Typical acute health effects include headaches

Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace

This copyright work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0
International licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit creativecommons.org/licenses. In essence, you are free to copy, communicate and adapt the work for non-commercial purposes, as long as you attribute the work to Safe Work Australia and abide by the other licence terms.

Contents

1.2. Who has health and safety duties in relation to hazardous chemicals? ............... 7

1.3. What is required to manage the risks associated with hazardous chemicals? ... 10

2.1. How to identify which chemicals are hazardous ................................................. 14

2.2. Safety data sheets (SDS) .................................................................................. 14

3.2. Decide what sort of risk assessment is appropriate ........................................... 21

3.3. Things to consider in assessing health risks ...................................................... 22

4.3. Maintaining control measures ............................................................................ 43

4.4. Providing information, training, instruction and supervision ............................... 44

6.1. Emergency plan ................................................................................................ 49

6.2. Emergency equipment and safety equipment .................................................... 51

Appendix A—Glossary ..................................................................................................... 54

Appendix B—Comparison of hazard classes and categories under the ADG Code and the GHS.............................................................................................................................. 58 Appendix C—Prohibited carcinogens, restricted carcinogens and restricted
hazardous chemicals ........................................................................................................ 61 Appendix D—Placard and manifest quantities ............................................................... 65 Appendix E—Requirements for health monitoring ......................................................... 72 Appendix F—Overview of a risk assessment process ................................................... 75 Appendix G—Risk assessment checklist ....................................................................... 76 Appendix H—Examples of common fuel and oxygen sources ...................................... 78 Appendix I—Fire and explosion risks .............................................................................. 80 Appendix J—Practical examples of control measures .................................................. 84 Safe management of higher hazard chemicals .............................................................. 85 Appendix K—Case studies ............................................................................................... 90 Case study 1: Motor vehicle finishing workshop ............................................................ 90 Case study 2: Vapour Degreasing Operation ................................................................ 98 Case study 3: Cleaning offices .................................................................................... 100 Case study 4: Pesticide spraying ................................................................................. 102

Under section 26A of the WHS Act duty holders must comply with an approved code of practice or follow another method, such as a technical or industry standard, if it provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety than the standard required in this code.

A code of practice applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described in the code. In most cases, following an approved code of practice would achieve
compliance with the health and safety duties in the WHS Act, in relation to the subject matter of the code. Like regulations, codes of practice deal with particular issues and do not cover all hazards or risks that may arise. The health and safety duties require duty holders to consider all risks associated with work, not only those for which regulations and codes of practice exist.

A PCBU can be a manufacturer, importer or supplier of hazardous chemicals, or a business owner who uses, handles, generates or stores hazardous chemicals at their workplace. They may also be more than one of these things.

This code may be a useful reference for other persons interested in the duties under the WHS Act and the WHS Regulation.

This code does not apply to the transportation of dangerous goods or explosives which are subject to state and territory laws based on the requirements under the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail (ADG Code)and the Australian Code for the Transport of Explosives by Road and Rail 3rd edition. Most substances and mixtures that are dangerous goods under the ADG Code are also hazardous chemicals. Any person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has a responsibility under WHS laws to manage the risks from hazardous chemicals, including those that are also dangerous goods.

A PCBU who operates a licensed major hazard facility or uses, handles or stores hazardous chemicals at or above 10 per cent of the prescribed threshold quantities in Schedule 15 of the WHS Regulation should also refer to the Safe Work Australia Guidance materials for major hazard facilities.

Guidance for work involving asbestos or asbestos-containing materials is available in the following codes of practice:

How to use this code of practice

This code includes references to the legal requirements under the WHS Act and the WHS Regulation. These are included for convenience only and should not be relied on in place of the full text of the WHS Act or the WHS Regulation. The words ‘must’, ‘requires’ or

1.1. What are hazardous chemicals?

Under the WHS Regulation, a hazardous chemical is any substance, mixture or article that satisfies the criteria of one or more hazard classes in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), as modified by Schedule 6 of the WHS Regulation. However, some hazard classes and categories of the GHS are excluded by the WHS Regulation. See Appendix A for the definition of ‘hazardous chemical’ and other terms used in this code.

Duty holders who have a role in managing the risks of hazardous chemicals include:

Early consultation and identification of risks can allow for more options to eliminate or minimise risks and reduce the associated costs.

PCBUs have a duty to consult workers about work health and safety and may also have duties to consult, cooperate and coordinate with other duty holders.

These duties under the WHS Regulation do not apply to some hazardous chemicals at the workplace in certain circumstances. These circumstances are listed in regulation 328 of the WHS Regulation, and include:

The WHS Regulation contains prohibitions or restrictions on certain hazardous chemicals (for example certain carcinogens) except in specified circumstances and a restriction on the age of a person who can supply hazardous chemicals.

