A risk assessment for activities involving hazardous substances involves:
Look at each substance
Which substances are involved? In what way are they harmful? You can find out by:
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) must be provided by the supplier if the chemical is hazardous and supplied for use at work. These are easily accessible from supplier's web-sites:
The MSDS provide details of the hazardous nature of chemical substances (link to Fisher GHS poster) and should be the starting point for a risk assessment involving these substances. However, it must be remembered that the MSDS describes the nature of the hazard (i.e. potential to cause harm) and not the risk associated with its use.
Think about the task
If the substance is harmful, how might workers be exposed during its use? By:
Factors affecting risk
Hazard evaluation (Step 1) only gives an indication of the potential harm that a hazardous substance may cause. In contract, assessing the risk involves making a judgement on how likely the hazardous substance will actually affect someone’s health. A high hazard does not automatically imply a high risk and a low hazard does not imply no risk. The level of risk is based on:
Fortunately for the vast majority of chemicals used in the Department of Biology, the quantity used is very small and the exposure time is very small so that work involving most chemicals can be covered simply by the 'Code of Good Laboratory Practice'.
Guide to assessing likelihood of a work activity causing exposure to a chemical substance
Factor |
Exposure potential |
||
Low |
medium |
High |
|
Quantity |
< 1 g |
1 – 100 g |
>100 g |
Physical characteristics |
Dense solid Non-volatile liquid No skin absorption |
Light, powdery solid Lyophilised material Dust-forming material Volatile liquid Poor skin absorption |
Gas, Vapour Aerosol Highly volatile liquid Rapid skin absorption |
Exposure time |
<60 per day |
< 10 min per day |
> 10 min per day |
Method: open bench / fume cupboard / totally enclosed etc. (affects route of entry into the body) |
Mainly enclosed Low chance of mishap |
Partly open Low chance of mishap |
No barrier (including primary containment) Medium / high chance of mishap |
Overall risk level
Risk level |
Description |
Level 1: Low risk |
· Low exposure potential to hazardous chemical substances (does NOT include exposure to ‘high hazard’ chemicals) |
Level 2: Medium risk |
· Medium risk exposure potential (does NOT include exposure to ‘high hazard’ chemicals) |
Level 3: High risk |
· High risk exposure potential to all chemical substances · All work activities involving ‘high hazard' chemicals |
General guide to appropriate controls when working with chemicals
Risk level |
Risk control guide |
Level 1: Low risk Low exposure potential to hazardous chemical substances (does NOT include exposure to ‘high hazard’ chemicals) |
The substance may be handled on the open bench using the code of Good Laboratory Practice. Avoid inhalation (use fume cupboard if necessary) and contact with the skin and eyes (use gloves and eye protection if necessary). |
Level 2: Medium risk Medium risk exposure potential (does NOT include exposure to ‘high hazard’ chemicals) |
Short-term operations, e.g. weighing, may be carried out on the open bench with small quantities (<1g) and for limited times (<10 min.). All other circumstances, a fume cupboard should be used. Containers should be kept tightly sealed and spillages cleaned up immediately. All precautions of Risk Level 1 (including the code of Good Laboratory Practice also apply). |
Level 3: High risk High risk exposure potential to all chemical substances All work activities involving ‘high hazard chemicals’ |
A specific written assessment and associated safety procedure (safe method of working) must be prepared and approved by the Group Leader and Departmental Safety Advisor before the activity can begin. All precautions of Risk Levels 1 and 2 (including the code of Good Laboratory Practice also apply). |
If properly used and maintained effective control measures will ensure that exposure to substances is not significant.