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Posted By Ronan
With regards to COSHH assessments, would it be acceptable to simplify the MSDS sheets along with an explanation of the substance's purpose in a small booklet for circulation amongst the workforce. Would this meet an employers duties in relation to the COSHH regulations.
The full coshh assessment is available at request.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Posted By Coshh Assessor
It's not enough to tell them what the hazards of the chemicals are - you have to tell them how to do the job safely and exactly what to do if there is exposure or release. You aren't going to find all this information on the msds. If the COSHH assessment has been done properly it will be in that.
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Posted By Edward Shyer
All suppliers of hazardous substances, and some that are not hazardous, are required to supply their customers with a safety data sheet in compliance with ISO 11014 1996. Standard. This describes the characteristics of the substance in 16 categories most of which are used during risk assessments.
1. Identification of the substance/preparation and company.
2. Composition/information on ingredients.
3. Hazards identification.
4. First aid measures.
5. Fire fighting measures.
6. Accidental release measures.
7. Handling and storage.
8. Exposure controls/personal protection.
9. Physical and chemical properties.
10. Stability and reactivity.
11. Toxicological information.
12. Ecological information.
13. Disposal considerations.
14. Transport information.
15. Regulatory information.
16. Other information.
So my answer would no as the MSDS does not give all the information required and only forms an aid to the COSHH assessment for example it does not tell you how to use the substance and what quantities are used and in what conditions it is used.
Regards
Ted
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Posted By D H
Ronan - why is "The full coshh assessment is available at request"??
It is an integral part of risk control and the people using these substances need to have full information on the risks to themselves and any control measures required as well as emergency information.
The MSDS does not take into account how the substance is used and in what environment.
why not ensure the COSHH assessment is discussed at the start of the job?
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Posted By Chris Packham
Remember safety data sheets are for CHIP. What you need is information allowing the safe use of the chemical for the purpose for which it was supplied. This is a legal requirement over and above the safety data sheet - just take a look at section 6-1 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974!
I have had numerous incidents where reliance upon the safety data sheet would have led to an incorrect risk assessment. This could either have resulted in over-reaction with associated costs or in under-recognition of the hazard with the associated potential for damage to health.
Remember that in most cases chemicals are purchased and used. It is the chemical as used, e.g. diluted, mixed, reacted, contaminated, that you need to risk assess, not what is on the safety data sheet.
Chris
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Posted By alan brotherton
I am of the opinion that manufacturer's data sheets (as required by CHIP) give useful and relevant information which is essential in conducting a COSHH assessment but will obviously not help to make any assessment regarding your actual workplace and how substances are used & in what quantities, or how handled, stored and disposed of in practice. I feel it counter - productive to issue irrelevant data sheet information to substance users - lengthy technical information is just going to turn them off from reading anything at all. Is it going to keep them any safer knowing about the complexities of chemical compositions or what the density is??. I recommend issue of a simplified (user friendly)form which extracts all the user safety relevant factors and emergency measures and also incorporates hazard identification and "in house" controls/precautions and requirements for safe use.
This document could also be the medium used to inform users of the finding from your COSHH assessments and of the required or existing controls.
As previously indicated by other subscribers to this topic, my experience shows that too many people think a COSHH assessment is a collection of data sheets and regurgitated general/generic recommended safety precautions.
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Posted By safety medic
Ronan,
To answer your question with a solution, we had a similar problem and made our COSHH assessments into one page format for the full txt method statement/risk assessment then shrunk them into pocket sized cards which were issued to the users from the storeman when they went to sign out the substance.
'The full assessment' shouldn't be a lenghty carbon copy of the MSDS.
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