Chemical and biological hazards
A danger that should not be underestimated
When people talk about 'chemical and biological risk' they think that the danger is limited to the chemical industry and a limited number of workers: NOTHING WAY WRONG.
Where are chemical agents present?
Chemical and biological agents are massively present in the products used every day and in the activities performed every day. Not only the chemical industry, therefore, but also the construction, healthcare and necropsy sectors, wood and metal processing, the textile industry, the food industry, agriculture, IT departments, waste management and cleaning.
How is the use of chemicals regulated?
Since 2006, the European REACH Regulation (EC No. 1907/2006) has been in force to register, evaluate, authorise and restrict the use of chemical substances with the aim of preserving human health and the environment, without compromising the importance of the European chemical industry. Without registration, a substance cannot be manufactured or placed on the European market.
The UN and the European Community have issued a set of standards to standardise information worldwide on the hazards and toxicity of chemicals, with the aim of raising awareness and raising the level of human and environmental protection.
In Italy, Legislative Decree 81/2008 also requires the employer to investigate the risks arising from the use of chemicals in the production process, as set out in Title IX Chapter I.
THE DEFINITION OF THE CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL AGENT DETERMINES ITS CONTACT AND ABSORPTION HAZARD.
In order to assess the presence of chemical risk, it is important to define the type of agent taking the following aspects into account:
SUBSTANCE
MIXTURE
ARTICLE
PHYSICAL STATUS
What measures are taken in the workplace?
The Safety Consolidation Act (Legislative Decree No. 81/08) in Title IX sets out the protective measures to be taken to protect workers who:
are in contact with chemical agents present in the workplace
perform work activities in the presence of chemical agents
are exposed to carcinogens
are exposed to asbestos.
Provisions concerning contact with ionising radiation are regulated in Italy by Legislative Decree 230/1995 and in Europe by Directive 2013/59/EURATOM.
The employer is obliged to check the presence of chemical agents in the workplace, taking a census of all substances and mixtures used in work cycles. He must also carry out a risk assessment and draw up the DVR (Risk Assessment Document) taking into account the following factors:
Hazardous properties.
Security information provided by the supplier.
Security information provided by the supplier.
Security information provided by the supplier.
Occupational exposure limit values or biological limit values.
Effects of preventive measures and protection.
Conclusions drawn from possible health surveillance actions.
The DVR will state the safety risk (related to the risk of accidents) and the health risk (related to the risk of compromising the health of workers):
Low safety risk and insignificant health risk
Low safety risk and not insignificant health risk
Not low safety risk and insignificant health risk
Not low safety risk and not insignificant health risk
Appropriate preventive measures will be applied on the basis of the findings of the DVR.
In principle, appropriate prevention and protection measures must be applied in every workplace, regardless of the presence of chemical agents. This includes the organisation of working systems, the provision of suitable equipment, and adequate hygiene measures.
