Safe handling and storage of chemicals from suppliers

It is not always easy to establish your storage needs for hazardous chemicals, as there are 9 different classifications of dangerous items covering a wide spectrum of potential dangers.

Here is a simple 5-step plan for the secure storage of chemicals in the workplace that will help you comply with the necessary regulations and ensure the safety of your employees.

1. Identify the chemical substance

The first step in safe chemical storage is to make sure all of the substances on-site are properly labelled. Understanding the qualities and risks associated with the substances you carry requires first knowing what they are.

The safety data sheet (SDS) will provide you with information on the characteristics of the hazardous chemicals you are keeping. Each chemical’s maker, importer, or chemical suppliers in South Africa should be able to furnish you with an SDS.

You should connect a document holder to each store so that up-to-date copies of each SDS may always be easily accessed.

2. Assess the associated risk of each chemical

Once the chemical has been identified and the reason for its danger has been established, a thorough examination of the risks associated with it can begin.

Dangers will include threats to human health, property loss, and environmental contamination.

You can consider  compiling a comprehensive list of potentially dangerous substances to facilitate the process of risk assessment.

All of the substances you employ on-site should be itemised in this master list. The SDS for each chemical on the list may be compiled, and from there the risks and hazards of each substance can be noted.

3. Apply systematic controls for each potential hazard

It’s time to implement measures to mitigate all threats posed by your hazardous materials. Managers implement the hierarchy of control to minimise potential threats in the workplace. The hierarchy of control is recognised worldwide as a best practise for managing risk. This hierarchy includes:

• Elimination
• Substitution
• Engineering controls
• Administrative controls
• Personal protective equipment

In risk management, the target is, of course, zero risk. Personal protective equipment should never be used alone as a means of reducing chemical hazards.

While personal protective equipment is crucial, it should not be used as a standalone risk control measure until all other options have been exhausted.

4. Correctly store the hazardous chemicals

You are familiar with the chemicals, their potential hazards, and the specific dangers associated with storing them at your workplace. With this knowledge in hand, you’ll be able to take the necessary precautions to keep the dangerous materials kept in an appropriate and legal manner.

Start with the chemical’s hazard class (e.g., flammable, gas under pressure, oxidizer, explosive) and the SDS’s parameters to determine the appropriate manner of storage.

The SDS will swiftly inform you if the hazardous chemical needs to be stored indoors or outside, how much ventilation it requires, and if it needs to be kept away from other compounds (or even light).

5. Establish a system of compliance

New potentially harmful chemicals are introduced to workplaces all the time, and so are new work areas and operating processes.

Maintaining a safe workplace and meeting regulatory requirements requires regular reviews of your safety control procedures.