From Cradle to Grave

In the beginning

Manchester Occupational Health & Safety Group

31st May 2006

Handling Chemicals Safely

Mike Nixon CMIOSH, MIIRSM, MRSC, FTSC

H & S Consultant

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Contents• My background• Overview of COSHH• Basics – procedure and practical

example• Further example• Other considerations• Summary• Discussion period

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My background

• 25 years handling and testing chemicals in the printing ink, paper manufacturing and contract research

• 11 years as H & S Manager with a major Printing Ink manufacturer

• Made redundant January 2003 and set up my own business to pass on my skills in H & S mainly within chemical using companies

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continued• Studied at night school for NEBOSH certificate and used

Distance Learning for gaining the old type Diploma• Upgraded to Corporate Membership of IOSH last year and

now on CPD scheme to ensure I keep up to date• For last 11 years have been Group Treasurer of the

Manchester Occupational Health & Safety Group• Currently Membership Secretary and previously Chairman of

Manchester Section of the Oil & Colour Chemists Association (OCCA)

• Member of Management Committee of Rochdale Occupational Health Service (ROHS)

• Chairman of NW Regional Association of Health & Safety Groups

• Treasurer, Safety Groups UK• Executive Committee Member of IOSH Manchester and NW

Districts Branch

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Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

You need to understand hazards and how to control them

How do you spot a health hazard?

INITIALLY LOOK AT THE LABELS

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Hazard and Risk• Hazard The Potential to Harm• Risk The Likelihood (Probability, Chance) of

Such Harm Occurring• Risk for Substances Hazardous to

Health• The product of Hazard x Exposure

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LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

• ASSESS

• CONTROL

• MONITOR

• EDUCATE

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ASSESSMENTS

• WHO?

• WHAT?

• WHY?

• WHEN?

• WHERE?

• HOW?

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WHO, WHAT and WHY

• WHO:-is involved in handling chemicals

• WHAT:-List all materials used in manufacturing +any materials used by contractors e.g. cleaning materials in the canteen or toilets

• WHY:- Because most items are essential to your business

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WHEN, WHERE and HOW• WHEN:- At all times of the

day and night when employees are at work

• WHERE:- In all work areas, laboratories, workshops etc.

• HOW:- By handling the chemical or being exposed to the fumes / vapours from these materials

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How are health hazards controlled?

COSHH risk assessments

Control measures

Eliminate – do we need to use this chemical?

Substitute – can we use a less hazardous chemical?

Segregate/isolate – can we separate workers and chemicals?

I-I-T-S – have we provided information, instruction, training and supervision?

PPE – what personal protective equipment is required?

Should lead us to

BASICS

What is required – keep it simple initially

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New Materials

• Procedure required• Simplified approach in the initial stages• Everyone from the lab technician, buyer,

maintenance engineer, cleaner etc. needs to follow the system

• A lot of chemicals arrive by the backdoore.g. from the shop, sales rep, over the trade counter etc.

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Practical example• New substance (chemical) identified for use anywhere on

site. • This could result from a Trial request form, suppliers

suggestion, production problems, necessity to save money • Examples of this could be: -

• a) a new type of ink• b) similar materials from a new supplier• c) trial materials in production• d) oil or grease used by engineers• e) aerosol can, used for any purpose• g) new cleaning material for any

purpose• h) R & D laboratory testing solutions, new monomers,

additives etc.

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New cleaning material

• White spirit (Shellsol A100)• Easily obtained• Used by many DIY enthusiasts• Lets go step by step through a

simple procedure

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Start

New substanceproposed

Obtain MSDS from supplier

Check Section 3 and 15

Is it Hazardous?

NO

YES

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NO

YES

Identifyproblems

Can hazardsbe controlled

DO NOT USE MATERIAL

NO

Check projected usage against

existing assessmentfor similar material

YES

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Is there a major difference?

Undertake NEW COSHH assessment

YES

Record results

Supply copies of assessment to all concerned

END

NO

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Further example

• Client currently using MIBK (Methyl Iso Butyl Ketone) to clean mixing vessels

• Section 3 & 15 of MSDS indicate• Harmful by inhalation, irritating to

eyes etc. also highly flammable F. Pt. 14C

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Alternatives suggested by client:-• Isophorone• Cyclohexanone• Diacetone Alcohol• Di isobutyl ketone

• By checking the appropriate MSDS for each of the above found that:-

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• Isophorone – limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect, irritating to eyes and respiratory system, not flammable with F. Pt 84C

• Cyclohexanone – Harmful by inhalation, flammable with F. Pt. 44C

• Di-acetone alcohol – slightly irritating to respiratory system, irritating to eyes, not flammable with F. Pt. 58C

• Di-isobutyl ketone –Irritating to respiratory system and moderately irritating to eyes, flammable with F. Pt. 47C

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• Supplier of cleaning products suggests

• His specially formulated cleaner –Hurricane, based on safer solvents and citrus terpenes

• Section 3&15 indicate not regarded as a health hazard under current legislation

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Pros• Hurricane is not a

health hazard• No fire risk• No requirement to

wear additional PPE e.g. goggles, respirator

Cons• It requires more

elbow grease• It costs 10x the

alternative• Employees used to

wearing additional PPE

What should my client use?

•Hurricane or Di-Acetone Alcohol the least hazardous alternative examined

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• A hard decision?• Commercially unacceptable• But wait: How much do I use?• 300k/yr • Likely on-cost is ~ £2700

or

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What would you do?

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Basics completed

• Is the material to be used?• If YES - Undertake the COSHH Assessment• Look at how it will be used and quantities

etc.• COSHH and Chemical Essentials on the HSE

website could be used• Are there other obvious considerations?

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Other considerations• Some chemicals can react together• Environmental effects have generally been ignored

e.g. air pollution, spillage and contamination, disposal etc.

• These details are not part of COSHH but should be taken into consideration

• Physical format of material not fully taken into account whether material is: gas, liquid or powder

• Flammability/explosive risk is dealt with under separate regulations (DSEAR)

• These points can be looked at after the initial basic assessment

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Reacting chemicals

• Nitrocellulose + amine = FIRE

• Aluminium + Alkali/acid = H2 + potential KABOOM!

• Bleach + some other toilet cleaners = CHLORINE GAS

• There are many others

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Flammability/explosion risk

• Technically not dealt with by COSHH• However most flammable (including

highly and extremely flammable materials) can pose a risk to health

• Suggest you treat all chemicals with care especially if there is a symbol in the orange square on the label

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Environmental risk

• Not part of COSHH• But can be taken into account

when fully assessing the material• If the correct control measures are

in place the handling such a material should not create a problem

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Further points

• Do not ignore these criteria• A simple practical approach can

save a lot of unnecessary work• Be realistic• Be practical• Be sensible• Assess the cost implications

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Summary

Hopefully you will have seen that

• COSHH is not a nightmare: it can be assessed

• MSDS’s are now easier to understand

• Expert advice can be obtained if required

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• Contact me Mike Nixon at simply.safe@ntlworld.com or see my details on the web atwww.simply-safe-consultancy.co.uk

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THE END