How to Deal With Hazardous Spill in Your Workplace

Your company is a certified compliant of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) which makes your workplace less bothering and more motivating. You have been safe since day one despite the fact that some toxic chemicals linger somewhere in the building for sanitary or technical purposes. Thinking about accidents is at the far back of your hypothalamus just like in any other day. It is an ordinary workday indeed, and your eyes often peek on your desk calendar, with excitement for the next paycheck. And your eyes roll to the other side and see a glimpse of panic from the employee in the next cubicle. It is commotion all of a sudden. A hazardous spill takes place and your life of a worry-free work reeked with toxins all around you. Accidents!

You may find the scenario a bit dramatic but once a hazardous spill happens, you are not getting just an intricate corporate drama, you may get a tragedy. If the situation comes to its worst, you are not just watching it; you are one of the leads. A company being an OSHA-compliant does not veer from the possibility of accidents as they are after all, accidents. But in times of such distress, you are expected to know and apply the procedures as training and information dissemination are parts of OSHA in the first place. However, it is also expected that some human errors may occur during the actual case, more so for those working in non-OSHA-complying companies.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Planning is the framework for disaster preparedness which is supposed to be produced and explained to employees upon compliance and not during or after accidents. Depending on the nature of business and its accompanying risks especially in toxic chemicals, different plans may be available and procedures do vary. A company is expected to have Review Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) for reference on the response and personal protective equipment to which all employees are trained for. Respirators and protective clothing like gloves should always be in mind same as how first-aid kits work.

The person who caused the accident is expected to make the first action of cleaning in accordance to safety procedures. Immediate superiors and co-employees should be immediately informed. Any accident involving spillage of hazardous chemicals is to be escalated to designated personnel from whom further actions should come from. If the spill is highly dangerous to contain, then an evacuation plan is to be imposed as soon as possible.

Accidents can happen anywhere. OSHA-complying companies do have the advantage in prior planning, but the risks grow threefold for those that are not following the strict guidelines. Whether you are proactively trained and informed of action plans or not, it is still important for every employee to have the initiative to learn the proper procedures in dealing with hazardous spill in the workplace.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

James Henry Abrina is an editor, writer, SEO specialist and currently a Corporate Communication Professional, Market Desk Strategist, Business Development Officer and Unit Head for Business Profiles Incorporated.

He currently specializes in security management and business intelligence. Together with the company, he advocates Business Continuity Planning to change how the Philippine business sector sees the definition of crisis response and management.

For more useful information, read his articles at My Portfolio and Masscom Tutor. Or his EzineArticles page.