All chemical exposures have the potential for serious health consequences. Depending on the toxicology and concentration, the effects of chemical exposures may be immediate (acid burns) or long term (chronic beryllium disease or cancer).  In any case, chemical exposures may result in life threatening outcomes.  Chemicals may cause physical damage such as explosions or fires resulting in serious injury and facility damage.

Facility and mission related effects might include corrosive actions that degrade equipment performance (like mercury on copper nickel alloys and aluminium) and residual contamination that limits the future use of facilities and equipment.  Environmental issues may arise as a result of spills, releases, or waste chemical inventories.   In addition to the health effects, physical damage, or environmental effects that may result from a chemical incident, there will be a need to initiate emergency response actions to mitigate the potential impact of the incident.

This training course will highlight:

• The key components of an effective program for working with toxic and hazardous materials
• The importance of identifying toxic and hazardous materials stored and used
• How to identify potential risks of storing and handling toxic and hazardous materials
• How to carry out effective monitoring and measurement safe operating procedures
• Providing personnel with essential training and information on toxic and hazardous materials

Target Audience

This Storage and Handling of Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Materials training course is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• Technicians and managers who need knowledge of managing hazardous materials
• Personnel involved in hazardous substances management and programmes
• HSE personnel involved in safety management systems
• Engineers required having knowledge of process safety aspects of plant operation
• Other personnel interested the storage and handling of toxic and hazardous materials

Organisational Impact

In addition to the professional development of staff, the organisation will be able to prioritise resources for effectively managing the storage and handling of toxic chemicals and hazardous materials, including:

• Use of well proven risk assessment and analysis techniques
• Effective implementation of risk controls for hazardous material handling and use
• Improved confidence in prevention of major incidents and potential injury
• Efficient decision making for procurement of safer alternative hazardous materials
• Introduction of new methods to improve process safety efficiency

Daily Agenda

Day One: Introduction to Toxic and Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT)

• What is a toxic or hazardous material?
• Classification of toxic and hazardous substances
• Material safety data sheets
• Toxicity and health effects
• Control of sources of exposure
• Environmental effects on health

Day Two: Classification and Labelling

• International standard for classifying toxic and hazardous materials (HAZMAT)
• Chemical classification methods (Global Harmonised System-GHS & EU Risk and Safety Phrases)
• Nature and type of marking of storage and transfer containers
• Nature and type for labelling toxic and hazardous materials
• Communicating toxic and hazardous material marking and labelling system information
• General responsibilities of suppliers

Day Three: Operational Control Measures

• Risk assessment techniques for identifying chemical hazards
• Analysing risk assessment findings and evaluating risk levels
• Control measures for chemicals hazardous to health
• Control measures of flammable, dangerously reactive or explosive chemicals
• Control measures for the storage of hazardous chemicals
• Hazardous waste audit and disposal and treatment of waste chemicals

Day Four: Safe Handling of Toxic and Hazardous Materials

• Safe work systems and best practices
• Personal protection clothing and equipment (selection and use)
• Provision of training and information on chemical risks
• General and local exhaust ventilation methods
• Maintenance of engineering control measures
• Monitoring and measuring methods and record-keeping

Day Five: Emergency Management and Response Plans

• Identifying potential emergency incidents of toxic and hazardous materials
• Developing emergency response procedures
• Establishing on-site and off-site emergency plans
• Emergency training, exercises and drills
• Medical first aid, health surveillance and medical records
• Investigation of incidents and lessons learned