The Australian Work Health and Safety Regulations make it mandatory to manage spill risk. Effective precautions must be in place at your business to contain any potential chemical spills and the resulting effluent. However, before you can implement these risk management strategies, you must first determine the spill dangers related to your Class 3 Flammable Liquids. We’ll walk you through the essential factors of your spill risk evaluation in this blog, so you can limit the risks associated with storing flammable liquids at your workplace. If your organisation handles Class 3 Flammables, you’re required by law to have spill containment procedures in place.
Identifying the Risks of a Spill
The first stage in a chemical spill risk analysis is to locate any flammable liquid storage areas on the Jobsite.
This usually necessitates conducting a physical trip around the location, noting chemical stockpiles and monitoring people who operate with volatile substances. Any spill hazards you’ve found will be detailed in your notes. The following are some examples of potential spill dangers in the workplace:
- How could chemicals spill while being brought to and unloaded from a loading dock?
- Is there any protection for chemical stockpiles in the event of an accident? Do employees dispose of chemicals promptly? Are there any secure lids on flammable liquid containers?
- Is there enough bundling of chemicals kept on pallets in the warehouse? Is it possible that pallets are overloaded? Are workers using the proper lifting aids when transporting chemicals?
- Are workers at the decanting station employing safe work practices to avoid chemical splashing and overpouring? Bunds and spill trays are there at decanting stations?
- Internal transfer – how can chemicals get from one department to another? Are proper manual handling techniques being used? Do you have any drum caddies on hand?
- Do workers leave chemicals out on workbenches at their workstations? When on the job, do workers keep chemicals on trays? When it comes to fueling equipment and compressors, do personnel pour it by hand?
- Is waste chemicals segregated on bunded pallets and removed as soon as possible?
- Miscellaneous – are there any spill-proof chemicals on site (even in interim areas)?
Physical, Health And Environmental Risks Are All Evaluated
Once you’ve compiled a list of all the spill dangers in your workplace, you’ll need to evaluate the risk that a chemical leak poses to your employees’ health and safety, as well as the land and environment.
Chemical Reactions, Explosions, and Fires
When flammable liquids spill, they can swiftly spread across a building. Class 3 Flammable Liquids have been found to move quickly through adjacent workspaces, down flights of stairs, and even behind closed doors.
If these hazardous substances come into contact with an ignition source, they can swiftly ignite, spreading a roaring fire throughout the workplace. As a result, evaluating the probability of fire, explosion, and chemical reaction should be an important aspect of your risk assessment.
You might want to think about the possibility of the explosive compounds igniting. You should also examine how far the fire could spread throughout your organisation if they did. You’ll need to know the following to assess the risk of fire, explosion, and chemical reactions:
- The chemical’s flashpoint and autoignition temperature
- Any probable ignition sources in the vicinity
- What could cause the chemicals to explode or react in a potentially dangerous way?
- During a spill, may the stability of incompatible chemicals or substances be jeopardised?
- During a reaction, clean-up, and disposal, what is the fire risk?
Health Hazards
Even though the Class 3 Flammable Liquids do not ignite, they can pose a serious health risk to nearby personnel, including the clean-up crew.
- Can the flammable chemicals cause skin burns, eye damage, throat discomfort, dizziness, nausea, incapacity, or even death?
- Could personnel reacting to a chemical spill be exposed for long periods, causing long-term health impacts like asthma, respiratory issues, or cancer?
Hazards to the Environment
What kind of damage could occur if combustible chemicals spilt in the workplace infiltrated drains or soil? Your risk assessment should consider all environmental threats that could arise if chemicals spilt into the environment.
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The author, Dr. David K Simson is a trained radiation oncologist specializing in advanced radiation techniques such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) / Rapid Arc, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). He is also experienced in interstitial, intracavitary, and intraluminal brachytherapy.