Managing Risks Of Hazardous Chemicals In The Workplace .
MANAGING RISKS OFHAZARDOUS CHEMICALSIN THE WORKPLACECode of PracticeJULY 2012
Safe Work Australia is an Australian Government statutory agency established in 2009.Safe Work Australia consists of representatives of the Commonwealth, state and territorygovernments, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Chamber of Commerceand Industry and the Australian Industry Group.Safe Work Australia works with the Commonwealth, state and territory governments toimprove work health and safety and workers’ compensation arrangements. Safe Work Australiais a national policy body, not a regulator of work health and safety. The Commonwealth, statesand territories have responsibility for regulating and enforcing work health and safety laws intheir jurisdiction.ISBN 978-0-642-78335-6 [PDF]ISBN 978-0-642-78336-3 [RTF]Creative CommonsExcept for the logos of Safe Work Australia, SafeWork SA, WorkSafe Tasmania, WorkSafe WA,Workplace Health and Safety QLD, NT WorkSafe, WorkCover NSW, Comcare and WorkSafeACT, this copyright work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0Australia licence. To view a copy of this licence, visitcreativecommons.org/licensesIn essence, you are free to copy, communicate and adapt the work for non commercialpurposes, as long as you attribute the work to Safe Work Australia and abide by the otherlicence terms.Contact informationSafe Work AustraliaPhone: 1300 551 832Email: info@swa.gov.auWebsite: safeworkaustralia.gov.au
TABLE OF CONTENTSFOREWORD25.MONITORING AND REVIEW421.INTRODUCTION45.1Health monitoring421.1What are hazardous chemicals?45.2 Reviewing control measures431.2Who has health and safety dutiesin relation to hazardous chemicals?6.EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS4546.1Emergency plan45What is required to manage therisks associated with hazardous chemicals?66.2 Emergency equipmentand safety equipment47Prohibited and restrictedhazardous chemicals76.3 Fire protection systems481.5Exposure standards76.4 Monitors and alarms491.6Preparing a register and manifestof hazardous chemicals6.5 Automatic sprinkler systems5086.6 Water supply502.IDENTIFYING HAZARDS9APPENDIX A – THE MEANING OF KEY TERMS512.1How to identify which chemicalsare hazardous9APPENDIX B – COMPARISON OF HAZARDCLASSES AND CATEGORIES UNDERTHE ADG CODE AND THE GHS53APPENDIX C – PROHIBITED CARCINOGENS,RESTRICTED CARCINOGENS ANDRESTRICTED HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS55APPENDIX D – PLACARDAND MANIFEST QUANTITIES58APPENDIX E – REQUIREMENTSFOR HEALTH MONITORING62APPENDIX F – OVERVIEW OF A RISKASSESSMENT PROCESS64APPENDIX G – RISK ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST651.31.42.2 Safety Data Sheets (SDS)102.3 Labels122.4 Other sources of information143.ASSESSING RISKS153.1Decide who should do the assessment153.2 Decide what sort of risk assessmentis appropriate163.3 Things to consider in assessinghealth risks183.4 How to assess physicochemical risks214.CONTROLLING RISKS27APPENDIX H – EXAMPLES OF COMMONFUEL AND OXYGEN SOURCES674.1The hierarchy of control27APPENDIX I – FIRE AND EXPLOSION RISKS684.2 Specific control measures334.3 Maintaining control measures39APPENDIX J – PRACTICAL EXAMPLESOF CONTROL MEASURES71APPENDIX K – CASE STUDIES774.4 Providing information, training,instruction and supervision40CODE OF PRACTICE MANAGING RISKS OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE1
FOREWORDThis Code of Practice on how to manage the risks associated with hazardous chemicals inthe workplace is an approved code of practice under section 274 of the Work Health andSafety Act (the WHS Act).An approved code of practice is a practical guide to achieving the standards of health,safety and welfare required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations(the WHS Regulations).A code of practice applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstancesdescribed in the code. In most cases, following an approved code of practice would achievecompliance with the health and safety duties in the WHS Act, in relation to the subjectmatter of the code. Like regulations, codes of practice deal with particular issues and do notcover all hazards or risks that may arise. The health and safety duties require duty holdersto consider all risks associated with work, not only those for which regulations and codesof practice exist.Codes of practice are admissible in court proceedings under the WHS Act and Regulations.Courts may regard a code of practice as evidence of what is known about a hazard, riskor control and may rely on the code in determining what is reasonably practicable in thecircumstances to which the code relates.Compliance with the WHS Act and Regulations may be achieved by following anothermethod, such as a technical or an industry standard, if it provides an equivalent or higherstandard of work health and safety than the code.An inspector may refer to an approved code of practice when issuing an improvementor prohibition notice.This Code of Practice has been developed by Safe Work Australia as a model code ofpractice under the Council of Australian Governments’ Inter-Governmental Agreementfor Regulatory and Operational Reform in Occupational Health