Working with Chemicals – Safety Requirements and Your Duties as an Employer
Many workplaces use chemicals in various forms, from cleaning products and paints to specialized industrial substances. While chemicals are essential for many processes, they also pose a potential risk to employee health and safety. As an employer, you have a strict legal responsibility to ensure the proper handling of chemicals. This guide provides an overview of key safety requirements and your duties, including new rules for diisocyanates.
Legal Requirements: The Chemical Regulations and Employer's Responsibility
The handling of chemicals in the workplace is regulated by the Regulations on the Performance of Work, specifically Chapters 2 and 3 (the Chemical Regulations). These regulations set clear requirements for the employer's duties to prevent health damage and accidents. The main principle is that the employer must ensure that employees are not exposed to hazardous chemicals more than necessary, and that all handling takes place in a safe manner.
Chemical Register: The Central Overview
One of the most important tools in chemical management is a chemical register. All businesses that use or store hazardous chemicals are legally required to maintain a chemical register. This should be an overview of all chemicals, and for each chemical, it must contain:
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Detailed information about the chemical's properties, hazards, and safety measures.
- Risk Assessment: An assessment of the risks associated with the use of the chemical in the specific work situation.
- Measures: Description of the measures to be implemented to eliminate or reduce the risk.
- Instructions for Use: A concise and easily understandable instruction for employees.
The chemical register must be easily accessible to all employees working with the chemicals and must be kept up to date.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Key Information on Chemicals
The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a standardized document that accompanies all hazardous chemicals. It contains 16 mandatory points that provide detailed information about the chemical, including:
- Identification of the substance/mixture and the company.
- Hazard identification.
- Composition/information on ingredients.
- First-aid measures.
- Fire-fighting measures.
- Accidental release measures.
- Handling and storage.
- Exposure controls/personal protection.
- Physical and chemical properties.
- Stability and reactivity.
- Toxicological information.
- Ecological information.
- Disposal considerations.
- Transport information.
- Regulatory information.
- Other information.
It is the employer's duty to ensure that employees have access to and understand the information in relevant SDSs.
Risk Assessment and Measures for Chemical Use
Before a chemical is used, a thorough risk assessment must be carried out. This should identify potential hazards and assess the risk of exposure. Based on the risk assessment, the employer must implement measures according to the following hierarchy:
- Substitution: Replacing hazardous chemicals with less hazardous alternatives.
- Technical measures: Ventilation, encapsulation, automated processes to reduce exposure.
- Organizational measures: Limiting exposure time, employee rotation, good routines.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Gloves, safety glasses, respiratory protection. PPE should always be the last resort and used in combination with other measures.
Exposure Register: For Particularly Hazardous Substances
For employees exposed to carcinogenic or mutagenic substances, the employer is legally required to maintain an exposure register. This register must contain information about who is exposed, to what substance, and for how long. The register must be kept for at least 40 years after the last exposure and is important for monitoring employee health over time.
New Requirements for Diisocyanates from 2023
From August 24, 2023, new and stricter training requirements came into force for everyone handling diisocyanates. Diisocyanates are found in many polyurethane products, such as adhesives, sealants, insulation foams, and paints, and are widely used in the construction industry. Exposure can lead to serious respiratory allergies (asthma).
The requirement means that anyone handling diisocyanates, either directly or indirectly, must have completed special training and passed a test. Komplett HMS AS offers a tailored course in the safe use of diisocyanates that ensures your employees meet these new legal requirements.
Training in Chemical Handling
The employer has a duty to provide all employees working with chemicals with the necessary training and information about risks and safety measures. This includes training in:
- General chemical safety.
- Specific hazards of the chemicals they use.
- Correct use of PPE.
- What to do in case of accidents or spills.
Komplett HMS AS offers relevant HSE courses that cover chemical handling and other important HSE topics. An important advantage of our courses is that many of our courses are available in several languages. This is particularly important in industries with many foreign workers, to ensure that everyone receives the necessary competence.
Komplett HMS AS – Your Expert in Chemical Safety
With 10 years of experience in the industry, Komplett HMS AS is your reliable partner for ensuring proper chemical handling in your company. We offer not only courses but also consulting to help you establish chemical registers, conduct risk assessments, and implement effective safety measures.
Ensure that your company complies with the Chemical Regulations and protects your employees. Contact us at kundeservice@kompletthms.no or call us at 46 66 64 67 for guidance and courses. We are located at Kanalveien 107, 5068 Bergen, and our organization number is 918 899 197.
Invest in chemical safety – it is an investment in your employees' health and your company's future.