Handling and management
- 1. Introduction • Chemicals have become a part of our life, sustaining many of our activities, preventing and controlling many diseases, increasing agricultural productivity.However one can not ignore that many of these chemicals may, especially if not properly used, endanger our health and poison our environment.
- 2. Handling of chemicals • Always read the safety data sheet and the text on the packaging carefully when you are about to use a product with which you are not completely familiar with the risks. Contact the environmental co- ordinator if you are unsure about handling methods. • Use personal protection equipment (e.g. gloves, face mask) where necessary. • Surplus chemicals and hazardous waste must be dealt with in accordance with the information in the safety data sheet. • First Aid equipment must be available. • Workplaces must be cleaned regularly. There must not be chemical spills on the floor.
- 3. Things to remember when storing, labelling, handling and personal hygiene • All chemical products must be stored and labelled in accordance with the instructions on the safety sheet. • Chemicals must not be stored together with inflammable material and gas cylinders. • Do not store acids and alkalis together. • Do not store strong acids and organic substances together. • Do not store strongly oxidising substances together with oxidisable substances. • Ethers and other peroxide-building substances must be stored in the dark and cool, in tightly sealed containers.
- 4. Chemical containers must be stored with closed lids when they are not being used. Refrigerators and freezers for storage of chemicals must be of such a type that is specially made for this purpose. Chemicals and similar items must not be stored in refrigerators or freezers that are intended to store food. Chemical stores must not have open floor drains. If there is a floor drain, it must be equipped with protection to prevent leakage. This means for example tight fitting lids, a manual opening and closing function in the drain or other comparable arrangement. Equipment for handling and cleaning up spillage must be in readiness and suitable for the chemicals that are stored. It is suitable to have equipment placed outside the chemical store. It is important for the fire classification of storage lockers and rooms to match the types and amounts of chemicals stored therein. Combustible material must be stored in fireproof cupboards or in separate spaces
- 5. Some rules concerning handling chemicals • In accordance with the product choice or substitution principle such chemicals that can be replaced by those that are less hazardous should be avoided (The Environmental Code part 2 section 4§). • Chemical products that are hazardous to health or are inflammable must be listed. • There must be a safety data sheet for every chemical products that is hazardous to health or environment or is inflammable. • The risks associated with the use of chemicals must be continuously examined, assessed and minimised, in accordance with the Ordinance (1998:901) on operator's control. Refer also to operator's control in the Environmental Code (part 26 section 19 §). The results must be documented. The regulations apply to permit and notification requirements in the case of environmentally hazardous activities.
- 6. Management of Chemicals The primary objective of a chemical management plan,is to eliminate or reduce its hazardous effect through processing changes or resource recovery. Having accomplished this objective, the remaining hazardous chemical wastes must be accounted for from its origin to ultimate disposal. Chemical waste is a kind of hazardous waste. It includes: • spent chemicals, pesticides, • used oils, batteries, • contaminated clothes and materials, • empty chemical containers
- 7. Component of chemicals management The important management plan for chemicals cmponent are given below: Inventory Storage Transport Spillage Disposal Waste Exchange
- 8. Inventory: An inventory of such waste generating agencies and the quantity of chemical waste produced per month should be prepared. Storage: The chemical waste generating industries should equip themselves with special on-site tanks or basins for storage of large quantities of chemicals. Chemically resistance drums should be used for temporarily storing small quantities of corrosive materials. Transport: The chemical wastes stored as above must be collected at regular intervals transported by suitable tanker trucks or rail cars to the approved disposal sites.
- 9. Spillage: A emergency plan should be prepared to deal with unexpected spillage or accidental release of contaminants chemicals during transport to prevent environmental damage or public health hazard. Disposal: The wastes collected as above should be transported to a physical and chemical treatment plan for processing and concentration; or directly hauled to an approved hazardous chemical waste treatment facility for final disposal. Waste-exchange: Where on site recycling or recovery of waste is not feasible,the possibility of waste exchange should be explored.Transferring wastes from big industries to smaller one which are able to reuse or recover valuable metals.
- 10. Chemical Waste Management To respect the environment • do not mix hazardous waste with regular waste, even in small quantities. • do not throw up any chemical in the sink or sewer system. • eliminate hazardous waste as soon as possible.
- 11. Stored in assigned areas: • With secondary containment, • Sheltered, • Locked, • Visible warning signs (WARNING – HAZARDOUS WASTE), • Properly ventilated.
- 12. Solution: Resource Efficient Chemical Management • Conduct a common meeting with management on Chemical Safety. • Start a project to implement chemical safety requirements. • Develop a team for the project. • List down all the chemical used in the factory (location , operation & process specific. • Perform a Risk assessment of all chemicals • Find out the action plan (SDS posting, labeling, storing procedure, carrying procedure, chemical compatibility, secondary containment, required PPE, equipment's, training for the users etc.) • Communicate to the management for budget and people • Implement
- 13. • Manufacturers must assess hazards of chemicals. • Distributors must transmit hazard information to employers. • Employers must provide information to workers.