their workers especially in handling hazardous substances and dangerous goods. Also, they provide information, training and supervision to their workers. First aid treatment must be conducted through training to the workers.
Information about these hazardous substances or dangerous goods are enclosed in a material safety data sheet. These information provided cannot eb found on labels. As a requirement, the manufacturers and suppliers of hazardous substances and dangerous goods should provide MSDS’s to their customers and employers. It is of paramount importance that these hazardous substances and dangerous goods in workplaces are used strictly according to the manufacturer's or supplier's instructions. Any instruction provided in the MSDS and the procedures implemented in the workplace must be strictly followed according to existing confined space permits.
Upon receiving a MSDS it must keep it in a register, and even keep a copy close to where the substance is being used to allow workers who may be exposed to refer to it easily. Purchasing containers for hazardous substances must be labelled correctly. It is highly recommended to conduct risk assessment to hazardous substances.
The safety data sheets management could be a great help both to the suppliers and customers. Even so, a safety data sheet provides a lot of information that could help you make a risk assessment as required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH). The safety data sheet is not an assessment. The sheet could greatly help you in assessing the risk of these hazardous substances. These information provided is vital specifically the boiling point and classification of these substances. A company should ask MSDS from their supplier and provide these information for the safety of their workers and to protect the environment.
Read more here: https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/material-safety-data-sheets
