Your employer is required, so far as is reasonably practicable, to provide a workplace that is safe and without risks to health. This includes safety in connection with the use, handling, storage or transport of substances, and also requires them to provide such information, instruction, training or supervision as is necessary to enable you to perform your work safely.
We have information on managing chemicals in the workplace here –
Under Part 4.1 (Hazardous Substances) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 your employer must also ensure that there is a current SDS to accompany each chemical on site – that includes your dishwashing supplies and other day-to-day substances. SDSs must be accessible to workers at the location the chemical is used.
The answers to questions about the use, storage, disposal, spill cleanup, first aid treatment, emergency management, and much more of any chemical can be found on the relevant SDS (Safety Data Sheet). This information assists you to assess the risk presented by the chemical and to understand the level of control required to maintain safe work practices.
Although an SDS is intended to provide guidance, and is not enforceable, following the guidance ensures that your employer is meeting their duty to provide a safe workplace.
We think you’ll find the information on these OHS Reps Webpages helpful –
- Material Safety Data Sheets - OHS Reps
- Safety Data Sheet Checklist - OHS Reps
- Personal Protective Equipment - PPE - OHS Reps
If there are chemicals being stored at your workplace that do not align with what is required by the relevant SDS, or you are not being provided with the PPE defined in the relevant SDS, you should raise this with your employer, as a matter of urgency, via your Safety Issue Resolution procedure.
We encourage you to formally raise the issue (remembering it’s always a good idea to seek the endorsement and support of your DWG first) and ask that the issue be resolved. You may find our record of consultation form handy.
In looking at control measures to remove or minimise the risk presented to you and your DWG by any particular substance, it is important to remember the hierarchy of control (HoC). The best option is always to eliminate the substance if possible. Failing that, we move down the HoC to substitution – e.g. is there a safer alternative substance?
The next option is engineering, where we can look at the way we use the substance – e.g. swabbing with a substance rather than spraying which creates airborne particles that can be inhaled. In the case of cleaning products, consultation with cleaning staff about control options is crucial. Obviously, appropriate PPE will also be a part of the conversation around keeping employees safe when dealing with certain chemicals.
If your employer doesn’t resolve the issue of chemical storage in a reasonable time, we urge you to contact your union for support in managing the issue resolution process.