Keeping Safe with Chemicals This Year

A bit of time spent in indentifying the chemicals used and stored on the premises will save money and lives. More than 100,000 hazardous substances are used in over 150,000 workplaces in the New Zealand.Many of these chemicals are common and used so often they’re taken for granted. But exposure to some of these, including LPG, petrol, solvents and ammonia, can cause harm if not handled correctly.
To make things easier, the Department of Labour and ERMA New Zealand have developed a simple, step-by-step guide to help businesses keep themselves and others safe.

Chemical Safety in the Workplace is a hands-on workbook that anyone can fill in. It applies to a wide range of industries from panel beating and electroplating to timber treatments and warehousing.

When completed, the workbook provides a full list (inventory) of the chemicals stored and used in the workplace, including where they are located, how much is being held, what risks they pose and, where controls are lacking, what corrective action needs to be taken.

“The time for excuses is over. In the event that something does go wrong, a good quality emergency response plan will protect a business and emergency responders. Putting up signage and having fire extinguishers can limit the damage. "

To be safe with chemicals in 2010, download a copy of the workbook at http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/resources/hs-workb.html.