Chemical Risk Assesment

At Aarhus University the work must, at all stages, be planned and organize in such a way that it can be carried out in a completely safe and healthy manner.

When hazardous chemicals are included or formed in the work, unnecessary exposure must be avoided and written chemical risk assessment must be prepared for the whole work process, which consists of the following assessment elements:

1. Prepare a list

Which hazardous chemicals must be used or is produced in the work flow?
List the hazardous chemicals.

2. Read the safety datasheet and find more information in Kiros

What hazards are there?

Read the hazard label on the chemical or mixture. You can find more information and the safety datasheet in Kiros.
It is important and mandatory to read the safety datasheet for hazardous chemicals or mixtures used in the work process.

3. Consider substitution.

Can another chemical be used which is not or less hazardous?

4. Identify the risk of exposure in the whole work process.

There may be several steps in the work process where a hazard of exposure may arise.
What is the intensity, including the amount and duration of exposure?

Is it 100 liters, every work day for a whole week?
Is it 5 µL, in 1 minute once a day?

5. What preventive measures must be taken?

What preventive measures must be taken (technical measurement and personal protective equipment) and is the protection effective enough?

Does it require work under a point extraction, in a fume cupboard, must alarms be set up or something else?

Does it require use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as lab coat, gloves, goggles or some other PPE?

6. Conclusion from an occupational health examination?

Has an occupational health examination been carried out regarding the work flow, then it must be included in the risk assesment.

If you have not heard of an occupational health examination at your workplace, then you can assume there is not one and quickly skip this step.

7. Has Arbejdstilsynet or EU set a treshold?

Has Arbejdstilsynet or the EU set a threshold for one or more chemicals in the work flow?

If so, the threshold cannot be exceeded!
Most of the time the work can be safely done in a well-functioning fume cupboard, otherwise measurement must be taken.

You can find Arbejdstilsynet's threshold list (only in Danish):

Grænseværdier for stoffer og materialer - Arbejdstilsynet

8.Make a risk assesment conclusion

Carry out a risk assessment of each step in the work flow that you identify under section 4 and finally make an overall risk assessment conclusion for the work flow.

Also consider the worst-case scenario in the assessment.
Can you accept the risk or not? Can you work safely?
If you cannot accept the risk, then changes are required - remember to get help from your local occupational health and safety group.

Approval

Remember to get an approval of your chemical risk assesment in your department before starting the work flow!

Language

In Denmark, the chemical risk assessment must be in Danish. However, if the group's language is English, the chemical risk assessment can be prepared in English, as long as everyone in the group can read and understand English.

Training/instruction.

After the chemical risk assesment has beeen prepared, training and instruction based on the chemical risk assessment must be provided to all individuals involved in the work process, every employee, student, or guest must receive suitable and comprehensive guidance on performing work safely.

Training and instruction should be completed before commencing work and repeated regularly. When handling various hazardous chemicals, training and instruction can be delivered verbally and should be supplemented with written materials. Written materials may include specific guidelines, videos, posters, internal safety regulations, safety handbooks, or similar resources.

When working with hazardous chemicals, training and instruction must cover at least the following aspects:

Instruction as to where to find the hazardous chemicals, as well as an instruction to read and understand the hazard label and the safety data sheet.
Instruction in safe handling, use and storage of hazardous chemicals (e.g. requirements for storage of toxic chemicals, flammable liquids etc.), including any restrictions on use (e.g. pregnant and breast feeding women).
Instruction in proper use of safety measurements and use of personal protective equipment and their locations in the workplace.
An instruction and an explanation of how to use of e.g. point extraction, fume hoods, safety cabinets, suction cabinets, gas alarm, gloves, disposable suites, lab coats, goggeles, face shields, respiratory protection etc., which are used in the workplace.
Instruction in proper safety measures in case of accidents, e.g. fire, spillage etc.
An instruction and an explanation of how to act if, for example, should a spill occur, can it simply be wiped up and cleaned or must the workplace be evacuated and closed until it has been properly cleaned up?
Instruction in proper disposal of chemical waste, indluding personal protective equipment after use.
An instruction and an explanation of how to properly collect chemical waste into waste fractions (H1, H2, C1, B2, X1, X2, X3 etc.). Remember to instruct how to find the important information about the chemical reaction and stability in the Safety Data Sheet in section 10.
DO NOT MIX a chemical with another chemical with which it may react dangerously!