and Safety for adoptionby the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.SCOPE AND APPLICATIONThis Code provides practical guidance on how to manage health and safety risks associatedwith hazardous chemicals for persons conducting a business or undertaking who usechemicals in their workplace.A person conducting a business or undertaking can be a manufacturer, importer or supplierof hazardous chemicals, or a business owner who uses, handles, generates or storeshazardous chemicals at their workplace.This Code applies to:2 substances, mixtures and articles used, handled, generated or stored at the workplacewhich are defined as hazardous chemicals under the WHS Regulations the generation of hazardous chemicals from work processes, for example toxic fumesreleased during welding.CODE OF PRACTICE MANAGING THE RISKS OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE
FOREWORDThis Code does not apply to the transportation of dangerous goods, which is subject toState and Territory laws based on the requirements under the Australian Code for theTransport of Dangerous goods by Road and Rail (ADG Code).Manufacturers, importers or suppliers of hazardous chemicals that are used, or are likelyto be used, in workplaces should refer to the following Codes of Practice: Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals Labelling of Workplace Hazardous ChemicalsIf you use, handle or store hazardous chemicals listed in Schedule 14 of the WHS Regulationsyou should also refer to the Health Monitoring Guide. Where these types of hazardouschemicals are used, handled or stored at or above the prescribed threshold quantities,the guidance material for Major Hazard Facilities should be referred to.Guidance for work involving asbestos or asbestos containing materials is available in thefollowing Codes of Practice: How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace How to Safely Remove Asbestos.IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBALLY HARMONISED SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATIONAND LABELLING OF CHEMICALS (GHS)The WHS Regulations implement a system of chemical hazard classification, labelling andsafety data sheets (SDS) requirements based on the GHS. Transition to the GHS will occurover a 5 year period from 1 January 2012 until 31 December 2016.This Code refers to hazard classes and categories under the GHS, however, it also appliesto workplace hazardous substances and dangerous goods classified under the NOHSCApproved Criteria and the ADG Code, respectively. Most substances and mixtures thatare dangerous goods under the ADG Code are also hazardous chemicals. Any personconducting a business of undertaking has a responsibility under WHS laws to managethe risks from all hazardous chemicals, including those that are dangerous goods.HOW TO USE THIS CODE OF PRACTICEIn providing guidance, the word ‘should’ is used in this Code to indicate a recommendedcourse of action, while ‘may’ is used to indicate an optional course of action.This Code also includes various references to provisions of the WHS Act and Regulationswhich set out the legal requirements. These references are not exhaustive. The words ‘must’,‘requires’ or ‘mandatory’ indicate that a legal requirement exists and must be complied with.CODE OF PRACTICE MANAGING THE RISKS OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE3
1. INTRODUCTION1.1What are hazardous chemicals?Under the WHS Regulations, a hazardous chemical is any substance, mixture or articlethat satisfies the criteria of one or more Globally Harmonised System of Classificationand Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) hazard classes, including a classification in Schedule 6of the WHS Regulations.However, some hazard classes and categories of the GHS are excluded by the WHSRegulations. See Appendix A for the definition of ‘hazardous chemical’ and other termsused in this Code.Most substances and mixtures that are dangerous goods under the ADG Code arehazardous chemicals, except those that have only radioactive hazards (class 7 dangerousgoods), infectious substances (division 6.2) and most class 9 (miscellaneous) dangerousgoods.A comparison of dangerous goods classifications under the ADG code with those underthe GHS is provided in Appendix B.In relation to chemicals, a hazard is a set of inherent properties of the substance, mixture,article or process that may cause adverse effects to organisms or the environment. Thereare two broad types of hazards associated with hazardous chemicals which may presentan immediate or long term injury or illness to people. These are: Health hazards – These are properties of a chemical that have the potential to causeadverse health effects. Exposure usually occurs through inhalation, skin contact oringestion. Adverse health effects can be acute (short term) or chronic (long term).Typical acute health effects include headaches, nausea or vomiting and skin corrosion,while chronic health effects include asthma, dermatitis, nerve damage or cancer. Physicochemical hazards – These are physical or chemical properties of the substance,mixture or article that pose risks to workers other than health risks, as they do notoccur as a consequence of the biological