Recommendations when working with hazardous substances
To safely handle hazardous materials and substances, follow the guidelines below.
Whenever possible, replace a hazardous substance with a safe one.
Many hazardous substances have their safe or safer equivalents. An example of such a pair of substances are the solvents acetone and turpentine. Both of these solvents have similar properties. However, acetone has a strong irritating effect on the upper respiratory tract and can lead to chemical burns of the sinuses, bronchi or lungs. Turpentine, on the other hand, increases the risk of explosion, because turpentine fumes are flammable, but using it according to the instructions, only threatens a person with a headache. Which is definitely easier to cure and less harmful to humans than bronchial burns.
Before opening the packaging, carefully read the information on it.
We know that “real tough guys” usually read the instruction manual at the end, but there is no joking about hazardous materials. This is about your safety, health and even life. Before opening the packaging, read all the information on it and use the preventive measures and personal protective equipment recommended by the manufacturer of the hazardous substance. Read the product card. Use the recommendations covered by the P and H phrases. If the phrases are in an incomprehensible language, check what they mean on Wikipedia or WHO. Do not open the packaging of a given substance until you understand and apply the recommendations contained in the product card.
If possible, change the state of matter.
Hazardous substances can enter the human body in many ways – you can find a description here. Try to choose the state of matter of the hazardous substance in such a way as to eliminate as many potential routes of its entry into the body as possible. Example: if you work with a substance in powder form, this substance can enter your body by any of the listed routes of exposure. If it is possible to work with the same substance, but e.g. in liquid form – do it. This will eliminate, for example, the possibility of inhalation and significantly impede the entry of the substance through the digestive system.
Only work with good ventilation.
The best ventilation is working in the open air. Particles of hazardous substances disperse in the air the fastest, which means that their concentration in your environment decreases. And thanks to this, they pose less of a threat to us. In second place is a special room for working with chemicals. Usually equipped with extractors, filters and forced air circulation. You may also come across the term “smoke chamber”. In third place is a simple draft. You open the windows and doors wide and in this way you obtain ventilation, which can be called “spatial ventilation”. And in last place is the use of personal protective equipment such as gas masks, self-contained breathing apparatuses or air hoods. Personal protective equipment in this case can make work difficult, reduce comfort and ease of work, which is why they are listed last.
Always store a hazardous substance in its original packaging.
Never transfer the substance to a so-called replacement packaging. Let’s be honest – you will not repaint all the signs and you will not copy all the recommendations to the replacement packaging. As a result, only you know what is in this package. Imagine a situation where you put a bottle of water with a solvent in it in the canteen – on the last shelf, so that you know it is a solvent. Another employee came, grabbed the bottle, unscrewed it and took a big sip. Such a situation can cause serious health consequences. Never do this! Hazardous substances must remain in their original packaging until they are used up! After using a hazardous substance, store the so-called used waste in a special container intended for disposal. Once the container is full, hand it over for disposal.
Never eat, drink, smoke or wear make-up at a workplace with hazardous substances or in its immediate vicinity.
In this way, you will prevent the hazardous substance from accidentally entering the body.
Protect your colleagues and bystanders.
Do not work with hazardous substances near other people. The most dangerous thing for a person is accidental exposure to a substance they know nothing about. It is then very difficult to identify such a substance, which can lead to death. Remember to inform your colleagues about the use of a hazardous substance, designate a zone in which you will work and make sure that there are no bystanders in this zone, in the area of direct exposure. Store hazardous substances in a special locked room or container and control who has access to it.
Protect the environment.
Never pour the remains of the substance on the ground, grass, in
