Last week, we looked at the first four of the seven common mistakes made by both employers and employees when dealing with hazardous chemicals:

1.    Relying too heavily on MSDS information for hazard communication;
2.    Not reviewing the MSDS before using the chemical;
3.    Not having the proper PPE for chemicals used in the workplace; and
4.    Overlooking the importance of fit-testing for respiratory protection.

Here are mistakes 5 through 7.

Mistake 5: Failing to Label Containers of Chemicals
The Problem: Unless they fall into certain exempt situations, regulated chemicals must be labeled as per the WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) regulations in Canada or the OSHA Hazardous Communication Standard (HazCom) in the US. One reason for these requirements is that without labels, workers might try to use their senses to determine what a chemical is. Although I've never seen it personally - knock on wood - I've heard colleagues tell stories of first aid cases for burnt tongues, fingers, etc. resulting from such incidents.

The Solution: Make labeling easy by providing blank stickers and permanent markers for workers to use. Ideally, you should keep these materials readily available at the spot where the worker obtains the chemical. Training on labeling requirements and auditing the workplace will help reduce labeling errors.

Mistake 6: WHMIS/HazCom Training Is Not Site-Specific
The Problem: Although there are lots of good generic WHMIS and HazCom training packages on the market, these packages come up short on site-specific training. Workers return from generic training - often from an outside service provider like a consultant, contractor or CD ROM - and think they are "all done." But they're not. Information provided in these training sessions must now be tied to the chemicals, operations, processes and conditions of your own workplace. You need to give your workers context.

The Solution: Once workers complete generic training, provide them site-specific training that transfers the information to your site. This training should include MSDS locations, safe handling procedures and spill response.

Mistake 7: Inadequate Precautions about Smoking & Chemicals
The Problem: Most workers are pretty good about washing their hands before eating. The same can't be said about washing hands before smoking. Poor hand hygiene habits can result in inadvertent ingestion and inhalation of workplace chemicals via cigarettes. As an occupational hygienist friend of mine quipped, "We wouldn't want smoking to be unhealthy now, would we?"

The Solution: When providing training on the safe handling of hazardous chemicals, remind workers that all hand-to-mouth actions - including smoking - carry the risk of ingesting hazardous chemicals.

Conclusion
I realize that many of the mistakes that I have highlighted in this article will be common sense for most health and safety professionals. But you'd be surprised at how these seemingly self-evident points get overlooked. So, I think it's important to bring up these points, if only to give you a few ideas on how to improve your current program and to give you some reassurance that your programs are working appropriately.

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