Layout... Risk Assessments... Emergencies & Environment ...Interactive CD

Layout This manual gives wide ranging advice on storing, handling, using and disposing of hazardous chemicals in schools and colleges as well as Data Sheets and Uses and Control Measures Sheets on the chemicals themselves. Click for - contents pages

There are entries for over 250 substances or groups of substances. Most of these chemical entries occupy a double page spread where the left hand page provides basic data on the substance and describes its hazards, toxicology etc. advises on how and where to store it and how to deal with any spillage or disposal problems. The facing page usually describes educational applications of the chemical. These descriptions should take a lot of the slog out of making risk assessments to meet the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH).

Risk Assessments Under the heading Uses and Control Measures the manual describes many educational applications of hazardous substances in such a way as to provide a significant bank of model risk assessment results. Also, in showing how risks may be controlled it provides teachers with encouragement to carry out potentially hazardous practical activities with acceptable safety. Where the planned activity is not significantly different in scale, method etc. from that described, these generic risk assessments may be adopted as they stand. Where there are only slight differences between the activity planned and that described, the risk assessments may be adapted to that somewhat different use. Finally where a project or investigation is significantly different from any of the uses described then a novel risk assessment will be required. The entry for each of the various chemicals needed then becomes a source of information on which to base such a risk assessment from first principles. The Introduction and Guide to the manual provide advice on how to use the data contained in the entries on exposure levels and likely exposure routes, data on physical properties - such as indicators of volatility - to make assessments of risk and where necessary deciding on preventive and protective measures (controls) to remove risks or reduce them to acceptable levels.

Emergencies and environment A text box is set aside to suggest Remedial Measures should anyone be accidently exposed to the chemical by a variety of described routes. Actions to take in the event of a spillage are also suggested. These aspects of the manual contribute to meeting some of the requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and other secondary legislation. To assist educational employers and their staff to stay on the right side of environmental law, mformation and advice are also given on acceptable disposal methods, routes and quantities. This section is intended to assist educational employers and employees to comply with the Environmental Protection Act and related legal requirements.

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