Chemical Safety: Substituting a Hazardous Chemical for a Safer One
OSHA provides a toolkit that outlines steps for substituting chemicals.
- By Alex Saurman
- Dec 19, 2022
Numerous occupations and industries use hazardous chemicals. More than 30 million may be exposed to these chemicals, OSHA said, which can lead to health effects. As many as 50,000 deaths yearly may be attributed to exposure to chemicals, a study shows.
If you work with or around chemicals, you may be familiar with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard. This standard includes information on chemical hazard identification, labels and safety data sheets.
The hierarchy of controls tells us that elimination is the most effective way to control a worker’s exposure to hazards, but this isn’t always possible. If chemicals are required, eliminating them typically isn’t an option. However, employers can use the second-most effective control: substitution.
OSHA provides a toolkit to do just this. Entitled Transitioning to Safer Chemicals outlines seven steps for employers and employees.
1. “Form a Team to Develop a Plan.” Consider all aspects of the company when making a team. Identify employers that should be involved, as well as many stakeholders. The team should work together to create goals, whether short or long-term or general or specific to one chemical.
2. “Examine Current Chemical Use.” What do the employees use each chemical for? Can a substitute work better? Asking these questions and others is a great step in understanding the use of chemicals. OSHA lists additional questions an employer or team can consider.
3. “Identify Alternatives.” Alternatives don’t have to just include switching out the hazardous chemical for a less or non-hazardous one. It can also include changing the process, looking at ways technology can help or swap materials, OSHA says. Study other examples of alternatives in your industry, and use companies, suppliers and other organizations or people as resources for additional alternatives.
4. “Assess and Compare Alternatives.” Know your alternatives? It’s time to compare. OSHA recommends sorting your alternatives by performance. Look at what your alternative must do, any “technical and engineering design constraints,” the quality, potential requirements set by laws and if the alternative may lead to new or worse hazards, the agency says.
5. “Select a Safer Alternative.” There are many factors to consider in this process, such as increased or decreased safety, data, pros and cons and employee opinions. Make sure this decision is well documented so others can understand and learn about the process.
6. “Pilot the Alternative.” Test your new alternative on a small scale and get workers involved. After all, they’re the ones who will be using it often. OSHA suggests considering questions like “Does the alternative change working conditions?” “What training do workers need to safely and effectively use the alternative?” and “How could the alternative be implemented on a larger scale?”
7. “Implement and Evaluate the Alternative.” To implement the new alternative on a larger scale, there are many steps the employers or team need to take. Make and document a plan, update employees on the plan and train accordingly. The work isn’t over yet. Continue evaluating the impacts and any other changes the alternative may lead to, such as in cost. If all is successful, OSHA provides a platform to share your story.
To learn more about substituting hazardous chemicals for safer alternatives, visit osha.gov.