Poorly maintained control measures can expose you to hazardous substances when working in the engineering construction industry (ECI).
As part of a campaign focused on health and safety, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has published a series of tips to help create a better safety culture in the ECI, including the steps to take to minimise the risks from hazardous substances.
With health and safety training being one of the key contributors in helping reduce accidents and lost-time incidents on sites, the ECITB’s CCNSG (Client Contractor National Safety Group) Safety Passport course helps to develop a positive health and safety culture, where safe and healthy working becomes second nature to everyone.
Below are a series of tips from the CCNSG course about hazardous substances, as well as advice around waste disposal, to help keep you and your colleagues safe in the ECI.
Hazardous substances
- Ensure hazard information is up to date for any product you use.
- Ensure you are familiar with, and trained in, the nature of the hazards and use of control measures your work involves.
- Ensure controls are maintained and monitored.
- Ensure all documentation is comprehensive and able to be understood.
- You must always report faults and problems to your supervisor or safety representative.
Waste disposal
- Ensure that disposal of waste at the workplace is carried out safely and in accordance with the law.
- Use only designated containers for holding waste products.
- Do not discard waste carelessly. Ensure you always put the right waste in the right bin.
- Do not overfill waste containers. Inform a responsible person when additional resources are likely to be required.
- Report any leakage or overflow of waste from a waste container to a responsible person.
- Ensure that any spillage of substances at the workplace is cleared in an approved manner and that any materials used are properly disposed of.
- Remember, special arrangements or precautions may need to be taken.
- Wear any personal protective equipment (PPE) that is required for safe handling of waste products.
The ECITB plays a vital role in ensuring Britain has workers with the skills industry needs both now and for the future.
This includes the essential health and safety skills and knowledge to keep both workers and their colleagues safe when operating in some of the most safety-critical environments in industry.
Find out more about the CCNSG Safety Passport and how to book a course
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