Chemicals are everywhere in industry—sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden.

 🧪 Hazard Class 3: Chemical Hazards

Chemicals are everywhere in industry—sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden. From cleaning agents to solvents, dust, and fumes, they can burn, poison, or damage your lungs, skin, and eyes if not controlled properly.

🔎 Spot It

▪️Strong smells from solvents, paints, or fuels

▪️Dust clouds (wood, flour, fabric, metal, enzyme powders)

▪️Labels with ⚠️ “corrosive,” “toxic,” or “flammable” pictograms

▪️Chemical storage without ventilation or secondary containment

▪️Workers handling acids, bases, or reactive chemicals without PPE

🛡 Control It (Hierarchy of Controls)

▪️Eliminate: Stop using hazardous substances where possible

▪️Substitution: Switch to less toxic or water-based alternatives

▪️Engineering: Install local exhaust ventilation (LEV), fume hoods, safe storage cabinets

▪️Administrative: Train workers on SDS (Safety Data Sheets), enforce chemical handling SOPs

▪️PPE: Gloves, goggles, face shields, respirators, chemical aprons

✅ 60-Second Checklist

▪️Are containers labeled with GHS pictograms?

▪️Is ventilation working in chemical areas?

▪️Spill kits and neutralizers ready at hand?

▪️PPE available and being used correctly?

▪️SDS sheets accessible to workers?

📌 Real Case & Takeaway

In one garment finishing plant, operators exposed to enzyme dust developed asthma symptoms because masks weren’t rated for fine particles. After upgrading to NIOSH-approved respirators and adding LEV, cases dropped to zero.

👉 Lesson: Not all dust is harmless—treat every airborne chemical as a potential hazard.

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