Safe Chemical Handling Practices

Handling Chemicals:

The most important safety tool you have is knowledge.  It must be understood that chemicals can be very hazardous, and should never be used, mixed, or disposed of without knowing how to handle the chemical.  Before using a chemical, including cleaners, drain clog removers, or other “common” chemicals, always consult the Material Safety Data Sheet (or MSDS) for information on hazards, what other chemicals it might be incompatible with, and the Chemical Hygiene Plan (or CHP) on waste procedures.  For example, some chemicals react very violently with water, and can even explode.  Just pouring the chemical down the drain can cause serious harm; make sure you know what to do, and more importantly what NOT to do, before using that chemical!

If you should spill a chemical, be sure to clean it up immediately.  Many of the most hazardous chemicals actually look a lot like water; if you spill the chemical, only you know what it is, so failure to clean it up puts your coworkers at risk.  If you do not know how to clean up the chemical, consult the appropriate MSDS and contact your Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO).

It’s also a good idea to remember to wash your hands, especially after using chemicals that you know are hazardous, and before meals.  Wash them for at least 30 seconds to maximize the efficiency of killing any germs you may have picked up. 

Make sure you report all injuries immediately, including the chemical you were using at the time.  Your skin is a filtration system, and any time it is broken, the chemical can enter your blood directly.  For proper medical treatment, it is imperative that the physician know the chemicals you were working with.  Also, if you start feeling ill and think it might be related to a chemical you are using, or smell a chemical that you think you should not be smelling, be sure to report it to you supervisor and the CHO immediately so proper steps can be taken to treat you for chemical exposure, and/or to take appropriate measures to protect others in the building.