Overview:

A solid introduction to the hazards posed by chemicals and substances in the workplace and the ways in which these hazards may be controlled and managed. As chemicals are part of modern our lives we are likely to encounter them every day - from the chemicals used at work, to products used in the home such as paint, and detergents and pesticides used in the garden. These chemicals and substances may include cleaning materials, laboratory reagents, decorating materials, degreasers, process chemicals and substances that are generated by processes and operations (such as welding fume, wood dusts, silica dusts, etc).

Employee exposure to chemicals used in workplaces can lead to a variety of short and long term health effects, such as: poisoning, skin rashes, dermatitis, loss of sight, respiratory ill-health, as well as disorders of the lung, kidney and liver. Many workers regularly use hazardous substances such as chemicals, flammable liquids and gases in their work. A hazardous substance can take many forms - gas, powder, liquid, solid or dust. The product may be pure or diluted.

Consideration is given on how to determine the hazards associated with the substances that you have (or generate) within your workplace and how people may be exposed to these substances. There is an emphasis on avoiding exposure to chemical hazards and on measures to control and reduce the risks from such exposures. The control measures that are introduced need to be proportionate to the risk (this is a core part of the risk assessment process). You can prevent or reduce workers exposure to substances hazardous to health by:

• Finding out what the health hazards are;
• Deciding how to prevent harm to health (risk assessment);
• Providing proportionate control measures to reduce harm to health;
• Making sure that these control measures are used ;
• Keeping all control measures in good working order;
• Providing information, instruction and training for employees and others;
• Providing monitoring and health surveillance in appropriate cases;
• Planning for emergencies

The role of personal protective equipment (PPE) as a control measures will be analyzed. The risk assessment process for chemicals and substances is discussed along with examples of different types of control measures. Consideration is given to the role of monitoring of exposure levels in the workplace and to health surveillance for employees. There is a discussion on how to make employees aware of the hazards associated with the substance to which they may be exposed as well as the measures to be employed to control these risks.

Why should you attend: Delegates should attend this Webinar if they wish to understand and manage the risks associated with the chemicals and substances that they may expose their workers to. Chemicals are part of modern life and, as such, we are likely to encounter them every day - from the chemicals used at work, to products used routinely in the home, such as: paint, cleaning materials, detergents, and pesticides used in the garden. Exposure to chemicals commonly used in workplaces can lead to a variety of short and long term health effects such as poisoning, skin rashes and disorders of the lung, kidney and liver. Many workers regularly use hazardous substances such as chemicals, flammable liquids and gases in their work. A hazardous substance can take many forms - gas, powder, liquid, solid or dust. The product may be pure or diluted.

This webinar aims to guide you to the information you need to help you identify and manage the risks from chemicals. Most businesses use substances, or products that are mixtures of substances. Some processes create substances. These could cause harm to employees, contractors and other people. Legal compliance with all aspects of health and safety is important, as is the process of risk assessment as a means of achieving and demonstrating that compliance. This Webinar looks at the routes of exposure to substances and then progresses to discuss different measures for avoiding exposure and for controlling the risks to workers of exposure to chemicals and substances. These approaches are based on the principles of risk assessment, but with the focus being on protecting workers from exposure to substances that are hazardous to their health by the use of proportionate controls.

Areas Covered in the Session:

• What do we mean by chemicals? We will also be considering "chemicals" by processes (such as wood dusts, silica from cutting/grinding, welding fume, etc)
• Consider examples of workplaces where chemicals are used/generated
• Consider the type of harm that chemicals can cause to people
• Creating an inventory of substances (used and generated) in the workplace
• Understanding the hazards and health risks associated with the substances in the workplace
• Safety data sheets
• How substances cause harm (routes for exposure)
• Considering how much exposure people have to substances (amount, frequency, duration)
• Who is exposed
• Risk Assessment concepts
• Prevention and control of exposure (and a hierarchy of control)
• Monitoring of exposure
• Health surveillance
• Provision of information, instruction and supervision
• Brief review
  

Who Will Benefit:

• Business Owners
• Managers
• Supervisors
• Safety Officers
• Laboratory Managers
• Production Managers
• Warehouse Managers
• Facilities Managers
• Estate Managers