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Handling Hazardous Materials at Workplace

There are certain things which we can't avoid, even if we want to. Even after knowing that using hazardous materials can harm our body and the environment, we do use them for certain purposes. Even if we try to replace some of these with eco-friendly materials at our homes, this method won't be that successful in case of industries, who have to deal with hazardous materials on regular basis. Hazardous materials, also called HazMat in the US, include radio-active, flammable, explosive/corrosive, bio-hazardous, toxic and allergen substances, gases and organisms and are handle-with-care products, which can even prove fatal, in some cases.

Transportation of hazardous materials, is really a headache. Every country has designed a set of rules and regulations, which need to be taken care of, while transporting these dangerous materials. In the US, DOT (United States Department of Transportation) regulates HazMat transportation through 49 CFR, which means Title 49 of Central Federal Regulations. One cannot use the normal storage containers, but a specially designed HazMat drum, which reduces the risks involved in transportation process.

Talking about the rules and regulations that one needs to follow, if some poisonous materials are being used at workplace, then the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates it through HAZWOPER, which is Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response regulations found in Title 29 of CFR. It does seems to be a complex procedure to understand the rules and regulations but it is extremely important, since the laws in the US are quite strict. Recently, a news came up which said that around $470,000 has already been imposed on individuals and companies, which were found to be mishandling hazardous substances, in the first quarter of 2009.

A HazMat drum should be properly labeled and packaged so that, in case of emergency like fire, these drums can be identified easily and quick action can be taken. Though it seems to be obvious, but one must ensure that no two dangerous substances are being kept in a singleHazMat drum, since they can react with each other and cause explosion or some dangerous chemical reaction.

It is very important to train the employees how to handle HazMat materials at workplace. A proper training as to how to deal with HazMat and safety measures to be kept in mind, can be read from the OSHA handbook, which is a government regulated training program. Besides this, you should order material safety data sheets (MSDS) for every hazardous material that is being used, so as to educate the proper handling and potential danger of that material and what needs to be done if it spills or leaks. While handling a HazMat drum, your employees should wear protective gear, like goggles, helmets, coats and gloves. While storing a HazMat drum, you should also mention whether the material should be labeled under “caution”, “warning” or “danger” category.

One more thing worth mentioning here is that every workplace must have a HazMat clean up kit and safety kit. By using good quality HazMat drum and by keeping the OSHA handbook in consideration, handling a HazMat won't be that difficult.

Source: http://easycontentpro.com

This article has been written by an expert at Skolnik.Information about HazMat drum.

"Handling Hazardous Materials at Workplace"
written by J.W.Kang.

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