AW 101

OCCUPATIONAL
SAFETY & HEALTH 1
GROUP
PRESENTATION

Chemical hazards are present when a

worker is exposed to any chemical
preparation in the workplace in any form
(solid, liquid or gas). Some are safer than
others, but to some workers who are more
sensitive to chemicals, even common
solutions can cause illness, skin irritation or
breathing problems.

liquids like cleaning products, paints, acids, solvents

especially chemicals in an unlabelled container
(warning sign!)
vapours and fumes, for instance those that come
from welding or exposure to solvents
gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide
and helium
flammable materials like gasoline, solvents and
explosive chemicals.
The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information
System (WHMIS) is designed to make sure you
have the information you need to evaluate any
hazards and take action to protect yourself.

Inhalation:
Breathing in contaminated air is the most
common way that workplace chemicals enter
the body.
Contact with the skin or eyes:
Some chemicals can damage the skin or eyes
(e.g. irritation) or pass through the skin into
the body.
Ingestion:
Workplace chemicals may be swallowed
accidentally if food or hands are contaminated.
Injection:
Injection can occur when a sharp object (e.g.
needle) punctures the skin and injects a
chemical directly into the bloodstream.
Here are some terms that explain the health
effects of exposure to chemicals.

Fibres: a thread or filament from which a vegetable

tissue, mineral substance, or textile is formed.

Liquids: RESPIRATORY IRRITANTS cause injury to the

nose, mouth, throat and lungs. Materials that are very
water soluble affect mainly the nose and throat. Less
water soluble materials act deeper in the lungs.

Solids : SKIN (DERMAL) IRRITANTS may cause contact

dermatitis (irritated rash), and erythema. Examples are
organic solvents.

Fumes: gas, smoke, or vapor that smells strongly or is

dangerous to inhale..

MISTS: a cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the

atmosphere at or near the earth's surface limiting
visibility, but to a lesser extent than fog; strictly, with
visibility remaining above 1.5 miles (1 km).

SYSTEMIC POISONS

BLOOD SYSTEM TOXINS - These agents damage blood components or

depress blood cell formation. Examples include benzene, methylene
chloride, and arsine.

NEUROTOXINS (Central Nervous System) - These compounds damage

the nerve cells (neurons) or inhibit their function by acting on a part of
the nerve cell. Typical symptoms include dullness, muscle tremor,
restlessness, convulsions, loss of memory, and loss of muscle
coordination.

LIVER (HEPATO-) TOXINS - These compounds can cause liver damage.

Examples include alcohols and some solvents.

KIDNEY (NEPHRO-) TOXINS - These agents damage the kidney, causing

swelling and increased serum (blood) proteins in the urine.

 Hazards and Risks

Hazard Statements
Each of the substances

to be used in the
activity should be listed and their Hazard
Statements entered in the second column of
the table. Hazard Statements have replaced
Risk Phrases (though we are currently still in
the transitional phase) and are derived from
the European Regulation (EC) No.1272/2008 on
Classification, Labelling and Packaging of
Substances and Mixtures (CLP). A numbered
code describes the types of risk presented by
the substance e.g. H315 causes skin irritation.
A complete list of Hazard Statements (and
Risk Phrases) can be found in Appendix 1 of
this Guidance Note

 Hazard

Statements for individual

substances, together with a description
of the hazards, can be found under the
Hazards identification section on the
MSDS for the substance:
Process factors influencing the risk of
exposure
At this stage, the boxes should be ticked
and any factors identified that are not
included in the list should be entered
under other.

 Substances

presenting fire and explosion

risks
Substances that are hazardous to safety
are subject to DSEAR. These will include
substances with the following properties:
Explosive
Oxidising
Flammable

(flash point below 550C).

Highly flammable (flash point below 210C).
Extremely flammable (flash point below 00C
and boiling point equal to or less than 350C).

THANKS A LOT TO MY
HONOURABLE LETCTURE
AND MY LOVELY FRIENDS
TO HEAR FOR MY
PRESENTATION