Are you compliant with Dangerous Goods Compliance Requirements?
Many businesses that are involved with Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Substances don’t realise that they have specific obligations under Safe Work Australia “Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace code of practice”. The code
makes use of the term “person conducting a business or undertaking” (PCBU).
The PCBU has wide ranging responsibilities under the WHS Act as outlined on the Safe Work Australia site here. Amongst other things, a PCBU is responsible for providing adequate training, instruction and supervision, in regards to DG & HS. The requirements are listed in Section 4.4 of the code and below I have copied the two relevant regulations relating to Dangerous Goods:
4.4 Providing information, training, instruction and supervision
Regulation 39
A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that information, training and instruction provided to a worker is suitable and adequate having regard to:
- the nature of the work carried out by the worker
- the nature of the risks associated with the work at the time the information, training or instruction is provided, and
- the control measures implemented.
Regulation 379
The person conducting a business or undertaking must also provide any supervision necessary to protect workers from health and safety risks arising from the work at the workplace, if the worker:
- uses, handles, generates or stores a hazardous chemical
- operates, tests, maintains, repairs or decommissions a storage or handling system for a hazardous chemical, or
- is likely to be exposed to a hazardous chemical.
Information, training, instruction and supervision must be provided not only to workers but to other persons at the workplace such as visitors.
Recently CoRAustralia have released our new Dangerous Goods Training.
We offer two introductory Dangerous Goods & Hazardous Substances courses including:
- Introduction to Dangerous Goods & Hazardous Substances (Level 1)
- Dangerous Goods & Hazardous Substances – Distribution & Receiving (Level 2)
Our range of convenient course delivery methods means we can provide these courses to your workers how and when you want to! Our online course is only $45 incl. GST and can be completed in typically less than two hours! >> Start course here.
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Below are the rest of the requirements set out in the Code mentioned above, which our courses comply with:
Information, training and instruction should include the following:
- the nature of the hazardous chemicals involved and the risks to the worker
- the control measures implemented, how to use and maintain them correctly, for example how and when to clean or replace filters on a spray painting booth
- the arrangements in place to deal with emergencies, including evacuation procedures, containing and cleaning up spills and first aid instructions
- the selection, use, maintenance and storage of any personal protective equipment (PPE) required to control risks and the limitations of the PPE
- any health monitoring which may be required and the worker’s rights and obligations
- the labelling of containers of hazardous chemicals, the information that each part of the label provides and why
- the information is being provided
- the availability of SDS for all hazardous chemicals, how to access the SDS, and the information that each part of the SDS provides
- the work practices and procedures to be followed in the use, handling, processing, storage, transportation, cleaning up and disposal of hazardous chemicals.
Information, training and instruction must be provided in such a way that it is easily understood. The amount of detail and extent of training will depend on the nature of the hazards and the complexity of the work procedures and control measures required to minimise the risks.
Records of training provided to workers should be kept, documenting who was trained, when and on what.