HAZMAT

Thousands of incidents in which hazardous materials (HAZMAT) are released into the environment occur every year due to accidents, negligence or natural disasters. The most important aspect of a HAZMAT spill cleanup is being able to identify the substance that spilled and how it will affect human health, property and the environment.

The impact of a HAZMAT chemical spill or leak can have a long lasting and detrimental effect on humans, animals and the environment. Knowing which materials or equipment to use in dealing with the incident, what level of protective clothing (PPE) should be worn and how to effectively manage what to do with the hazardous materials (HAZMAT) once it has been cleaned up is critical. HAZMAT affects humans and the environment in a variety of ways according to the properties and hazard class of the spilled material or substance.

The Hazardous Chemical Substance Regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993 states that an employer shall before any employee is possibly exposed to or may have been exposed to HAZMAT, need to receive the correct information and training to respond appropriately and correctly.

Section 4 discusses the duties of persons who may be exposed to HAZMAT and it states that employees shall follow the employer’s instructions on training, adequate housekeeping techniques, wear their Person Protective Equipment (PPE) etc. Section 9A discusses the handling of, Section 14 the labeling, packaging, transportation and storage of and Section 15 the disposal of HAZMAT.

Being compliant with the law is important and failure to comply can result in imprisonment for periods not exceeding 6 months and in the case of a continuous offense R200.00 per day for each day on which the offense continued or an additional prison sentence of one day for each day on which the offence continued up to a period not exceeding 90 days!

Course Modules:

• Introduction and Classification of Dangerous Goods – Understanding the difference between various hazardous chemicals is important but have been made easier by the introduction of Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), Transport Emergency Cards (TREM Cards), Hazardous Labels and Dangerous Goods Placarding;
• Hazards Associated with Dangerous Goods – Different HAZMAT affects humans, animals and the environment differently. These dangerous chemicals are also absorbed into the human body through different routes, which are covered in the course;
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Personal Protective Equipment plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of employees. Employers have to supply the correct safety equipment as per Section of the OHS Act, employees need to understand what equipment they require and how to use it correctly;
• Safe Handling and Flammable Substances – With some HAZMAT being flammable they pose an additional risk of fires. Employees need to be aware of how to safely work with and store these materials;
• Spillage Control – After a spill has occurred everyone needs to understand the correct procedures of how to control the spill to prevent further damage or injury;
• Formulating a Response Plan – The purpose of a response plan is to formulate the policies and procedures of how employees should react in the event of a HAZMAT spill.