how to work safely with hazardous

How to work safely with hazardous substancesFor small businesses

342344-ACC5835-Pressfile.indd 1 19/04/11 12:46 PM

Do I need to read this?

Does your work involve using any substances that:

• are explosive, corrosive or easily ignited?

• will cause you or your workers to become ill after either short or long-term exposure?

Do you want some influence over your ACC work levies?

If you’re unsure or you’ve answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, you should read this booklet.


1

What are the problems?

Many chemicals and other substances used or produced in the workplace can damage your health. A large number of people in a wide range of jobs may be exposed to them.

Hazardous substances include chemicals, poisons, explosives and flammable substances. Exposure can happen by breathing them in, through contact with the skin, by splashing, or by swallowing them from unwashed hands.

If exposure isn’t prevented, or properly controlled, it can cause serious illness, including cancer, asthma and dermatitis and sometimes even death.

When you’re working with hazardous substances – what you don’t know really can hurt you!


2

Why should you do something about it?

• Fewer injuries mean lower cost to your business and this becomes more apparent with the introduction of experience rating. Under experience rating, eligible businesses and self-employed people, who have lower-than-average injury rates, with better-than-average return-to-work rates, may get a discount on their levies. Those with worse-than-average claims experience may get a loading on their levy.

Experience rating recognises and rewards those business owners with good claims experience. It also encourages businesses to prevent injuries in the workplace and when accidents do happen, help injured employees return to work as safely and quickly as possible.

For more detailed information about experience rating please go to www.acc.co.nz/er

• The most current research* estimates that 700 to 1,000 people die in New Zealand each year from diseases caused through the work they do. Most of these deaths are from cancer or respiratory illness and they have been caused by exposure to hazardous substances.

• Many more people live with these diseases for years and their lives are severely limited by them – they are unable to take part in normal family, sporting and recreational activities.

• You or your workers could suffer serious health problems or early death if you are not working safely with these hazardous substances.

* National Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Committee (NOHSAC). The Burden of Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand. November 2004.


3

What should you do now?

You will need to:

1. List all the hazardous substances that are used in your work.

2. Check with Enviromental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) in case you need to be an Approved Handler to use the substance. Telephone Hazardous Substances Compliance 0800 376 234.

3. Find out if it’s possible to do the job with safer products.

4. Get an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) from your supplier for each product you need to use.

5. Use the MSDS to work out what safety precautions are needed:

– quantity allowed?

– storage needs?

– ventilation requirements?

– safe exposure levels?

– training and safety gear needed?

– emergency procedures?

6. Work out your plan for using the substance safely.

7. Train your workers and make sure they are following the safety plan.

8. Regularly check that exposure levels are safe.

9. Arrange for a doctor to monitor your own and your workers’ health.

10. Have a plan for dealing with accidents and emergencies. Think about:

– fire extinguishers and hoses

– emergency showers or eyewash facilities

– first aid training and equipment

– emergency communications (mobile, radio telephone)

– distance from emergency services

– the safety of customers and visitors.

11. Check the list at the back of this booklet for where to get further advice.


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ctio

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quire

dD

ate

com

plet

ed

Chem

ical

s an

d po

ison

s

Do

you

use

any

chem

ical

s or p

oiso

ns in

yo

ur w

orkp

lace

?•

Com

plet

e a

list o

f all

haza

rdou

s sub

stan

ces u

sed

•G

et a

n M

ater

ial S

afet

y D

ata

Shee

t (M

SDS)

for e

ach

subs

tanc

e an

d fin

d ou

t wha

t ha

rmfu

l effe

cts i

t may

hav

e

•Fi

nd o

ut if

you

can

do th

e jo

b w

ithou

t usi

ng th

e ch

emic

als o

r poi

sons

Doe

s the

MSD

S sa

y th

at th

e su

bsta

nce

may

be

expl

osiv

e, fl

amm

able

or h

arm

ful t

o he

alth

?

•Fo

llow

the

MSD

S in

stru

ctio

ns fo

r sto

rage

and

labe

lling

•Fi

nd o

ut h

ow to

use

the

subs

tanc

e sa

fely

Do

your

wor

kers

use

or m

ix ch

emic

als o

r po

ison

s?•

Mak

e su

re a

ll w

orke

rs a

re tr

aine

d in

how

to u

se th

e su

bsta

nces

safe

ly

•Pr

ovid

e th

em w

ith th

e pr

oper

safe

ty g

ear

•Ch

eck

to m

ake

sure

safe

ty p

roce

dure

s are

alw

ays b

eing

follo

wed

Expl

osiv

es

Do

you

use

expl

osiv

es in

you

r wor

kpla

ce?

