New Terminology under the Work Health and Safety Legislation: Hazardous Chemicals

Chemicals are used for many purposes and are necessary in many Australian workplaces. They can also cause some very bad health effects for workers such as drowsiness, headache, nausea, loss of co-ordination, heart attack, coma and even death when risk controls are not established and implemented.
Any persons conducting a businesses or undertaking has duties under work health and safety law to protect workers and others from risks associated with using, handling, generating or storing hazardous chemicals (WHS Regulation, 351).

What are Hazardous Chemicals?

Hazardous Chemicals is a term that includes Hazardous Substances and Dangerous goods and is used in the Globally Harmonised System that is being introduced for chemicals that will be used in Australian workplaces.
This system will be used by manufacturers and importers when designing labels and safety data sheets. Manufacturers and importers have until the 31st December 2016 to comply with the requirements of the Globally Harmonised System.
Below are the pictograms for the 9 classes of hazardous chemical under the new Globally Harmonised System.

A person conducting a business or undertaking has a duty of care to manage risks to workers from hazardous chemicals. This means they need to identify the hazardous chemicals in their workplace, asses the risks, institute control measures and monitor the effectiveness of those control measures. They must also ensure that sufficient information and training is provided to workers about the safe handling, use and storage of hazardous chemicals.

Workers need to take care not to compromise their own safety or the safety of others. They should help management by reporting any hazardous substances that are existing in their workplace that they think are not effectively controlled.

Urban Group and Hazardous Chemicals

Urban Group fully complies with the new Work Health and Safety Legislation for Hazardous chemicals. For more information contact Urban Group on Ph: 07 3620 8500