Introduction to Fire Safety Management

4. First aid information
5. Fire fi ghting information
6. Procedures for dealing with accidental spillage
7. Handling precautions and storage requirements
8. Controls necessary during use, and recommended
personal protection
9. Physical properties and appearance
10. Stability of the substance or preparation, including
shelf life
11. Toxicological data, if applicable
12. Known effects on the environment
13. Methods or precautions for the disposal of the
chemical or by-products
14. Transport information for road and rail systems
15. Legislation which also applies to the substance or
preparation
16. Other relevant information, e.g. supplier’s contact
address or number.
It is the duty of the person supplying the substance or
preparation to supply the relevant data sheet, no later
than dispatch of the chemical. The data sheet should be
dated and signifi cant changes in its contents should be
brought to the attention of the customer up to one year
from the date of supply.
Once the suppliers of harmful chemicals have classifi
ed and packaged them, all employers have duties to
ensure that the hazards associated with all substances
harmful to health are adequately controlled. The legislation
requiring employers to control these hazards is the
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
2002 (COSHH) as amended.
Substances that represent a danger of fi re or
explosion are described as ‘Dangerous’ substances. The
storage, handling and transportation of dangerous
substances in the workplace is controlled by the
Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere
Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) (see Chapter 8).
Comprehensive details of the requirements of CHIP,
COSHH and DSEAR appear in the summary of legal
requirements at the back of the book. The following
paragraphs summarise the key elements of both pieces
of legislation.
In the case where chemicals present a specifi c
fi re or explosion-related risk they must be assessed
by those who intend to use them. The duty to assess
the risk and explosion risks in respect of dangerous
substances is placed upon the ‘responsible person’ as
part of their duties under the RRSFO (see Chapter 14).
3.8.1 The Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) as amended
CHIP specifi cally covers the aspects relating to the supply
of dangerous substances. Once the substances have
Organising for safety
been supplied the responsibility rests with the employer,
and in the case of the RRFSO to the responsible person.
COSHH is the principal legislation that covers the
ongoing use, transportation, storage and disposal of
substances hazardous to health.
The COSHH Regulations apply to the following
classifi cations of substances:
➤ Substances classifi ed by CHIP as very toxic, toxic,
harmful, corrosive or irritant
➤ Substances assigned a WEL according to EH 40
➤ Other substances that create a hazard to human
health
➤ Biological agents
➤ Dusts in concentrations great enough to be
hazardous.
POISION
Figure 3.12 Controlling hazardous substances in the
workplace
However, it is important to note the COSHH Regulations
do not apply to the following substances:
➤ Those that only pose physical hazards, e.g. where
the only hazard is due to fl ammable or explosive
properties (where DSEAR applies, see Chapter 7)
➤ Those that are covered by other specifi c legislation,
e.g. lead and asbestos.
Under COSHH, an employer is required to carry out a
suitable and suffi cient assessment of the risks to the
health of their employees created by work involving hazardous
substances. The assessment must be kept under
review and any necessary changes made following the
review. In addition, control measures to reduce the risks
posed by the substances must also be subject to maintenance,
e.g. local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV) for
the removal of fl ammable mixtures from the atmosphere.
Emergency arrangement have to be considered as
part of the control measures relating to hazardous materials,
under the regulations, particularly in relation to fi re
and explosion. These are detailed elsewhere in this book.
53