A Great Workforce A Great Workplace

Management of Hazardous Chemical Programme

AM briefing

A Great Workforce A Great Workplace

© 2010 Government of Singapore 1

 A Great Workforce A Great Workplace

Scope
• Case studies
• Regulations
• MHCP Elements

© 2010 Government of Singapore 2

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What is a hazardous chemical?

• 1. Corrosive substances
• 2. Flammable substances
• 3. Explosives
• 4. Oxidising substances
• 5. Pyrophoric substances
• 6. Gases under pressure
• 7. Organic peroxides
• 8. Self heating substances
• 9. Self-reactive substances
• 10. Substances which in contact with water, emit flammable gases
• 11. Toxic substances
• 12. Mutagens
• 13. Carcinogens
• 14. Teratogens
• 15. Sensitizers
• 16. Irritants
• 17. Substances hazardous to aquatic environment.
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GHS Pictograms

Flammables
Explosive Self-Reactive Oxidizers
Self-Reactive Pyrophorics Organic
Organic Self-Heating Peroxides
Peroxides Emits Flammable
Gas

Carcinogen
Respiratory Sensitizer
Reproductive Toxicity
Corrosives Target Organ Toxicity Environmental
Mutagenicity Toxicity
Aspiration hazard

Irritant
Dermal/Skin Sensitizers
Acute Toxicity(harmful)

Gases under
Pressure
Acute
Toxicity
(severe)
Transient target organ
effects
(narcotic or respiratory) !
4
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WSH guidelines on
Management of Hazardous
Chemicals Programme
(MHCP)

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WSH Guidelines on
Management Hazardous Chemical Programme

provides guidance on establishing and implementing a

comprehensive programme to manage hazardous
chemicals at the workplace.

Purposes

 enhancement of chemical management at

workplace
 prevention & control of chemical hazards
 protection of persons at work against such
hazards
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Content page
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives Of Hazardous Chemicals Management Programme
3.0 Requirements And Coverage Of Hazardous Chemicals Management Programme
4.0 Establishment Of Hazardous Chemicals Management Programme
5.0 Elements Of Hazardous Chemicals Management Programme
5.1 Policy And Strategy
5.2 Selection And Procurement
5.3 Register Of Chemicals And Safety Data Sheets
5.4 Labelling And Warning Signs
5.5 Storage And Transportation
5.6 Risk Assessment And Control
5.7 Safe Work Procedures And Personal Protective Equipment
5.8 Workplace Monitoring And Medical Surveillance
5.9 Information And Training
5.10 Emergency Planning And First Aid Procedures
5.11 Waste Disposal
5.12 Contract Work
6.0 Hazardous Chemicals Management Programme Review And Audit

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Elements of in- 1. Policy & strategy A Great Workforce A Great Workplace

plant MHCP 2. Procurement & procurement

3. Register and Safety Data Sheet

4. Labelling and Warning Signs

GHS
Globally
5. Storage and Transportation
harmonised 6. Risk assessments and control
system of
classification 7. Safe work procedures and Personal Protective
and labelling
of chemicals
Equipment
8. Workplace Monitoring and Surveillance
9. Information and Training
10. Emergency planning & first-aid
11. Waste disposal
12. Contract work (where applicable)
13. Programme review & audit
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Simple Life Cycle of a Chemical

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Workplace Safety and Health Act

Duties of occupiers of workplace (11)

Take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the
workplace is safe

Duties of employers (12)

Take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety
and health of his employees at work

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WSH (General Provisions) Regulations

Reg 39 Toxic dust, fumes & other contaminants
- take measures to control & protect persons vs toxic airborne contaminants
- Regular testing of workplace for toxic dust, fumes, gases or vapours

Reg 40 Permissible exposure levels of toxic substances

- Ensure persons at work are not exposed to toxic substances exceeding PEL

Reg 41 Hazardous substances

- Hazardous substances shall be under the charge of a competent person
- Hazardous substances shall be properly kept, stored, used or disposed of

Reg 42 Warning labels

- Containers of hazardous substance shall be labelled

Reg 43 Safety Data Sheet

- Supplier shall provide SDS with accurate & adequate information
- Occupier shall obtain the SDS, study it & make it available to persons at
work
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WSH (Risk Management) Regulations

3. Risk assessment
– 1. In every workplace, the employer, self-employed person and principal shall conduct a
risk assessment in relation to the safety and health risks posed to any person who may
be affected by his undertaking in the workplace.

– 2. Where it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, the employer, self-
employed person or principal shall implement such reasonably practicable measures to
minimise the risk; and such safe work procedures to control the risk.

