Implementing a Chemical Safety Program Updated

Use the information, samples, and checklists in this manual to develop or improve your chemical safety program.

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Summary

Using this guide

Objectives

Target Audience

Scope

Introduction

Goals of a Chemical Safety Program
Benefits
Getting Started
Continual Monitoring

Legislation

Legislation

WHMIS

Duties of Employers, Supervisors, Workers, and Health and Safety Committees

Responsibilities of the Employer
Responsibilities of Supervisors
Rights and Responsibilities of Workers
Rights and Responsibilities of the Health and Safety Committees or the Representative

Exposure Limits

Understanding Hazards

Hazard and Risk
Health Hazards

Influence of Process - Physical Form of the Chemical
Dose-Response Relationship
Exceptions to the Dose-Response Relationship
Length of Exposure - Short-Term and Long-Term Exposure
Short-Term Exposure Hazards
Long-Term Exposure Hazards

Physical Hazards
Environmental Hazards

Hazard Identification Systems

How Do You Know Which Chemicals are Hazardous?

WHMIS
Consumer Chemicals
Other Systems

Understanding Labels and SDSs

Supplier Labels
Workplace Labels
Understanding the SDSs

Chemical Purchasing and Inventory

Purchasing and Procurement Considerations
Inventories
Planning for an Inventory
Next Steps

Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs)
Evaluating Exposures

Air Monitoring

Types of Air Monitoring

Air Monitoring Methods

Developing an Air Sampling Strategy

Using Exposure Data
SKIN Notations
Biological Monitoring

Controlling Exposure

Elimination
Substitution
Engineering Controls

Process Control
Enclosure and Isolation
Modification
Ventilation (dilution, and local exhaust)

Administrative controls

Maintenance
Housekeeping

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Protection Equipment Programs
Respiratory Equipment
Protective Clothing
Protection for the Eyes and Face

Working Safely with Chemicals

Safe Work Practices for Common Chemical Families

Combustible Dust
Compressed Gases / Gases Under Pressure
Corrosives
Cryogenic Liquids
Dangerously Reactive Liquids and Solids
Explosives
Flammable Liquids
Pyrophorics
Organic Peroxides
Oxidizing Liquids/Solids
Toxic Chemicals

Safe Storage

General Storage Requirements
Examples of Storage Facilities

Sample Checklist For Workplace Houskeeping

Storage Precautions for Specific Chemical Families

Waste Storage and Disposal

Reducing Wastes

Emergency Preparedness, Spill Response, and First Aid

Preparing for Emergencies
Basic Emergency Procedures
Spill Response
Fire Response

First Aid – General Requirements
Emergency First Aid Equipment
Training
Administering First Aid
First Aid Documentation

Training

Orientation
Training for Managers and Supervisors

List of appendixes

Appendix A: Canadian Government Departments Responsible for Occupational Health and Safety

Labour Program (For federally regulated workplaces)
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories and Nunavut
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon

Appendix B: Legislation References to Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

Federally regulated workplaces
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon Territories

Appendix C: Legislation References to Occupational Exposure Limits in Canada

Federally regulated businesses
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon Territory

Appendix D: Occupations or Occupational Groups Associated with Carcinogen Exposure

Appendix E: SDS Sections and Related Content

Figures

Figure 3.1 Relationship of the Size of Product and the Hazard
Figure 3.2 Dose-response Relationship
Figure 4.1 NFPA Rating System
Figure 5.1 Supplier Label Elements - Example
Figure 5.2 Workplace Label Example
Figure 7.1 No Fine Line
Figure 8.1 Example of Direct Reading Instrument
Figure 8.2 Typical Integrated Air Sampling Equipment Worn By Worker
Figure 9.1 Locations for Control Measures
Figure 9.2 Form of the Product
Figure 9.3 Examples of Ventilation Set-ups
Figure 9.4 Local Exhaust Ventilation Example
Figure 9.5 Specialized Vacuum
Figure 9.6 Air-purifying Respirator
Figure 9.7 Self-contained Breathing Apparatus
Figure 11.1 Example of Secondary Storage Containers
Figure 11.2 Example of Cylinder Storage and Fire Wall
Figure 11.3 Bond and Ground Metal Containers During Transfer
Figure 13.1 Eye Wash and Shower Unit
Figure 13.2 Portable Eye Wash Station

