Page 72 - Root Cause Failure Analysis

Regulatory Compliance Issues 63

WORKER EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
Employers must ensure that their workers know the potential hazards of the chem-
icals they work with, how to protect themselves against those hazards (e.g., safe
practices, personal protection equipment), and what to do in case of an emergency.
Accordingly, OSHA has established basic communication requirements under the
Hazard Communication Standard to inform workers about chemicals in use in the
workplace. Under this standard, chemical makers must meet the following
requirements:

Manufacturers must determine the physical and health hazards of each
chemical they produce.
Users must be informed of the hazards through container labels and Mate-
rial Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).
A written hazard-communication program must describe the employer’s
efforts to tell employees about the standard and how it is being implemented
at the work site.

PREVENTION
Preventive measures include everything from safe work practices to training pro-
grams, good housekeeping, regular audits, administrative and engineering controls.
and chemical-protection equipment.

Workers must be properly trained to handle the responsibilities assigned to them, with
members of a designated spill team undergoing more specialized training than the
average employee. All worker training should include the basic instruction that
employees not involved in cleanup must stay away from a spill. This is important
because of risks such as inhaling chemical vapors or fire or explosion hazards.
Another important lesson to teach workers is how to prevent a spill or leak from
becoming worse. Proper containment can mean the difference between a small prob-
lem and a huge, dangerous mess.

RECOMMENDED SPILL RESPONSES

The following steps are recommended responses when a chemical spill occurs.
1. If necessary, evacuate the area of untrained spill-response personnel.
2. Check labels, MSDSs, and other key documentation to identify what has
spilled.
3. Assign at least two qualified individuals to the cleanup. They may be inter-
nal staff or from an outside firm that you have prearranged to handle this
task. Two workers are needed in case one is overcome or injured.
4. Promptly clear the spill area by ventilation.
5. If the spilled material is on fire, douse the flames in a safe manner.