5 Tips on Chemical Safety in Industrial Work Environments

The global economy relies on many volatile or hazardous chemicals for production and manufacturing. Petrochemicals, polymers, rubber, agrochemicals, and more are needed to maintain complex chains of goods flowing around the world. Industrial worksites often use, store, and dispose of these chemicals to create products from raw materials.

In dealing with these inherently dangerous substances, industrial plant workers and visitors must be protected through a combination of safety practices, equipment, and planning. In this article, we’ll overview the vital importance of proper chemical process safety, then cover five safety tips and standards for engineers and managers to implement at their facilities.

The Importance of Chemical Safety in Industrial Work Environments

In industrial work environments, such as production, manufacturing, and refining facilities, chemical safety is a chief concern for worksite owners, supervisors, and front-line workers alike. Depending on the industry, plant, and environment, flammable and toxic chemicals may be used for manufacturing processes or other needs.

Though industrial chemicals serve a variety of important purposes, handling and utilizing those chemicals introduces unique safety challenges and risks that can impact workers, the environment, and the public. For example, improper handling of flammable or toxic chemicals may lead to negative environmental effects or public health concerns.

In addition, improper chemical process safety can increase the risk of injuries to workers who handle or work around dangerous substances. Potential chemical-related employee injuries in industrial work environments include:

• Chemical burns
• Toxic impacts
• Fire and explosion injuries
• Respiratory injuries
• And more

Many accidents or hazards arise due to a handful of root causes, such as human errors, improper training, or a lack of proper process safety procedures. By identifying and practicing strong process safety management in the chemical industry, you can mitigate the risk of workplace injuries and other chemical threats to the environment, your facility, and the greater public.

Key Tips for Chemical Process Safety

To practice effective process safety, chemical manufacturing and refining worksites should ensure that they follow five major steps:

• Implement and maintain safety standards for the storage and usage of potentially hazardous chemicals
• Require that worksite personnel undergo chemical safety training
• Place effective engineering controls at key points in your worksite
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for both employees and facility visitors
• Create hazard control and emergency response plans

Let’s take a closer look at each of these steps individually.

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