In our day-to-day lives, we encounter a lot of hazardous substances. But what is a hazardous substance? Some hazards are fairly well-known and obvious such as fires and faulty wires. But there are tons of hazards that you are completely oblivious to, and this lack of awareness may be putting you at risk!
In this blog, you will learn what exactly is a hazardous substance along with some examples for a better understanding. You will also become aware of the different types of hazardous substances and how to figure out whether a substance is hazardous or not.
In addition, you will learn how to stay safe from hazardous substances and what to do if you get exposed to them.
So, let’s begin.
Table of Contents
What is a Hazard?
A hazard is any thing, circumstance, or conduct that has the potential to cause harm, illness, or damage to a person, property or the environment.
A lot of things have the potential to be a hazard. For example, walking up the stairs can be a hazard, walking alone at night can be a hazard, and even loud noises can be a hazard.
What can be considered a hazard and how risky a hazard is varies widely depending on circumstances and perspectives. For example, something that’s hazardous to a baby may not be a hazard at all for an adult.
With that in mind, let’s discuss hazardous substances.
What is a Hazardous Substance?
If anything has hazardous properties, then it can be considered a hazardous substance.
For example, fire has hazardous properties; it can cause harm in the form of burning, and it can even potentially kill you, so it is a hazardous substance. Similarly, electricity can harm you, so it can also be considered a hazardous substance.
Hazardous substances don’t just end with things that can burn and shock you; even things that can poison, oxidise, explode or cause harm to a person in different ways is considered a hazardous substance.
What are the Types of Hazardous Substances?
From what’s been discussed so far, you can already tell that hazardous substances come in many forms and vary widely. So, you may be wondering, how many different types of hazardous substances are there, and what are they?
Well, there are 9 classes of hazardous materials, and they are as follows:
What are Examples of Hazardous Substances?
The majority of the substances that are hazardous to health are covered by the COSHH Regulations— and these substances can take a variety of different forms.
What is COSHH?
For those who don’t know, COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. It is a law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health.
COSHH’s goal is to prevent or appropriately regulate exposure to hazardous substances in order to avoid illness.
Here are some examples of hazardous substances covered by COSHH regulations:
- Chemicals
- Products containing chemicals
- Fumes
- Dust
- Vapours
- Mists
- Nanotechnology
- Gases and asphyxiating gases
- Biological agents
- Germs that cause diseases
You can learn more about COSHH from COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Training
However, the COSHH regulations don’t cover all hazardous substances; here are a few substances that are hazardous and are covered by their own unique set of regulations:
How do I Know a Substance is Hazardous?
As hazardous substances are very harmful and have the potential to end your life in certain cases, it’s in your best interest to learn how to spot them and stay safe from them. And the best way to know whether a substance is hazardous or not is to read chemical labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).
Most hazardous substances come with product labels. The product labels contain clear symbols that quickly identify the substance as hazardous; these include:
Where can I Find Chemical Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)?
SDSs are very easy to find, you can search for them on the internet, or you can visit the specific manufacturers or SDS service websites.
The SDS issued by the manufacturer, supplier, or importer of the chemical will also present a full list of known hazards and advice for safe use and storage (e.g., PPE recommendations, workplace storage controls, environmental concerns).
What should You do if You Encounter an Unknown Substance in an Unmarked Container?
If you find an unknown chemical in an unmarked container, you should attach a label stating Caution – Do Not Use – Unknown Substance.
After that, you should identify the substance so that it can be either correctly labelled or disposed of safely.
What if I have been Exposed to a Hazardous Substance?
If you think you have been exposed to a hazardous substance, you should seek medical attention immediately.
If you were exposed to hazardous substances at work, then definitely inform your manager and report the incident to others to prevent more people from getting exposed.
20 Hazardous Substances Found in the Home
Here are 20 hazardous substances that you probably have in your home right now that are potentially hazardous:
1. Oven Cleaners
2. Tile Cleaners
3. Toilet-Bowl Cleaners
4. Liquid Drain Openers
6. Chrome-Wheel Cleaners
7. Rust Removers
8. Gasoline
9. Motor Oil
10. Lead Paint
11. Turpentine
12. Lacquer Thinner
13. Muriatic Acid
14. Batteries – Nicad (Rechargeable)
15. Fireworks
16. Flea Powder
17. Lighter Fluid
18. Nail Polish Remover
19. Bleach
20. Drain Cleaners
How to Stay Safe from Hazardous Substances at Home?
To stay safe from hazardous substances at home, you can do the following:
Who do Hazardous Substances Put at Risk?
Anyone who comes into contact with hazardous substances is at risk. Especially people who come into contact with hazardous substances regularly at work carry high risks and increase the chances of them becoming ill because of hazardous substances.
Children and the elderly also are very susceptible to becoming ill because of hazardous substances. So it’s necessary to limit their exposure to hazardous substances.
Summary
Hazardous substances are all around us; you pretty much use hazardous substances on a daily basis, as we rely on them to do a lot of important things; the best thing we can do is to stay alert when we have to use hazardous substances and limit exposure to them as much as possible.
To learn more about Hazardous Substances and how to stay compliant with COSHH regulations, you should definitely check out this COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Training course by Online Training Academy. You can even buy the course for your team to make sure everyone has sufficient knowledge of COSHH Regulations and knows how to keep themselves safe when working.
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