Hazardous substances

Safe handling of hazardous substances – but how?
Occupational safety and health measures in this field are aimed at protecting employees and other people from exposure to and the effects of the hazardous substances that exist in all areas of working life. Seminar participants learn which substances are classified as hazardous, what hazardous characteristics such substances have (toxic, inflammable, corrosive or irritating) and what their chemical and physical properties are.

Seminars in the hazardous substances practical facility use demonstration experiments and simulated work situations to examine the problems posed by such substances. The subjects covered include the use of personal protective equipment and implementation of the organisational measures necessary for dealing with hazardous substances.

Measurement methods suitable for risk assessment and for any hazardous-substance measurements required as a result of a risk assessment are also presented. With a range of different simulated workplace atmospheres, participants work on how to conduct workplace measurements, sampling strategy and assessment of compliance with the applicable exposure limits.

Facility resources

• Laboratory workstations and fume cupboards, ventilated chemical and supplies cabinets, weighing table and safety equipment, such as gas detection sensors and emergency showers
• Laboratory workstations are equipped with the usual gases, such as compressed air, propane and, where required, hydrogen
• Gas supplied through suspended units in the middle of the room
• Equipment for laboratory and workplace measurements, e.g. sampling pumps and gas-measurement devices with immediate display of results
• Mobile work tables, ensuring a high degree of flexibility for group work, demonstration experiments and simulation of work situations and workstations

Topics covered

• Basics: physical risks posed by hazardous substances
• Writing risk assessments
• Writing user manuals
• The right way to give instruction
• Fires and explosions – how they occur and what safety measures are necessary
• Identifying, assessing and testing substitute substances
• Identifying measurement parameters for assessing hazardous substances
• Use of suitable personal protective equipment – glove selection