Chemical inventory is an important part of risk management

Anyone working with chemicals must be aware of the substances they are handling. What they are, the hazards they present and the protection they need in order to minimise their harm and hazards. An up-to-date list of chemicals is a vital part of ensuring the safety of a company. A properly developed and maintained chemical inventory helps to prevent serious health and safety risks and is therefore an essential part of effective risk management. Why do we need a chemical inventory, who is responsible for it and where could it be kept so that it is accessible to all?

Many people are exposed to a variety of chemicals in their work, such as paints, adhesives, solvents, oils used in machinery, detergents or pharmaceuticals. According to Tukes' Chemical Products Register, there are around 5,000 chemicals classified as harmful in the chemicals sold in Finland. The harmful effects of chemicals or the severity of harm do not necessarily depend on how much of the chemical is used at work; even a small amount of a harmful substance can cause serious damage to health.

Hazardous chemicals have been identified as posing a risk to health and the environment and may also pose a fire and explosion hazard. The safe use of chemicals is only possible when their properties are known and their risks are recognised.

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The list of chemicals is a statutory list(Government Decree on Chemical Agents at Work 715/2001), required from the employer, of the chemicals used in the workplace and its various workplaces to which exposure causes or may cause harm or danger to the health or safety of the employee. The list of chemicals is listed by trade name and must always be kept up to date.

The list of chemicals must cover all chemicals in the company, regardless of the quantity used.

The list of chemicals should include:

• the trade name of the chemical
• hazard classification
• the safety data sheet or information on where it is stored

The list of chemicals should include:

• date of the safety data sheet
• required protective equipment when using the chemical
• where chemicals are used, their purpose and an estimate of the quantities used

The safety data sheet contains information on the hazardous properties of the chemical and instructions for its safe use. Safety data sheets must be easily readable by workers in order to be used.

The chemical supplier must always provide a safety data sheet when the chemical is supplied to the company for the first time and also inform users whenever the safety data sheet is updated in any way.

With an up-to-date and well-done chemical inventory, the company ensures that:

• Chemicals are stored correctly and in suitable facilities
• Workers have adequate knowledge of the risks of the chemicals they use in their work
• Workers have easy access to information on how to handle chemicals safely
• Employees know the correct first aid measures in case of incidents

Workplace and environmental safety is ensured, for example, by carrying out statutory chemical-specific risk assessments. Without an up-to-date list of chemicals, it is practically impossible to carry out valid risk assessments.

Read how the Savo Consortium of Schools strengthened its chemical safety with the PRO24 system

The employer is responsible for ensuring safety in the workplace. A chemical inventory is an important part of occupational safety and the employer must ensure that the organisation has an up-to-date list of all chemicals used in the workplace. The employer may be penalised in the event of an occupational health and safety inspection if the list of chemicals is completely missing or contains incomplete information.

The PRO-24 system in use at Protect enables the creation of a list of chemicals. The Chemicals module makes the maintenance of chemical data easier and more accessible to users. The system makes the same information easily available at all sites of the company and updated information is distributed to all at the same time. Chemical safety data sheets and safety instructions can also be viewed through the system. Direct links and QR codes make it easy to view the lists on mobile devices when needed.

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