{"id":914,"date":"2015-01-19T08:43:17","date_gmt":"2015-01-19T16:43:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/?p=914"},"modified":"2024-02-05T14:40:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T22:40:50","slug":"workers-protected-hazardous-chemical-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/workers-protected-hazardous-chemical-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Your Workers Protected from Hazardous Chemical Risks?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HandlingDespite scores of regulations from OSHA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and various other governmental entities, hazardous chemical exposure is still a pervasive problem in many workplaces. In fact, OSHA publicly acknowledged the problem last fall<\/a>, bringing it into the spotlight and inviting industry representatives into a \u201cnational dialogue\u201d to discuss solutions and tackle the monumental task of updating permissible exposure limits (PELs).<\/p>\n

Even the most safety-conscious employers cannot take hazardous chemical safety for granted. Accidents can happen all too easily \u2014 it only takes one careless mistake to result in devastating consequences that can harm employees\u2019 health, the environment, the vitality of the business, and more.<\/p>\n

In light of the renewed attention to hazardous workplace chemical dangers, it\u2019s a good time to review your own facility\u2019s chemical safety plan and ensure you\u2019re doing enough to mitigate the risks of hazardous chemical exposure.<\/p>\n

The first step<\/strong>
\nThe first step toward better hazardous chemical safety is to confirm that all employees understand precisely what a hazard is. According to OSHA<\/a>, hazardous chemicals (and common materials that contain hazardous chemicals, such as paint and cleaning compounds) can be categorized as a health hazard, a physical hazard, or another hazard type (such as combustible dust). A health hazard<\/em> is a chemical that can cause acute or chronic health effects in exposed employees. A physical hazard<\/em> is a chemical that could cause non-health related physical damage.<\/p>\n

The OSHA Hazard Awareness Advisor<\/a> is a great resource for educating your business. The advisor helps general industry employers and workers identify possible safety and health hazards in their workplace, then directs them to OSHA standards that address those hazards. This tool can be particularly helpful to small employers who don\u2019t have the means to hire safety and health professionals to evaluate their workplace.<\/p>\n

The next steps<\/strong>
\nOnce you understand what constitutes a chemical hazard, take these further steps to keep your employees safe:<\/p>\n