Chemicals are an important part of many industries and, when used properly, can be of great use to the general well-being of the community. From an industrial perspective, chemicals of all types can allow for everything from the creation of consumer goods to the maintenance of machinery. Even in non-industrial environments, the safe use of chemicals is necessary for keeping the workplace clean. As long as they are used with the proper respect, chemicals don't have to be a hazard to fear, but rather a tool to use.
Government regulations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has extensive rules and regulations regarding the proper and safe use of chemicals in the workplace. One of the key ways OSHA implements these rules are by requiring chemical manufacturers to thoroughly test their products and prepare data sheets about the chemicals before going to market. Another way they do so by promoting those labels on the products themselves, so that people handling the chemicals know how to treat them. In some cases this may even require special safety equipment.
Training is perhaps the most important aspect of government regulations surrounding chemical use. Workers who use chemical products in their daily responsibilities should be trained not only on how to use them effectively, but on how to stay safe while doing so and on how to dispose of the chemicals later. While some chemicals are safe to dispose of on site, others must be brought to a regulated disposal center.
Chemical knowledge
Chemicals are not all hazardous in the same way, and knowing how a chemical solution is harmful can help workers to treat it in a safe way. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines some of the dangers as, reactive, explosive and flammable, among others. In other words, some chemicals might react with organic matter, such as skin, they might combust under the right circumstances or they could catch on fire.
Training manuals and courses should reflect the hazards associated with the specific chemicals used on the work site. Materials provided by the manufacturer and by government organizations such as OSHA or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health can be invaluable in workplace training programs – not to mention required by law. With proper oversight, chemical use can be safe and productive.
