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Hazardous Substances and Toxic Waste

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Hazardous Substances and Toxic Waste

Every year exposure to hazardous substances at work affects the health of many thousands of people.  Common examples include lung disease (e.g. dusty conditions), skin irritation, dermatitis or skin cancer (e.g. frequent contact with oils, contact with corrosive liquids), occupational asthma (e.g. sensitisation to isocyanates in paints or adhesives), toxic fumes, occupational cancer etc.  The high costs of ill-health arise from loss of earnings, loss of productivity, prosecution and civil action amongst others.

Introduction:

The COSHH Regulations 1999

These provide a framework to help protect people in the workplace against health risks from hazardous substances.  The substances may be used directly in the work (e.g. cleaning chemicals, chemical reagents) or may arise from the work (e.g. dusts, fumes and waste products).

COSHH lays down a sensible step-by-step approach to the necessary precautions and is therefore a useful tool of good management.  The potential for identifiable cost benefits (e.g. tighter control over the use and storage of materials), improved morale and industrial relations have been widely realised.

COSHH applies to virtually all substances hazardous to health.  Exceptions include asbestos and lead (which may have their own regulations) and substances which are hazardous only because they are radioactive, asphyxiants, at high pressure/temperature or have explosive/flammable properties.

Definitions:

• Hazard - is the potential to cause harm
• Risk - is the likelihood that it will harm you in the actual circumstances of use

The risk will depend on a number of factors, such as the hazard presented by the substance, how it is used, how exposure is controlled, the degree and extent of exposure etc.

COSHH requires the following:

• Assessment of the risks
• Deciding what precautions are needed
• Prevention or control of the risks
• Ensuring that control measures are used and maintained
• Monitoring exposure and health surveillance, where necessary
• Informing, instructing and training employees about the risks and precautions needed.

Assessment - is a step-by-step approach:

1. Identify what hazards there are
2. Evaluate the risks to people
3. For significant risks, decide on the action needed to remove or reduce them to insignificant levels

Assessment is the responsibility of the employer. Persons preparing the assessment will need to:

• Have access to, and understand, COSHH, related legislation, codes of practice and published guidance
• Be competent to carry through the work of assessment
• Consult widely within the workforce and inform them of results accordingly
• Consider peripatetic workers (who work for you on other premises)

Hazards - Substances hazardous to health include:

• Substances classified as dangerous to health under the Chemicals Hazard Information and Packing for Supply) (CHIP3) Regulations 2002.  Many are listed in "The Approved Supply List" which is part of the "CHIP 3" regulations.
• Substances with occupational exposure limits (these are specified in Guidance Note EH40 which is revised annually)
• Biological agents
• Dusts of any kind in substantial concentrations

Identification of hazardous substances can be sought from:

• Hazard data sheets, labels etc. from suppliers (required by law) from which you must draw conclusions relevant to the way the substance is used in the workplace.
• Knowledge from within your business or industry; trade literature
• Published guidance/documents
• Part V of the Approved Supply List (HSE)

Risks - Risk assessment involves looking at:

• Use, handling, generation, release etc. of hazardous substances
• Who might be affected and likely exposure level/extent
• Nature of exposure (breathing in, swallowing, skin absorption etc.)
• Current measures to prevent or control exposure - effectiveness and use?
• Accidental leakage, spillage or release
• Cleaning and maintenance operations.

Further Action

• No likelihood or insignificant risk - no further action until review of assessment.
• Risks identified - ensure appropriate control measures, in the following order of priority:
• • Prevention
    - change process/activity so that the hazardous substance is not required or generated.
    - replace with safer alternative
    - use it in safer form
  • Control may include any of the following:
    - total enclosure of the process
    - partial enclosure and extraction equipment
    - general ventilation
    - using systems of work and handling procedures which minimise chances of spills, leaks etc. or exposure to the substance(s)
  • Personal protective equipment (e.g. respirators, protective clothing) only as a last resort when you cannot adequately control exposure by any combination of the measures above.
    - Employees are required to make proper use of control measures and to report defects.
    - Employers are required to keep controls in efficient working order and good repair.  Engineering controls and respiratory protective equipment have to be examined and, where appropriate, tested at suitable intervals.  Suitable records of all such actions taken must be kept.
• Monitoring exposure is required in certain circumstances, e.g. where there could be serious risks to health if control measures were to fail or deteriorate or where you cannot be sure that exposure limits are not being exceeded.
  Records of monitoring should be kept.
• Health surveillance is required:
  - where an employee is engaged in one of the processes listed in Schedule 5 of COSHH and is likely to receive significant exposure to the substance involved.
  - where employees are exposed to a substance linked to a particular disease or adverse health effect AND there is reasonable likelihood under the conditions of the work of that disease or adverse health effect occurring AND it is possible to detect the disease or adverse health effect.
  Suitable records must be kept for 40 years.

