Hazards of substances

Check hazards of substance (e.g. reactivity, flammability, toxicity, corrosivity, etc.) versus precautions. 

The REACH system was initiated to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risk that can be posed by chemicals, to enhance the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry (a key sector for European economy), to promote alternative methods for the assessment of hazards of substances, and to ensure the free circulation of substances on the international market of the European Union. The regulation was formally enforced on 1 June 2007. However, according to the REACH schedule, the registration procedures started from 1 June 2008 [1, 2]. 

Ryabov IV ed (1970) Fire hazard of substances and materials used in the chemical industry. Khimiya Moscow [in Russian]... 

REACH will oblige producers to register all chemical substances produced in or imported into the EU, above a total quantity of 1 tonne per year. Authorisation will be required for certain hazardous substances. The most dangerous substances will either be banned or progressively substituted by safer alternatives. REACH should ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment as well as the free movement of substances, on their own, in preparations, or in articles, while enhancing competitiveness and innovation. It should also promote the development of alternative methods for the assessment of hazards of substances in order to avoid unnecessary testing on animals. 

The classification and labelling requirements under the Dangerous Preparations Directive 67/548/EEC are implemented by the CHIP Regulations. The Regulations require chemical suppliers to identify the hazards of substances and preparations. Dangerous chemicals then must be packaged suitably, provided with labels and accompanied by additional information for safe use (such as safety data sheets). 

A three-step approach was followed in the Rhine study (Heise et al., 2004), in which the hazards of substances of concern and of areas of concern could be determined with higher certainty than the areas which posed environmental risks to downstream sites. Description of the latter required the combined information from critical erosion thresholds, indications that resuspension took place and the extent by which particle bound contaminant concentrations exceeded risk thresholds. Addressing... 

Two similar experimental procedures have been used to quantify the skin contact effects of soluble silicates both are based on the Draize method(27). The first is the protocol adopted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Consumer Product Safety Commission for determining the contact hazard of substances under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, and is specified in 16 C.F.R. i1300.41 et seq. The second, is the protocol adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation for determining the contact hazard of substances under the Federal Hazardous Materials Transporation Act, and is specified in 49 C.F.R. A173.240. 

Dangerous substances have to be labeled in accordance with Article 23 of Dangerous Substance Directive 67/548/EEC [4-1] and dangerous preparations in accordance with Article 10 of Dangerous Preparation Directive 1999/45/EC [4-3]. The intention of labehng is to inform the professional user (as well as everybody else) of the most important hazards of substances and preparations and the main precautionary measures. Therefore the label should express aU potential hazards which could be relevant to normal handling and use of the substances or preparations. 

Chemophobia has rooted itself deeply in society, but its origins are mainly conceptual. In everyday life, it is common to speak about chemicals or dangerous substances without actually specifying what these words mean. The word chemical (my personal favorite) is often used with the clear imphcations that there are other substances of non-chemical nature. In this context, the intended meaning of the word chemical is probably a substance produced by the chemical industry, which does not occur in nature, and potentially poses some sort of a hazard. However, this book will point out that the hazards of substances are not connected to their origins at all, natural and artificial substances are not different from this point of view. For an expert, this usage of the word chemical makes no sense as all substances are chemicals. 

The SDS provide information on hazards of substances, renewability and degradability that is useful for construction of the metrics in several of sections of their standard format, as shown in Table 8.3. The information is used... 

The risk of each work situation with exposure to substances is unique it depends on the hazards of the substances, on the exposure of the worker to these substances and on the physical condition and constitution of the worker. However, it is practically impossible to investigate the risk for any individual in any situation. Therefore categorisation is applied to exposure as well as to hazards of substances and even individuals. With categorised hazards and exposures, also the risks (= hazard x exposure) are categorised. Because... 

Hazards of substances can be acute, for example if a strong acid is spilled on the skin, or chronic, if long term exposure results in health damage, such as sensitisation or cancer. 

Information on hazards of substances may originate from several sources. The first recommended source is the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of substances and mixtures, under the REACH regulation. The second source may be human toxicological and pharmacologic data. 

Categorisation of hazards of substances (also called control banding ) instead of considering every substance separately serves practical work procedures. Two approaches are met ... 

Powder and vapour (fume) exhaustion is the first measure to protect the respiratory system of the operator against the hazards of substances. See Sect. 28.3 for a discussion about the equipment and its effectiveness. Section 27.5.1 goes into the air handling (HVAC) of premises when the product should be protected from the operator (with aseptic processes) as well as the operator from the product. 

Different classification and labelling systems for the hazards of substances are currently used throughout the world. The same substance may thus be classified as toxic in the United States, harmful in the European Union and moderately dangerous in China. To eliminate disparities a Globally Harmonised classification and labelling System (GHS) was developed under the auspices of the United Nations. It was formally adopted in 2002 by the United Nations Economic and Social Committee (UN ECOSOC) and revised in 2005 and 2007 [78, 79]. 

The physical and health hazards of substances known or potentially present in the work area. 

The international reconunendations of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) are largely founded on the reality of the chemical danger of substances and products. To make a classification and to determine rules for labeling of chemicals, it has been necessary to precisely define the nature of the hazard. The chemical hazard of substances or mixtures is classified into three distinct dimensions physical hazard, health hazard, and environmental hazard. 

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