"safe work procedure" means any procedure for carrying out work safely, and includes
any procedure which is to be taken to protect the safety and health of persons in the
event of an emergency;

– 3. The measures include the following:

• substitution;
• engineering control;
• administrative control;
• provision and use of suitable personal protective equipment.
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Establish/ implement MHCP

• Form a team : safety and health, procurement,

operation and relevant technical personnel.

• Senior management to lead the team, formulate

policy and delegate the responsibility

• Person in charge
- arrange meetings or discussions to promote
collaboration of efforts between management and
employees,
- monitor & evaluate the effectiveness,
- review the programme at regular intervals.

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1. Policy & Strategy

Policy statement to state support

and commitment from top
management

– to ensure the safe use of

chemicals, and the
protection of employees
against chemical hazards

– Broad strategy on
managing hazardous
chemicals

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2. Selection & Procurement

A process to decide which • Request for chemical
1
chemical to buy or bring in to site
• Material control
2
• Review the SDS
• Check SDS on information of chemicals
3

• Consider properties such as:
flash point, toxicity, health effects,
permissible exposure level of the
• Select Chemical based on criteria/GHS hazard category
4
5
• Consider (a) Restriction (b) Ban (c) No restriction

chemical.

• GHS Hazard category

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3. Register & SDS

• List of chemicals in your
premises
• Inventory (amount stored)
• Supplier of chemical
• Location of the chemicals
• indicate the persons who are at
risk or liable to be exposed to
the chemicals

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Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

~ the main hazard communication tool between the chemical suppliers
and end users.
7) Precautions to be taken for safe
handling
1) Identity of the substance
8) Exposure controls and personal
2) Safety and health information
pertaining to the substance protection needed
3) Composition of and ingredients used in 9) Physical and chemical properties
the substance 10) Stability and reactivity of the
4) First aid measures substance
5) Fire fighting measures 11) Toxicological information
6) Accidental release measures 12) Ecological information
13) Disposal considerations
14) Transport information
15) Regulatory information

WSH (GP) regn

For more information SS 586 Part 3 Preparation of Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
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4. Labelling and Warning Notices

• All packaged containers of hazardous chemical should be
labelled.
• WSH (GP) regn
• For more information SS 586 Part 2

• Warning signs or notices:

prominently displayed at
areas where such substances
are used or handled,
specifying the nature of the
danger of the hazardous
chemicals
• WSH (GP) regn

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5. Storage & Transportation

• Storage
properties of the chemicals, any form of
incompatibility, quantity to store, operational and
environmental conditions

WSH (GP) regn

• Transportation
The relevant information can be included in the
transport documents, and by placing or sticking
placards on the transport units i.e. vehicles and
containers.

Refer to SS 586 Part 1

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6. Risk assessment and control

Management shall ensure that a risk assessment (RA) is conducted
for any work involving any hazardous chemical.

RA: any process, plant, vessel or machinery that is liable to produce

or give off any hazardous chemical

WSH (RM) regn

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Hierarchy of Control
Elimination

Substitution

Engineering

Administrative

Personal Protection

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7. Safe Work Procedures & Personal

Protective Equipment
• Procedures: cover activities such as dispensing,
transferring, using and disposing of the hazardous
chemicals.

• Safety and health precautions to be taken in the

course of work, and the use of personal protective
appliances

PPE should be properly selected,

correctly used or comfortably fitted
and regularly maintained to ensure
effective protection

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8. Workplace Monitoring
• Atmosphere in which toxic substances
are given off shall be tested by a
competent person at sufficient
intervals
• Exposure to toxic substances shall be
within the PEL.
WSH(GP)Regn

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9. Medical Surveillance

• Regular medical surveillance helps to

detect early signs of overexposure to
certain * toxic chemicals.
*arsenic, cadmium, lead, manganese or mercury,
benzene, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene,
organophosphates or vinyl chloride monomer,
tar, pitch, bitumen or creosote; dust of
asbestos, raw cotton or silica;

(SME)regn

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10. Information & Training

• workers to understand the information in SDS & on the labels,
to follow safe handling procedures such that they understand
the risks of exposure and know of ways to protect themselves.

WSHA

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11. Emergency Planning & First Aid

• Emergency planning is needed to respond to
chemical accidents such as fires, explosions,
spills, leaks or release of hazardous chemicals

• First aid considerations to ensure that

provisions for emergency treatment of
chemical poisoning or excessive exposure.
Including facilities, first aider and first aid
treatment

First aid regn

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12. Waste Disposal

• Waste labeling by national or international codes

• Proper waste storage and treatment facilities

• Proper waste transport and disposal facilities e.g. by licensed

or toxic waste collectors.

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13. Contract Work

• Criteria for selection are based on safety and health awareness,
management and performance.

• Both contract workers and supervisors should be informed of health

hazards of the work and their prevention

14. Review / Audit of Programme

• Management should conduct annual review / audit of
MHCP to ensure that it is relevant and up-to-date

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