The legal term that covers gas cylinders is 'pressure receptacle'. The guidance is aimed at anyone who manufactures, owns, fills, repairs or uses gas cylinders at work, and especially at those who own or manage small businesses. This guidance provides simple practical advice on eliminating or reducing the risks associated with using gas cylinders. The following is based on guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive (June 2004).Īccidents involving gas cylinders can cause serious injury or even death. NOTE: An Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) version of this document can be downloaded from See our full range of hazard stickers and labels and our Safety Signage for more.Gas Cylinders - Safe Use of Gas Cylinders (GUIDANCE) For any questions about COSHH symbols, or if you would like any further information, please get in touch with us on 01, where our friendly team will be able to assist you. This means adhering to all COSHH guidelines as they apply to your work environment, completing regular risk assessments and ensuring that all chemicals and hazardous substances are correctly labelled with the right symbols.īy using our table above, you can quickly and easily identify which COSHH signs and symbols you need to display on cabinets when storing hazardous materials. This is a general COSHH hazard symbol that indicates that there are substances dangerous to health present and they may cause irritation, dizziness, or allergic reactions.Īs an employer, you have a duty of care to protect your staff from all known potential risks. You may find that a particular substance will only have one pictogram on its packaging, or there may be more than two present, depending on the risks and hazards that the substance presents. In the UK, hazard pictograms are found in the shape of a diamond with a white background and a bold, distinctive red border. Their purpose is to help people identify that the chemicals being used might cause harm to people or the environment. What Are The Different COSHH Symbols, and What Do They Mean?ĬOSHH symbols, also known as hazard pictograms, inform a person of any potential hazardous effects of a particular chemical. This can help reduce environmental waste and save you money in the long run. Many chemicals tend to have a long lifespan, but storing all chemicals according to the guidance allows you to keep an eye on how much shelf life they have left. Product life also plays a vital role within COSHH standards. Spills can adversely affect marine life and aquatic plants if the spill occurs near a river or lake or animals, plants and insects if it occurs on or near fields or grassland. The only thing that can be done is to clean up the spill or contain the damaging fumes to prevent any widespread consequences. Once a hazardous substance is spilt or released into the air, contamination occurs, and there is no way of reversing it. The environment is another reason why it is so essential to adhere to COSHH standards. If stored incorrectly, fumes and gases can escape, resulting in short-term effects such as burns and headaches and long-term outcomes, including lifelong breathing problems. The unsafe storage of chemicals, directly and indirectly, impacts people’s health. Why Is Adhering To COSHH Standards Important? This guide covers what COSHH is, why it is crucial to adhere to guidelines, and all the different types of COSHH symbols, so you know what to look for when handling hazardous substances and the steps to take in the event of an accident.įurther Reading: What Does COSHH Stand For? Whether you are entirely unfamiliar with the whole concept of COSHH, or you have an idea about what it entails but aren’t too clear about the details, here at First Mats, we can help. Working in an industry that handles chemicals or hazardous substances means that you have most likely come across the term COSHH, as it is most commonly seen on the labels of bottles and containers that store dangerous substances.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |