Hazardous Substances
The Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) announced mid- year that it was about to update the listing of classified hazardous substances on the Hazardous Substances Information System. (HSIS) The HSIS online data base is a free publicly available internet resource on the ASCC website - ( www.ascc.gov.au ) But, very few Australian business owners have ever heard of this resource, let alone accessed the Website.
Despite the fact that a multitude of new chemicals are coming daily in to use on the shop floor and the fact that frequently these chemicals are toxic or have the potential to cause harm to workers. Employers remain very largely ignorant of the ESSENTIAL PRECAUTIONS they are obliged in Law to take when these chemicals are in use in their Factories and other places of work.
Let me hasten to add establishing a Chemicals Register and ensuring you have a copy of an MSDS – IS INADEQUATE COMPLIANCE with your OHS Legal compliance obligations under statutory Law.
Our Website will guide you in the direction of identifying what are ALL of your statutory obligations under the OHS Law.
The HSIS update mentioned above comprises a total of 919 entries of which there are 465 amendments to existing entries and 454 new entries.
When last did you access the ASCC website to check up what is the latest information on safe chemicals use in your business? Note that "inform" and "supervision" are both requirements of your Duty Of Care under Section 8 of the OHS Act.
What is the nature of your safe systems of work with chemicals?
When last did you inform your employees concerning the use of the chemicals in use? What supervision is in place relative to the safe use of chemicals in your workplace?
Our Consultancy can develop for your company a due diligent- Hazardous Chemicals Management Plan that will ensure your company complies with the Law and lay down for your employees a SAFE WORK METHOD to employ in the use of these SILENT KILLERS.