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Did You Know There Is An ISO Standard For Occupational Health and Safety?  ISO 45001 is an ISO standard for management systems of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S). The purpose of ISO 45001 is to reduce occupational injuries and diseases, including the promotion and protection of physical and mental health.  

You are likely washing your hands more than ever these days as a precaution against COVID-19. But ironically by over-washing our hands we can actually be introducing a new hazard by removing natural emollients, increasing dryness, and introducing cracks into our skin giving bacteria a path of entry into our

Skin tissue is frequently exposed to various irritating substances in the workplace, particularly for wet work (work involving wet hands or hand washing), which can lead to the development of occupational contact dermatitis.

It feels like Chemscape is fielding daily requests to obtain hand sanitizer SDSs or author SDSs for businesses that have begun to manufacture sanitizer to meet an increased demand due to COVID-19. Before COVID-19, hand sanitizer was used in large quantities in industries that required a food-grade disinfectant for workers and work surfaces. What is in hand sanitizer?

Homemade face masks are being promoted to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. It is seen as a barrier to droplets emitted into the air when people cough, sneeze, or talk. Home-made face masks do not filter or remove virus particles. There is also a risk of exposure from the improper use of a cloth face mask. We will review arguments for and against without getting too scientific.

Recent provincial HPA/HPR inspections on chemical suppliers by Health Canada have focused on Safety Data Sheet audits.  Included below is some observations on missing information on SDSs made by inspectors:

Pandemic Planning and Business Continuity: Planning for the What if Factor Regarding the Coronavirus Everyday we have new information in the media on the Coronavirus Disease which is now officially known as COVID-19. This virus is a rapidly changing situation and having a trusted source of information is important to have accurate and science-based data on this virus.

It has been over a year (Dec 1, 2018.) since the transition to WHMIS 2015. If you are an employer, you may still have MSDSs in your SDS library for products around your workplace. What should you do with the MSDS and the product?

During winter, when the arctic chill sets in and heating systems are turned up, the risk for carbon monoxide poisoning increases. Carbon monoxide or CO is a toxic gas that you cannot smell, see or taste and, for this reason, it is known as the ‘silent killer’.

What is a Respiratory Code of Practice? Many provincial Occupational Health and Safety regulatory bodies require employers to develop a Code of Practice (CoP) when a respirator or repository equipment is used at the worksite.

10 Safety tips to follow when using cleaning products Did you know certain cleaning products can kill or seriously harm you when mixed.

Dermal Exposure to Chemicals and Identifying Chemicals of Concern The skin is the largest organ and the organ which is most commonly exposed to chemicals and health effects from this. Dermal exposure to hazardous substances can result in a variety of occupational diseases and disorders, including occupational skin diseases (OSD) and systemic toxicity.