Every chemical, whether it is a gas, liquid, or solid has unique properties and uses. Laboratories and many manufacturing industries are equipped with such chemicals that employees use every day.
Some people at workplace suffer from serious hazard due to careless handling of dangerous chemicals. Each chemical needs to be handled carefully to ensure safety at the workplace.
If you want to know how to handle the chemicals safely, here are six tips to that will help you in many ways.
Store Properly
Store highly reactive liquids and solids according to the safety regulations. For example store most reactive metal like potassium in kerosene oils as otherwise, it will react with water. Follow the general guidelines to store every chemical properly and safely.
When you need to carry chemical liquid from one place to other, use pump similar to GoatThroat for the easy and safe transfer of substance.
When storing chemicals according to the proper guidelines, this will save the workers from dangerous hazards.
Quick Response to Spill
Even expert technicians can spill chemicals, so it’s important for everyone to know about how to handle spilled chemicals carefully. Learn about the spill response plan it will help you in preventing a chemical spill.
Take care of proper ventilation at the workplace to reduce the impact of a chemical spill on health. Also, have a spill kit at reach to control the dangerous chemical spill as soon as possible.
Know Your Chemicals
To minimize the danger of any hazard is to know properly about all the chemicals present in the laboratory or workplace. Make sure everyone in your lab is aware of chemicals they are working with. This is important as each chemical is different so as the way to handle them is also different.
For example, there are some chemicals which release toxic vapors or gas when spilling off and there are some which may catch fire when get spilled accidentally. Thus to know about every chemical and the way to handle it will save workers from a potential hazard.
Further, to ensure the type and nature of chemicals, consider using labels with safety measures on every container of chemicals.
Personal Hygiene
Take care of personal hygiene when working in a workplace that deals with chemicals. For example, do not smoke in the workplace or near that area. Because there are chances that some chemicals may catch fire easily.
Also, if you want to smoke do it outside the workplace and remember to clean hands properly before lighten up the lighter. Because if you carelessly light up the lighter or smoke or eating food, chances are high that the chemical may transfer to your mouth or skin. This may cause harm to your body. So, take care of personal hygiene properly.
Proper Training and Knowledge
Training and knowledge is something that makes a person confident in handling chemicals and other hazardous tools with care. Be updated with the first-aid knowledge and other required steps in case of the emergency situation after a chemical spill.
Check Labels
When buying chemicals from suppliers, check the labels carefully on every chemical you purchase. As according to the guidelines of OSHA the suppliers need to mention the name with precautions on the label of containers of chemicals.
Labels usually present non-technical summaries about the hazards associated with the content in the container. However, labels serve as valuable reminders of the hazards related to the substance.
Conclusion
As of now, you know about the safe handling of chemicals at the workplace, use the above tips on your workplace. These tips will keep you safe from potential harms.