The Importance of Safety and Proper Use When Using Chemicals
Safety precautions are crucial in any industry. Safety within chemical industry applications is incredibly important since a failure to adhere to regulations can have long-term or catastrophic consequences. Last week, over 100 people were treated after a chemical leak at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. “Investigators believe the leak was some sort of mixture of bleach and sulfuric acid.” Thankfully, the patients have been treated and discharged in good condition. Chemicals may, especially if not properly used, endanger our health and poison our environment. Incidents like this are a scary reminder that any business dealing with dangerous chemicals should constantly review and check safety procedures and training processes related to the dangerous substances.
According to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, a hazardous chemical is “any chemical which can cause a physical or a health hazard.” A few key components to OSHA’s HCS and high-level employer responsibilities include:
- Keeping an updated written chemical inventory
- Ensuring proper labeling of hazardous chemicals
- Maintaining and providing access to safety data sheets (SDSs)
- Training employees on chemical hazards
What You Can Do To Prevent Hazards
Effective training ensures employees are aware that they are exposed to hazardous chemicals, know how to protect themselves from those hazards – including how to detect releases of those chemicals—and where to get specific hazard information. It’s also a good idea to use locking racks and cabinets that include space for SDS binders to keep chemical concentrates out of reach. Many chemicals in cleaning products are caustic, flammable, or poisonous and can cause various health hazards that range from skin irritation to asthma attacks or even cancer.
One of the most important safety measures that must be adopted in order to protect employees and customers is dilution control. Using dilution control applications such as Lavo’s SimpleSink and LavoDose are great since they can provide accurate chemical proportioning that are customizable!
Undiluted chemicals or chemicals that are not properly diluted can pose a health hazard. Chemical dilution control dispensers eliminate the interaction between employees and concentrated chemicals and decrease the risk of these health hazards. Proper chemical dilution also decreases the risk of physical hazards to a facility’s floors or other surfaces.