Implementing an effective chemical management system is difficult. Over a 3-year period we spoke with hundreds of people about workplace chemicals and identified 4 obstacles to improving chemical safety. The Bystander Effect The bystander effect says that in a group setting which calls for action to address a problem most of us will assume that […]
WHMIS
Is Chemical Risk Management Important?
Workplace chemicals pose a risk to people. If they did not, there would be no need to focus on Chemical Risk Management and current WHMIS related activities would be sufficient to maintain a safe and healthy work place. There are three reasons why organizations need to think about more than WHMIS compliance. An Endless Selection […]
Chemical Risk Management – It’s More Than WHMIS
I was very fortunate to spend 22 years working in leadership roles with ExxonMobil where I learned a business can improve its overall performance by improving its safety performance. Key Concepts to Improve Safety Performance: Understand people’s needs. This is at the heart of an effective safety program. Pay attention to safety through metrics, observations […]
Simple, Relevant Messages for End-Users of Hazardous Chemicals
The end-users of hazardous chemicals in the workplace are workers, students, clients or contractors. They are typically not the technical experts who understand the chemical properties, potential hazards and exposure control methods for the materials they are using. The Workplace Hazardous Information Management System (WHMIS) attempts to help end-users by requiring the use of Safety […]
Chemicals Hazards Management – Past, Present & Future
Does anybody remember these? I’m not sure why I kept this collection of Collier’s Junior Classics but being born in the 60’s, this was my introduction to the world outside my family and I found it fascinating. Fast forward a few years and I was using Collier’s Encyclopedias together with the school library collection to […]
Use Your SDS to Improve Health and Safety
Updating your SDS collection and letting the binder sit unused in the office is like buying a car and leaving it in the garage. Time and money have been wasted because the product you worked so hard to acquire is left gathering dust. To many people, their WHMIS goal is to get their SDS collection […]