interaction of the chemical with people. Theyarise through inappropriate handling or use and can often result in injury to peopleand/or damage to property as a result of the intrinsic physical hazard. Examples ofphysicochemical hazards include flammable, corrosive, explosive, chemically reactivezand oxidising chemicals.Many chemicals have both health and physicochemical hazards.1.2Who has health and safety duties in relationto hazardous chemicals?Under the WHS Act, a person conducting a business or undertaking has the primary dutyto ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of workers and otherpersons are not put at risk from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business orundertaking. This includes ensuring the safe use, handling and storage of substances.The WHS Regulations include specific duties for a person conducting a business orundertaking to manage the risks to health and safety associated with using, handling,generating and storing hazardous chemicals at a workplace. The duties include: 4correct labelling of containers and pipework, using warning placards and outer warningplacards and displaying of safety signsCODE OF PRACTICE MANAGING THE RISKS OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE
1. INTRODUCTION maintaining a register and manifest (where relevant) of hazardous chemicalsand providing notification to the regulator of manifest quantities if required identifying risk of physical or chemical reaction of hazardous chemicals and ensuringthe stability of hazardous chemicals ensuring that exposure standards are not exceeded provision of health monitoring to workers provision of information, training, instruction and supervision to workers provision of spill containment system for hazardous chemicals if necessary obtaining the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) from the manufacturer, importeror supplier of the chemical controlling ignition sources and accumulation of flammable and combustible substances provision and availability of fire protection, fire fighting equipment and emergencyand safety equipment preparing an emergency plan if the quantity of a class of hazardous chemical ata workplace exceeds the manifest quantity for that hazardous chemical stability and support of containers for bulk hazardous chemicals including pipeworkand attachments decommissioning of underground storage and handling systems notifying the regulator as soon as practicable of abandoned tanks in certaincircumstancesThe WHS Regulations contain prohibitions or restrictions on certain hazardous chemicals(e.g. certain carcinogens) except in specified circumstances and a restriction on the ageof a person who can supply hazardous chemicals.There are also duties relating to the building, operation and management of pipelines usedfor the transfer of hazardous chemicals.Designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of substances must also ensure, so faras is reasonably practicable, that the substance they design, manufacture, import or supplyis without risks to health and safety. Under the WHS Regulations, manufacturers andimporters must correctly classify hazardous chemicals.The WHS Regulations also impose duties on importers, manufacturers and suppliers relatingto the preparation of safety data sheets (SDS), the disclosure of ingredients, packing,labelling and supply of hazardous chemicals.Officers, such as company directors, have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure thatthe business or undertaking complies with the WHS Act and Regulations. This includestaking reasonable steps to ensure that the business or undertaking has and uses appropriateresources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks that arise from hazardous chemicalsat the workplace.Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and must notadversely affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with anyreasonable instruction and cooperate with any reasonable policy or procedure relatingto the use, handling and storage of hazardous chemicals at the workplace.CODE OF PRACTICE MANAGING THE RISKS OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE5
1. INTRODUCTION1.3What is required to manage the risks associatedwith hazardous chemicals?Regulation 351A person conducting a business or undertaking must manage risks associatedwith using, handling, generating or storing of hazardous chemicals at a workplace.Regulation 32-38In order to manage risk under the WHS Regulations, a duty holder must:a) identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to the riskb) eliminate the risk so far as is reasonably practicablec) if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk – minimise the risk so far asis reasonably practicable by implementing control measures in accordance with thehierarchy of risk controld) maintain the implemented control measure so that it remains effectivee) review, and if necessary revise all risk control measures so as to maintain, so far asis reasonably practicable, a work environment that is without risks to health and safety.This Code provides guidance on how to manage the risks associated with hazardouschemicals in the workplace by following a systematic process that