There are also duties relating to the building, operation and management of pipelines used for the transfer of hazardous chemicals.

The WHS Regulation also imposes duties on importers, manufacturers and suppliers relating to the preparation of SDS, the disclosure of ingredients, packing, labelling and supply of hazardous chemicals.

Officers

Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons. Workers must comply with reasonable instructions, as far as they are reasonably able, and cooperate with reasonable health and safety policies or procedures that have been notified to workers. If personal

and safety and must take reasonable care not to adversely affect other people’s health and safety. They must comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with reasonable instructions given by the PCBU to allow that person to comply with the WHS Act.

Consulting, cooperating and coordinating activities with other duty holders

Further guidance on consultation is available in the Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination Code of Practice.

1.4. Prohibited and restricted hazardous chemicals

A PCBU must ensure that no person at the workplace is exposed to a substance or mixture in an airborne concentration that exceeds the relevant exposure standard for the substance or mixture.

Exposure standards represent the airborne concentration of a particular substance or mixture that must not be exceeded. There are three types of exposure standard:

Chemicals with workplace exposure standards are listed in the Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants. These exposure standards are also available from the Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS) on the Safe Work Australia (SWA) website.

The HCIS database contains additional information and guidance for many substances. Although exposure standards may also be listed in Section 8 of the SDS, you should always check the Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants or HCIS to be certain.

A PCBU must ensure that a register of hazardous chemicals at the workplace is prepared and kept up to date. The register must be readily accessible to workers involved in using, handling or storing hazardous chemicals and to anyone else who is likely to be affected by a hazardous chemical at the workplace.

The register is a list of the product names of all hazardous chemicals used, handled or stored at the workplace accompanied by the current SDS for each hazardous chemical listed. It must be updated as new hazardous chemicals are introduced to the workplace or when the use of a particular hazardous chemical is discontinued.

A PCBU must prepare a manifest of Schedule 11 hazardous chemicals at the workplace when a prescribed Schedule 11 manifest quantity is exceeded.

A manifest is different from a register. A manifest is a written summary of specific types of hazardous chemicals with physical hazards, acute toxicity or skin corrosion that are used, handled or stored at a workplace. A manifest is only required where the quantities of those hazardous chemicals exceed prescribed threshold amounts. It contains more detailed information than a register of hazardous chemicals as its primary purpose is to provide the emergency services organisations with information on the quantity, classification and location of hazardous chemicals at the workplace. It also contains information such as site plans and emergency contact details.

2.1. How to identify which chemicals are hazardous

The first step in managing risks involves identifying all the chemicals that are or are likely to be used, handled, stored or generated at your workplace in consultation with workers. The identity of chemicals in the workplace can usually be determined by looking at the label and the SDS, and reading what ingredients are in each chemical or product. In some cases, a chemical may not have a label or an SDS, for example where fumes are generated in the workplace from an activity such as welding.

You may also need to research other sources such as codes of practice or guidance documents on the process.

The manufacturer, importer or supplier may provide further information about the hazardous chemical. Information on chemicals can also be found in the HCIS database.

The supplier must provide the current SDS for the hazardous chemical:

If you are using a domestic chemical in a manner different to normal household use, you should obtain the SDS in order to determine the level of risk to workers and the appropriate controls. The SDS should contain more detailed information on hazards and risks, for example on incompatibilities with other chemicals and risks from use in enclosed areas.

Providing access to SDS in the workplace

This requirement does not apply to hazardous chemicals and consumer products in certain circumstances. For more information refer to the Hazardous Chemicals Register Fact Sheet.

Some labels do not contain all hazard information, for example, on some consumer product labels, some agricultural and veterinary chemical products, where the label is too small to fit all relevant hazard information, or when hazardous chemicals that are dangerous goods are labelled to meet transport requirements. You should refer to the SDS when reading a label to ensure all chemical hazards are identified.

Pictograms

These provide a pictorial
representation of the type of hazard that can be easily
recognised at a glance

Human health Corrosive

Incorrectly labelled or unlabelled containers
If you find a container that does not have a label or is incorrectly labelled, action must be taken to correctly label the container. Containers that have had chemicals transferred into them (decanted) in the workplace, and containers of chemical wastes must be labelled correctly.

3. The risk management process

A risk assessment is not mandatory for hazardous chemicals under the WHS Regulation. However, in many circumstances it will be the best way for you, as a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), to determine the measures that should be implemented to control risks. It will help you to:

3.1. Decide who should do the assessment

Assessments are based on a thorough understanding of what happens, or might happen, in the workplace and should be carried out by a person or persons who have:

A single person such as a supervisor may be suitably competent to perform simple
assessments. In more complex cases, several persons representing a variety of skills may need to be involved in collecting and assessing the information. Whether a single person or multiple people undertake the assessment, they should consult with workers and their health and safety representatives.