Recording and Reviewing the Assessment

Unless the assessment is so simple that it can be easily recalled and its conclusions explained, it should be put in writing.  Reviews should take place regularly, at not less than five-yearly intervals, and in any case where it is no longer valid or there have been significant changes in the work.

Informing, Instructing and Training Employees

Must be carried out by employers regarding the substances and their associated risks and precautions. Sufficient information and instruction should be given on control measures, personal protective equipment, results of any exposure monitoring air health surveillance and emergency procedures.

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Advice on Lead Paint in your Home

Are you redecorating? Is your paintwork safe?
Yes, if it's used and treated properly.  Look out for lead in old paint in your home.

What's the problem?

• We all know that too much lead in our bodies is bad for us.  Over the last 20 years or so, we've done a lot to get rid of it in this country and cases of lead poisoning are now rare.
• But old paint is one particular source of lead that you may still come across in your home.
• Up until the mid-1960's, lead was used to make some kinds of paint - for windows, doors and other woodwork as well as for some metal items, like radiators. A few minor uses continued until the 1980's.

How will I know if there's lead in my paintwork?

• The age of your home is a good guide.  If it was built before the 1960's and still has original coats of paint, there could be some lead around.
• Another clue is if your paintwork is quite thick - lead could be locked into the oldest layers.  That's not a problem if it's in good condition and you don't plan to redecorate.
• Modern household paints do not contain added lead and are not dangerous.  So if your home is newer, there won't be any lead there.
• If it has recently had a new coat of paint, this will probably have sealed any lead in.

Am I or my family at risk?

• The people most at risk from lead are young children and pregnant women.
• If you think the paintwork is likely to get knocked or chewed by young children or by pets, for example, or if it could be damaged in some other way that could release lead dust into your home, it would be best to sort it out now.
• If you are planning any redecorating there are ways you can deal with lead paintwork safely.
• If you think your home does have lead paintwork, especially if it's in bad condition, peeling or flaking - it's best to be on the safe side. So read on.

How can I make sure we're safe?

• The easiest way of dealing with lead paintwork - if it's in good condition - is to seal it with an over coating of modern paint.
• But if the paintwork is in bad condition and needs to be removed before you can redecorate, use methods that don't create dust or fumes, like a solvent or caustic-based liquid stripper.  Don't forget to follow the safety instructions if you do use solvents or liquid strippers, and remember that solvent-free, water-based paint removers are now available - ask your DIY dealer for details.
• If you have to use a hot-air gun, use it just enough to soften the paint - don't burn it because this will give off fumes.  A good guide is to make sure your gun is set below 4500C.  Keep surfaces moist when removing paint.
• Wear protective clothes, gloves and a good quality face mask with a filter conforming to EN143 P2.  Shut off the work area and don't let other members of your family in, especially children or pregnant women.  If possible, remove furniture and carpets; otherwise cover them completely.
• When you break from the work, store the clothes you've been wearing safely (perhaps in a sealed plastic bag) and wash your hands and any other bare skin before you do anything else.
• When you've taken most of the paint off, moisten the surface and smooth it with a waterproof abrasive paper - don't use sandpaper.
• When you've finished, put the paint you've removed and any collected on coverings in a safe container - a sealed plastic bag will do - and put it out with the rubbish.
• Clean the room you've been working in and any coverings used with water and detergent.  If you need to get rid of any dust after decorating, you may have to use an industrial standard vacuum cleaner (complying with British Standard 5415), and wash the clothes you've been working in separately from any others.

What next?

• If you're not sure you can deal with the paintwork safely by yourself, call in a professionally qualified firm of decorators - you can find out who they are from one of the associations representing decorating contractors.
• If you would like more advise or information, contact the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE. Telephone 020 7082 8099
  Or consult their website at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/chemicals/lead/index.htm.

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Contact Information

For further advice on matters relating to hazardous substances and toxic waste please contact our Environmental Protection section.

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This page last updated: 19/03/2004