involves: identifying hazards if necessary, assessing the risks associated with these hazards eliminating or minimising the risks by implementing and maintaining control measures reviewing control measures to ensure they are effective.When managing the risks, regard must be had to the following factors: the hazardous properties of the hazardous chemical any potentially hazardous reaction (chemical or physical) between the hazardouschemical and another substance or mixture, including a substance that may begenerated by the reaction the nature of the work to be carried out with the hazardous chemical any structure, plant or system of work that: is used in the use, handling, generation or storage of the hazardous chemical could interact with the hazardous chemical at the workplace.Guidance on the general risk management process is available in the Code of Practice:How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks.CONSULTING YOUR WORKERSSection 47Section 486The WHS Act requires that you consult, so far as is reasonably practicable, with workerswho carry out work for you who are (or are likely to be) directly affected by a workhealth and safety matter.If the workers are represented by a health and safety representative, the consultationmust involve that representative.CODE OF PRACTICE MANAGING THE RISKS OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE
1. INTRODUCTIONConsultation with workers and their health and safety representatives is a critical step ofmanaging work health and safety risks. Consulting with and involving workers in the riskmanagement process can assist in ensuring that safety instructions and safe work practicesare complied with.Health and safety representatives must have access to relevant information on matters thatcan affect the health and safety of workers, for example, hazardous chemicals register anddata from monitoring airborne contaminants.CONSULTING, CO-OPERATING AND CO-ORDINATING ACTIVITIESWITH OTHER DUTY HOLDERSThe WHS Act requires that you consult, co-operate and co-ordinate activities with allother persons who have a work health or safety duty in relation to the same matter,so far as is reasonably practicable.Section 46Sometimes you may share responsibility for a health and safety matter with other businessoperators who are involved in the same activities or who share the same workplace. Inthese situations, you should exchange information to find out who is doing what and worktogether in a co-operative and co-ordinated way so that all risks are eliminated or minimisedas far as reasonably practicable.For example, if you engage a contractor to carry out cleaning at your workplace thatinvolves the use of chemicals, you should find out what is being used, whether there are anyhazards associated with the chemicals and how the risks will be controlled. This might, forexample, include jointly preparing a risk assessment for the chemicals being used, how theywill be handled and measures that should be taken to eliminate or minimise exposure. Afterthe risk assessment has been prepared, it is important for all duty holders to co-operate andco-ordinate activities with each other to implement the control measures.Further guidance on consultation is available in the Code of Practice: Work Healthand Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination.1.4Prohibited and restricted hazardous chemicalsThe WHS Regulations prohibit or restrict the use, storage or handling of certain hazardouschemicals in certain situations. For example, substances containing arsenic must notbe used in spray painting or abrasive blasting, while a number of carcinogens such as4-nitrodiphenyls are prohibited from all uses except for genuine research or analysisauthorised by the regulator. Certain chemicals can be used, handled or stored in theworkplace after receiving approval from the regulator. Schedule 10 of the WHS Regulationsprovides further information on the hazardous chemicals that are restricted or prohibitedfor use (see Appendix C of this Code).1.5Exposure standardsA person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that no person at theworkplace is exposed to a substance or mixture in an airborne concentration thatexceeds the relevant exposure standard for the substance or mixture.Regulation 49Exposure standards represent the airborne concentration of a particular substanceor mixture that must not be exceeded. There are three types of exposure standard: 8-hour time-weighted averageCODE OF PRACTICE MANAGING THE RI
4 CODE OF PRACTICE MAAGIG E RI F AARDU EMIA I E RAE 1.1 What are hazardous chemicals? Under the WHS Regulations, a hazardous chemical is any substance, mixture or article that satisfies the criteria of one or more Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) hazard classes, includi
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Managing electrical risks in the workplace Code of practice 2021 Page 7 of 60 1. Introduction 1.1 What are electrical risks? Electrical risks are risks of death, shock or other injury caused directly or indirectly by electricity. The most common electrical risks and causes of injury are: electric shock causing injury or death.
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