Any type of hazardous chemical spill is dangerous, but when you’re working with toxic substances, the risk to people, animals and the environment is magnified. In this blog, we’ll be looking at the precautions you need to take when dealing with a toxic chemical spill or leak in your organisation. We’ll also be explaining some of the measures that you can introduce and monitor to reduce risk of human harm in your workplace.
Toxic substances are recognised as Division 6.1 Dangerous Goods, within the Class 6: Toxic and Infectious Substances category.
They are defined by the Australian Dangerous Goods Code as substances which can cause serious injury, harm to human health or fatalities if they are inhaled, swallowed or make contact with the skin.
Clearly, dealing with a leaking container or a spilled drum of toxic substances poses a wide range of risks to human health, from immediate acute effects to long-term chronic effects from repeated exposure.
Health issues from toxic substance exposure may include:
We have all heard of incidents of toxic contamination of the environment. This may be from a factory unleashing toxic chemicals into local waterways or an organisation producing large amounts of toxic gases and vapours.
Toxic substances, by their very nature, are chemicals which pose harm to living organisms and the environment. Substances may include mercury, lead, formaldehyde, pesticides or polychlorinated biphenyls (PBCs).
When toxic substances reach the environment, the effects on farm animals, wildlife, marine life, soil and nature can be devastating. If an uncontained spill did occur in your workplace, the toxic chemicals (and any effluent created during the spill and clean-up) can easily escape into the environment, contaminating land or polluting groundwater supplies.
Any type of animal life that inhabits the area will immediately be affected by a toxic substance spill. Chemicals can travel through the food chain and enter the animal through ingestion, inhalation or contact with skin.
IMPORTANT: If your business acquires any type of toxic substance, you should initiate a risk assessment to determine the hazards associated with the chemical. Your risk assessment should consider the potential and impact of a toxic substance spill on your people, property and environment.
Toxic substances, while commonly used in both households and industry, must be handled and stored in a compliant manner to ensure optimum safety for users, the environment and the wider community.
If you carry any type of toxic product, it’s your responsibility under Work Health and Safety Regulations to prevent and manage a chemical spill. Failure to do so can result in severe penalties for non-compliant practices.
It will also put your staff and business at risk due to the severe harm that toxic chemicals cause to people, animals and the environment.
When determining how to best prepare your business for the containment and clean-up of a toxic substance spill, you should refer to the requirements of the Australian Standard. The Standard which relates to Division 6.1 Toxic Substances is AS NZS 4452:1997 – The storage and handling of toxic substances.
Let’s go into further detail about the ways in which you can protect your business from the risks associated with toxic chemical spills.
Preparing for a worst-case scenario, such as a toxic substances spill, is essential for reducing risk in any organisation. Whether it’s a few millilitres of a toxic chemical that’s been spilled on the hands of a worker, or a leaking IBC that’s contaminated a toxic substance store, you must be prepared to quickly and efficiently deal with a leak or spill of any size.
Identifying your chemicals and supplying a compliant spill kit is an essential first step when managing a toxic chemical spill.
In addition to your risk assessment, you should ensure that the following are up-to-date, clearly visible and known to all relevant workers:
As part of your risk assessment, you should have determined your spill containment requirements for your stores of toxic substances (and other dangerous goods).
We recommend the introduction and maintenance of spill containment measures for your handling and storage areas.
Recommendations include:
You’re legally obliged to provide adequate spill containment for the areas in your business that store or handle toxic substances.
In the event of a chemical leak or spill, your workers will be exposed to high concentrations of toxic vapours. As we’ve mentioned earlier in the blog, toxic substances can enter the body through the respiratory system causing acute and chronic health effects from nausea and dizziness to lung disease and fatality.
When dealing with a toxic substance spill, you must ensure that natural and/or mechanical ventilation systems are adequately dispersing the concentrated vapours.
If the spill has resulted in a high concentration of toxic vapours, you should action your Emergency Evacuation Plan and notify emergency services of the situation.
IMPORTANT: Self-contained breathing apparatus (complying with AS.NZS 1716) may be used when cleaning up a toxic substance spill. All protective equipment must be kept in designated, well-identified areas — ready for use by staff. After the spill clean-up, the PPE must be decontaminated to remove toxic chemical residue, before being laundered.
When a spill occurs in your workplace, you should immediately action your Spill Response Plan. Ensure that the relevant staff (or emergency services) are notified of the spill and that access to the area is prohibited to everyone other than authorised personnel.
Using your chemical spill kit, you must follow your Spill Response Plan and tend to the following:
While every Australian business is obligated to prevent chemical spills, it’s equally as important to be fully equipped and prepared to deal with spillage. As we’ve outlined in this blog, there are a range of safety considerations that you should understand if your business carries any type or quantity of Class 6 Toxic Substances.
If you’d like to find out more about reducing risk in your organisation, we invite you to access our free eBook. How To Manage The Risk Of Hazardous Chemicals In The Workplace will introduce you to our 4-step risk control methodology, which will help you minimise the likelihood and impact of incidents such as a toxic chemical spill. Grab your copy now by simply clicking on the image below.