From Cradle to Grave

2. From Cradle to Grave In the beginning Manchester Occupational Health & Safety Group 31st May 2006

3. Handling Chemicals Safely Mike Nixon CMIOSH, MIIRSM, MRSC, FTSC H & S Consultant Simply Safe Consultancy

4. Contents • My background • Overview of COSHH • Basics – procedure and practical example • Further example • Other considerations • Summary • Discussion period

5. 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

6. 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

8. Controlof 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

9. 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 ofHazardxExposure

10. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS • ASSESS • CONTROL • MONITOR • EDUCATE

11. WHO? WHAT? WHY? WHEN? WHERE? HOW? ASSESSMENTS

12. 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

13. 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

14. Should lead us to 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?

15. BASICS What is required – keep it simple initially

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. New cleaning material • White spirit (Shellsol A100) • Easily obtained • Used by many DIY enthusiasts • Lets go step by step through a simple procedure

19. Start New substance proposed Obtain MSDS from supplier Check Section 3 and 15 Is it Hazardous? YES NO

20. NO YES Identify problems Can hazards be controlled NO YES DO NOT USE MATERIAL Check projected usage against existing assessment for similar material

21. Is there a major difference? Undertake NEW COSHH assessment YES NO Record results Supply copies of assessment to all concerned END

22. 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

23. Alternatives suggested by client:- • Isophorone • Cyclohexanone • Diacetone Alcohol • Di isobutyl ketone • By checking the appropriate MSDS for each of the above found that:-

24. Isophorone – limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect, irritating to eyes and respiratory system, not flammable with F. Pt 84C • Cyclohexanone – Harmful by inhalation, flammable withF. 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 withF. Pt. 47C

25. 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

26. 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

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

28. What would you do?

29. 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?

30. 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

31. Reacting chemicals • Nitrocellulose + amine = FIRE • Aluminium + Alkali/acid = H2 + potential KABOOM! • Bleach + some other toilet cleaners = CHLORINE GAS • There are many others

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

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

37. THE END