Basic Handling Guidelines
Most jobs today involve some level of chemical exposure, whether you’re working with hazardous pesticides on a farm, dyeing someone’s hair, mixing compounds in a lab, or cleaning a food preparation area.
This guide provides a broad overview of approaches to various issues concerning chemical safety at work. The key goal of all workplace chemical awareness information is to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals and help prevent illnesses, injuries and accidents on the job.
As a worker in an environment where chemical use is an issue, there are some basic health and safety guidelines that should almost always be followed, regardless of the specific task at hand:
- Read the relevant Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before working with a chemical product
- Follow all workplace hazard control plans for hazardous or extremely hazardous chemicals
- Pay close attention to control measures for chemicals that are known to be a particularly high hazard or chemical carcinogens
- Never underestimate risk – assume that any mixture will be more hazardous than its most toxic component and that all substances of unknown toxicity are highly toxic
- Never hold loose items in your mouth, pipette by mouth, or allow lids or soiled protective wear to come into direct contact with skin
- Never smell chemicals to identify them
- Do not eat, drink, store food, smoke, or apply cosmetics in areas where chemicals are in use
- Wash your hands frequently and immediately after any chemical use
- Keep loose hair tied back and avoid baggy clothing