What are chemical hazards?

A chemical hazard refers to chemical substance that can cause harm to the human body or, in severe cases, result in loss of life. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) notes that chemical hazards and toxic substances can lead to a wide range of short- and long-term health effects — including irritation, sensitization, and carcinogenicity — as well as physical dangers such as flammability, corrosion, and explosiveness. For this reason, managing and preventing exposure to these hazards must always remain a top safety priority.¹

How to protect against chemical hazards?

For workers in the chemical industry, occupational exposure to hazardous substances mandate the use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to significantly reduce the risks of exposure to chemicals.

Most manufacturers use different types of chemicals daily and often in high volumes. Hence, to ensure a safe working environment, there are various SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), engineering controls, and safety practices that must be strictly followed, especially when it involves the safe handling of chemicals. Additionally, workers are required to check all chemical labels and safety data sheets before each task, and safety managers must conduct risk assessments and disseminate hazard communications throughout the workplace to encourage safe work practices all-around.

How do chemical hazards occur?

To understand the nature of chemical hazards, it is important to know the potential means for contamination (such as vapor, spray, splash, and immersion); and the route of exposure to the worker (such as inhalation or skin absorption).

High-risk chemical environments typically involve the most aggressive chemicals (such as aldehydes, ketones, and esters) which require a higher level of chemical hand and body protection, especially when protecting against liquid or strong jets of chemicals. Low-hazard chemical settings include chemical-resistant gloves and clothing designed to safeguard against splashes or light sprays of chemicals or solid particles. Ultimately, it is imperative that workers in chemical industries remain properly equipped with the right PPE offering multiple levels of protection against different types of chemicals.

How Ansell can help?

Ansell’s world-leading portfolio of multi-hazard PPE, and our expertise in chemical permeation knowledge, can ensure workers in the chemical industry are kept safe. Our consultive service, AnsellGuardian®, helps companies improve safety and reduce costs by selecting and implementing the right PPE. Interested in learning more about chemical hazards or our AnsellGuardian® service?

^{(1) https://www.osha.gov/chemical-hazards}