•Co

ntac

t the

Env

ironm

enta

l Ris

k M

anag

emen

t Aut

horit

y (E

RMA)

to fi

nd o

ut w

hat t

he

law

says

and

how

to m

anag

e ex

plos

ives

safe

ly. P

hone

04

916

2426

or e

mai

l in

fo@

erm

anz.

govt

.nz

Hea

lth

Issu

es

Are

you

or y

our w

orke

rs u

sing

subs

tanc

es

that

may

be

harm

ful t

o he

alth

?•

Find

out

if y

ou a

nd y

our w

orke

rs n

eed

to h

ave

regu

lar h

ealth

chec

ks

•Ar

rang

e fo

r a d

octo

r to

carr

y ou

t reg

ular

chec

ks

Do

you

or y

our w

orke

rs fe

el u

nwel

l aft

er

wor

king

with

haz

ardo

us su

bsta

nces

? •

Imm

edia

tely

see

a do

ctor

and

let t

hem

kno

w w

hat s

ubst

ance

has

bee

n us

ed

•Co

ntac

t the

Dep

artm

ent o

f Lab

our o

n 08

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for a

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usi

ng th

e su

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nce

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genc

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lan

for h

ow to

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Mak

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erge

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you

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n th

e ch

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ou n

eed

to fo

llow

the

‘Act

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requ

ired’

and

indi

cate

the

date

you

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plet

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.

Phot

ocop

y fo

r you

r ow

n us

e


5Que

stio

nsYe

sN

oN

/AA

ctio

n re

quire

dD

ate

com

plet

ed

Chem

ical

s an

d po

ison

s

Do

you

use

any

chem

ical

s or p

oiso

ns in

yo

ur w

orkp

lace

?•

Com

plet

e a

list o

f all

haza

rdou

s sub

stan

ces u

sed

•G

et a

n M

ater

ial S

afet

y D

ata

Shee

t (M

SDS)

for e

ach

subs

tanc

e an

d fin

d ou

t wha

t ha

rmfu

l effe

cts i

t may

hav

e

•Fi

nd o

ut if

you

can

do th

e jo

b w

ithou

t usi

ng th

e ch

emic

als o

r poi

sons

Doe

s the

MSD

S sa

y th

at th

e su

bsta

nce

may

be

expl

osiv

e, fl

amm

able

or h

arm

ful t

o he

alth

?

•Fo

llow

the

MSD

S in

stru

ctio

ns fo

r sto

rage

and

labe

lling

•Fi

nd o

ut h

ow to

use

the

subs

tanc

e sa

fely

Do

your

wor

kers

use

or m

ix ch

emic

als o

r po

ison

s?•

Mak

e su

re a

ll w

orke

rs a

re tr

aine

d in

how

to u

se th

e su

bsta

nces

safe

ly

•Pr

ovid

e th

em w

ith th

e pr

oper

safe

ty g

ear

•Ch

eck

to m

ake

sure

safe

ty p

roce

dure

s are

alw

ays b

eing

follo

wed

Expl

osiv

es

Do

you

use

expl

osiv

es in

you

r wor

kpla

ce?

•Co

ntac

t the

Env

ironm

enta

l Ris

k M

anag

emen

t Aut

horit

y (E

RMA)

to fi

nd o

ut w

hat t

he

law

says

and

how

to m

anag

e ex

plos

ives

safe

ly. P

hone

04

916

2426

or e

mai

l in

fo@

erm

anz.

govt

.nz

Hea

lth

Issu

es

Are

you

or y

our w

orke

rs u

sing

subs

tanc

es

that

may

be

harm

ful t

o he

alth

?•

Find

out

if y

ou a

nd y

our w

orke

rs n

eed

to h

ave

regu

lar h

ealth

chec

ks

•Ar

rang

e fo

r a d

octo

r to

carr

y ou

t reg

ular

chec

ks

Do

you

or y

our w

orke

rs fe

el u

nwel

l aft

er

wor

king

with

haz

ardo

us su

bsta

nces

? •

Imm

edia

tely

see

a do

ctor

and

let t

hem

kno

w w

hat s

ubst

ance

has

bee

n us

ed

•Co

ntac

t the

Dep

artm

ent o

f Lab

our o

n 08

00 2

0 90

20

for a

dvic

e on

usi

ng th

e su

bsta

nce

Emer

genc

y Pr

oced

ures

Do

you

need

a p

lan

for h

ow to

dea

l with

ac

cide

nts a

nd e

mer

genc

ies?

•

Mak

e su

re y

ou a

lway

s hav

e th

e pr

oper

em

erge

ncy

equi

pmen

t and

trai

ned

firs

t ai

ders

ava

ilabl

e

Publications

The following are some of the publications available from the Department of Labour:

• Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Substances Hazardous to Health (MOSHH) in the Place of Work.

• Managing Substances Hazardous to Health (MOSHH) – A Brief Guide for Employers.

• Workplace Exposure Standards (effective from 2010).

Contact the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA)

• For publications or advice, phone 04 916 2426 or email [email protected].

• Website www.ermanz.co.nz

• Refer to the list of Hazardous Substance Advisors on the ERMA website for an Advisor in your area.

Contact the Department of Labour – Health and Safety

• For publications or advice, phone the Workplace Health and Safety Infoline, freephone 0800 20 90 20.

• To get help with difficult or technical health and safety problems, use the online Knowledgebase at: www.dol.govt.nz/workplace/knowledgebase/contact

Contact ACC

• To contact the ACC Injury Prevention team, phone 0800 844 657 or email [email protected]

Where can you get further information or help?


6

Notes:


7

Notes:


8

Notes:


www.acc.co.nz0800 844 657

ACC5835 March 2011 ISBN: 978-0-478-36223-7


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