Samples

Sample 6.1 Chemical Pre-Purchase Checklist
Sample 6.2 Chemical Delivery Checklist
Sample 6.3 Planning for an Inventory Checklist
Sample 6.4 Chemical Inventory Form 1
Sample 6.5 Chemical Inventory Form 2
Sample 6.6 Chemical Inventory Form 3
Sample 6.7 Chemical Inventory Form 4
Sample 6.8 Chemical Inventory Form 5
Sample 11.1 General Chemical Housekeeping and Storage Checklist
Sample 11.2 Storage Area Inspection Sheet
Sample 11.3 Chemical Storage Room – Safety Checklist
Sample 13.1 Spill and Emergency Response Equipment Inventory Checklist
Sample 13.2 Spill Containment Kit Items

Tables

Table 3.1 Examples of the Influence of the Process or Work Method
Table 4.1 WHMIS Physical Hazard Classes and Pictograms
Table 4.2 WHMIS Health Hazard Classes and Pictograms
Table 4.3 GHS Environmental Hazard Classes
Table 4.4 Transportation of Dangerous Goods Classes
Table 4.5 Consumer Hazard Classes and Symbols
Table 4.6 Sample HMIS Labels
Table 5.1 SDS Sections and Required Information
Table 6.1 Precautions for Potentially Hazardous Situations
Table 8.1 Air Monitoring Methods
Table 9.1 Examples of Chemical Substitutions

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Description

Chemicals are present in every workplace ranging from cleaning products to chemicals produced on site.

Having a chemical safety program in your workplace will reduce health and safety risks, lower environmental impact, and reduce operation costs. If chemicals are not used, stored, and handled properly, they can cause injury, illness, disease, fire, explosions, or property damage.

A chemical safety program does not have to be complicated or costly. The overall goal is to establish a program that considers the entire lifecycle of the chemical or process - beginning with purchasing and including identification, labelling, inventory, use, storage, record-keeping requirements, and disposal.

This manual will help you by providing step-by-step guidance on understanding, controlling, and safely working with chemicals.

Objectives

This 138-page manual provides good practice information about the safe use and control of chemicals in a workplace.

It will help you to:

Create a chemical safety program
Identify hazards and risks to workers, equipment, other materials, and the environment
Evaluate and control hazards
Be prepared for and respond to emergencies
Monitor and improve your program

It will also help organizations:

Assign responsibilities and accountabilities for chemical safety
Decrease workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities
Reduce the impact of incidents
Create a culture of prevention and awareness

Scope

This manual provides the information, samples, and checklists needed to start or improve your chemical safety program. It will also help you understand how to work safely with chemicals, their health hazards, and storage, handling, and other aspects of chemical safety. The actual chemicals that are present and their hazards, as well as the size and complexity of your specific workplace, will determine the level of program that you need.

Businesses small and large can use this manual. You can customize the information in this publication to best match the chemical hazards in your workplace.

NOTE: The information in this publication is based on “good practice” principles and techniques. The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance, rather than prescribe specific requirements, and is not intended as a legal interpretation of any federal, provincial or territorial legislation.

Topics

Topics include:

The elements of a chemical safety program - how to get started, legislation, inventory processes, and purchasing
Exposure to chemical hazards and how to get the information necessary to protect worker health and safety, for example, using hazard identification systems such as WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System)
Safely storing and working with chemicals
Occupational exposure limits and how to evaluate and control the exposure
Waste storage and disposal, emergency preparedness, first aid, and training

Target Audience

This manual is recommended for anyone who is committed to providing a workplace that is healthy and safe from the hazards associated with chemicals.

It will assist employers, owners, managers, supervisors, operators, health and safety committees, chemical management teams, workers - and the organization as a whole - by providing guidance about the development, maintenance, and continual improvement of a chemical safety program.

Each publication produced by CCOHS undergoes several stages of review. As part of this review, representatives from government, employers, and labour are requested to comment on draft copies of CCOHS documents for technical accuracy and readability.

Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy and completeness of the information, it is understood that CCOHS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of such information and assumes no liability for any damages or loss suffered as a result of any inaccuracy or incompleteness therein.

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CCOHS publications are unique in that they are developed by subject specialists in the field, and reviewed by representatives from labour, employers and government to ensure the content and approach are unbiased and credible.