Page 27 - OHS, June 2023

With intensive expertise in chemistry, biology, toxicology, occupational health and substance-specific standards, industrial hygienists are ideally equipped to anticipate, recognize, and evaluate chemical hazards in the workplace. Skylines/Shutterstock.com occupational health and substance- specific standards, industrial hygienists are ideally equipped to anticipate, recognize and evaluate chemical hazards in the workplace. All chemical hazards need to be understood in order to comply with Right- to-Know regulations, including OSHA’s Hazard Communication (HazCom) standard. This makes industrial hygienists an invaluable contributor to a successful HazCom program that accounts for introduction of chemical hazards and the safety processes necessary to control them. When evaluating new chemicals being introduced to a workplace, industrial hygienists will typically first look to hazard information within the safety data sheet (SDS) prior to approving a chemical to be brought on-site. Key hazard information includes Globally Harmonized System (GHS) hazard classifications, chemical and physical properties, target organ effects, applicable occupational exposure limits (OELs), first aid precautions, safe handling procedures, exposure controls, PPE requirements and, in the case of our arsenic example, whether there are biological exposure indices (BEI) that need to be followed where medical www.ohsonline.com surveillance is required, along with other hazard information. Proper chemical safety review is a critical yet often time-consuming process. The industrial hygienist may need to get input from research and development or engineering on how the chemical will be handled, stored and otherwise used in the plant. Depending on the hazards, applicable regulations and BEIs, on-site medical personnel might also need to be notified that the substance will be on-site. After all reviews and notifications have been completed, the industrial hygienist may either approve or reject the chemical before sending it on to site management for final approval. In many cases, this review and approval is a manual, paper-based process requiring a lot of back-and-forth among stakeholders which can introduce unnecessary delays, communication errors and risks. Optimizing Chemical Hazard Review and Approval Considering the volume and variety of chemicals entering workplaces on a day- to-day basis, EHS professionals often find themselves overwhelmed and wondering if there is an easier way to identify priority chemicals and perform new chemical reviews. In addition to providing instant access to a full digital library of your SDS documents, chemical management software can also help you: ■ Maintain detailed, real-time chemical inventory control so users can have strict oversight of chemicals and hazards present in the workplace. before chemicals are permitted on-site, with automated notifications letting reviewers know that they have new chemicals pending review. ■ Flag chemicals based on selected hazard criteria (e.g., chemicals listed under OSHA PELs, ACGIH TLVs, Toxic Substance Control Act \[TSCA\] Chemical Substance Inventory, etc.), prompting further review. ■ Filter inventory lists to identify only chemicals of concern instead of everything coming in the door, keeping you focused on priority hazards and saving time. Building the Bridge to Green Chemistry and Product Stewardship For industrial hygienists, this software- assisted approval process allows them to spend more time focused on additional steps that need to be taken if a chemical of concern is introduced into the facility. These steps should always follow the NIOSH hierarchy of controls for each new chemical, prioritizing hazard elimination and substitution strategies. This is where green chemistry comes into play. The American Chemical Society has established 12 principles of green chemistry, six of which align directly with IH best practices: 1. Prevention 2. Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses 3. Design of Safer Chemicals 4. Safer Solvents and Auxiliaries 5. Reduce Derivatives 6.Inherently Safer Chemicals for Accident Prevention When workplace chemical hazards and ■ Assign roles to reviewers/approvers JUNE 2023 | Occupational Health & Safety 25