A chemical hazard refers to the risks that surround using a chemical. In the workplace, we find two types of chemical hazards: health hazards and physicochemical hazards. The term chemical health hazard refers to the properties of a chemical which can result in acute or chronic health issues. Physicochemical hazards pose a risk to workers through mishandling or use, but they don’t occur through the biological interaction of the chemical with the person. Many chemicals commonly found in the workplace can be regarded as being both a chemical health hazard and physicochemical hazard.
In this post, we explore 3 types of chemical hazards found in the workplace by illustrating some real-life examples of incidents involving chemical exposure. We’ll also detail some ways that you can control chemical hazards in your own workplace.
What Is A Chemical Health Hazard?
When personnel are exposed to a hazardous chemical, it is deemed a chemical health hazard.
Hazardous chemical products, such as toxic substances or corrosive chemicals, can harm human health through being ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
The chemical health hazard definition explains that hazardous substances cause adverse health affects on those who are exposed to them, such as immediate health problems including breathing difficulties and allergic reactions, as well as chronic problems such as cancer. That is why the prevention or limiting of chemical exposure is crucial for controlling chemical health hazards.
Chemical exposure can occur through working with a vast range of commonly found substances including:
- Ammonia
- Chlorine
- Cleaning chemicals
- Disinfectants
- Gas cylinders
- Glues
- Lead
- Paint
- Pesticides
- Petroleum products
- Solvents
Harmful chemicals can affect human health if they are ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
How Can A Chemical Hazard Affect Your Health?
Chemical health hazards are classed as either acute or chronic hazards.
Acute hazards may affect a person immediately, within hours or days. The chemical exposure can result in health problems including:
- Asphyxiation
- Acid burns
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Chronic hazards are issues that may take some time to develop symptoms. A chronic hazard can result in serious health issues such as:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Dermatitis
- Cancer
- Liver damage
Chemical Hazard Examples
Now that we have a general understanding of what a chemical health hazard is, let’s look at 3 chemical hazard examples that have occurred in the workplace.
These real-life examples of workplace chemical hazards illustrate the very real dangers that chemicals pose to workers, other personnel and, potentially, the general public.
1. Health Hazard: Ingestion Of Poisons
A worker in the laundry of a resort died after drinking fluorosilicic acid solution that was stored in a Nestlé 16oz water bottle. The bottle had no additional labeling and had been left out in a common area by another worker.
One of the biggest risks associated with the use of hazardous chemical products, is making sure everyone on site knows exactly what chemicals they are using and where they are.
Chemical hazards can occur when hazardous chemical products aren’t properly stored and labeled.
Therefore, it’s vital that staff refer to the current safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical product onsite. Your safety data sheets will include essential information for the handling and storage of the substance including details on the identity of the chemical product and ingredients, first aid information, what to do in an emergency or spill, the physical properties of the substance, as well as the physical, environmental and health hazards.
This tragic example of a staff member who accidently ingested fluorosilicic acid solution may have been prevented if the correct labelling and storage procedures for the chemical were followed.
How To Correctly Label Chemicals
To comply with WHS safety legislation in Australia, if a hazardous chemical has been decanted or transferred from the container in which it was packed and it will not be used immediately or it is supplied to someone else, the label must, at a minimum, be written in English and include the following:
- The product identifier, and
- A hazard pictogram or hazard statement consistent with the correct classification of the chemical
You must correctly label chemicals to ensure staff are aware of the hazards associated with each product.
However, labeling chemicals is not enough to minimise risk. You also must train your staff on how to correctly use, dispense and store hazardous chemicals.
Chemicals must never be placed or stored in or with food containers and utensils. They must also be stored in a portable container which is purposefully designed and correctly labelled.
IMPORTANT: For further information on this topic, refer to the document Labeling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals (Safe Work Code of Practice).
2. Health Hazard: Exposure To Toxic Fumes
A worker was cleaning a semi-trailer tanker. He was standing on top of the vehicle wearing a respirator and hosing down the tanker. He took off his PPE and inhaled hydrogen sulfide causing him to fall. His death was a combination of chemical burns to the lungs and the impact of falling.
This horrific workplace accident was the result of a worker not using their personal protective equipment (PPE) in the correct manner. While it is unknown if the worker received adequate on-the-job training for work procedures and using PPE, this terrible workplace accident draws attention to the fact that PPE is always considered a last resort when managing a chemical risk.
Personal protective equipment is the least effective control as it at relies on human behaviour and supervision.
These control measures should only be used:
- To supplement higher level control measures (as a back-up)
- As a short-term interim measure until a more effective way of controlling the risk can be used, or
- When there are no other practical control measures available (as a last resort)
PPE will almost always be a part of your risk control measures for reducing the exposure or your workers to toxic fumes and gases. PPE must only be used in conjunction with clear operating procedures and safe work methods. It’s not enough to train staff once.
Using PPE In The Workplace
When personal protective equipment is used at your worksite, you must ensure that your staff:
- Receive a comprehensive induction to using the PPE
- Have adequate on-the-job supervision and remedial instruction
- Understand how to put on, take off, clean and maintain PPE safely
- Don’t use damaged or heavily worn PPE
- Are counselled, disciplined and re-trained if PPE is misused or ignored
- Undergo regular training in the form of safety workshops, toolbox talks, and emergency drills
- Know what to do in an emergency situation, such as equipment failure or chemical reaction
To effectively manage risk in your business, you must maintain PPE with regular servicing and replacement, when required.
Organisations should also implement training for staff so they can alert managers and supervisors if PPE is found to be damaged, worn or out-of-date.
IMPORTANT: To learn more about this safety issue, search up: How to manage work health and safety risks (Safe Work Code of Practice).
3. Health Hazard: Long Term Exposure To Chemicals
The American Cancer Council report that the chemical benzene is known to cause leukemia and other cancers of blood cells. Rates of leukemia, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML), have been found to be higher in studies of workers exposed to high levels of benzene, such as those in the chemical, shoemaking and oil refining industries.
Storing Of Chemicals In The Workplace
There is no safe level of exposure for carcinogenic chemicals and other hazardous substances that emit chronic health hazards. Therefore, it’s vital that organisations correctly identify chemicals and implement hazard controls to eliminate potential exposure to workers.
Unlike many toxic health effects of chemicals, a carcinogenic effect may take many years to develop and there may be no early warning of adverse effects. A diagnosis of cancer may not be made until long after exposure ceases and it may not be simple to link the disease to an exposure at work.
Carcinogens may be generated through airborne contaminants such as fumes or dust.
In addition to considering the methods in which you use and store chemicals onsite, you must also review any work practices that may produce chronic health hazards. For example, carcinogens can be generated by plant and machinery emitting exhaust fumes or wood dust.
IMPORTANT: To learn more, see the Safe Work Australia document: Guide to Managing Risks of Exposure to Carcinogens in the Workplace.
How To Manage Chemical Hazards In The Workplace
Chemical health hazards may be found in almost any workplace in any industry, from small businesses to large corporations. In this blog, we have listed just 3 examples of chemical hazards that may happen in the workplace — but there are many more.
As chemical health hazards pose a threat to your people as well as your business, it’s important to learn how you can manage the risks or eliminate the potential for a health hazard. If you’re interested in finding out more about preventing chemical hazards in the workplace, we encourage you to download our free eBook How To Manage The Risk Of Hazardous Chemicals In The Workplace.
The helpful eBook contains a step-by-step guide to introducing chemical risk management and control measures at your workplace. We have also included workable templates to get you started quickly. Access it for free and read it to today by simply clicking on the image below.
