Environment, Health & Safety are three key elements for companies working with chemicals.

But to what extent are companies aware of the importance of good HSE management? Let’s analyze this point along with some tips on how best to handle it.

How important are Environment, Health & Safety policies?

The area ofEnvironment, Health & Safety (or HSE) is one of the top priorities of every chemical company. The reason for this is easy to guess: to protect the safety of workers and residents in the surrounding areas, but also the ability to keep production started efficiently and with minimal environmental impact. All these are elements that ensure the economic development of the society itself.

In addition, adopting proper management in HSE can be a competitive advantage in international competition. In a chemical company, the safety of workers and the environment in general is a key element in ensuring its economic development. In fact, compliance with safety standards in industrial activities and in the use of chemicals helps to reduce operating costs and thus the final price of production.

Where to start in order to comply with HSE principles?

 

To comply with HSE principles, the company should rely on good planning, proper organization and management of information, and effective communication.

Planning is the first step in the implementation of an Environment, Health & Safety project. Good design should include taking appropriate measures to minimize the risk of accidents and occupational diseases, as well as assessing the consequences that may result from accidents or failures.

HSE and GHS

Along with risk assessment and management, which is also linked to the regulations of d.leg. 81/2008, within the HSE falls the management of products, notices and notifications for the transport of dangerous goods, labeling of chemicals, i.e., everything that includes the
GHS regulations
.

To ensure the protection Environment, Health & Safety it is therefore necessary to pay attention to regulatory compliance related to chemicals. To do this, it is useful to rely on computer systems that can facilitate the drafting of all the necessary documentation, managing and filing it nimbly.

Better Managing Environment, Health & Safety

The management of risks related to the safety of a chemical product requires the adoption of appropriate measures, covering both the development phase of the chemical itself (safety assessment) and the marketing phase. In the former case, the information must be provided to the laboratory at the stage of product development or at the latest when the product is placed on the market, and in the latter case to the purchaser and relevant product handling personnel.

Some tips to better manage Environment, Health & Safety

Having an awareness

To best manage theEnvironment, Health & Safety (HSE) of chemicals, it is critical to have an awareness of the quality of the information you have and how you use it. It may go without saying, but knowing your products, your market, and your company’s needs is the first step in improving HSE and GHScompliance management.

Know the legislation well (or rely on an expert)

The only way to ensure the safety of the environment and workers within your company is to know the relevant legislation. It is not just a bureaucratic issue. By complying with regulations, you can be sure that you have taken all necessary steps to limit risks to the safety of the environment and workers. Consult an expert to be sure you have taken all necessary precautions. You can also rely on software created specifically to manage GHS compliance, so you can be sure to stay up-to-date on the latest regulatory changes.

Implement chemical and safety management

The implementation of a chemical management strategy. is a key step in protecting the environment, employees, and the reputation of companies: it should include creating and maintaining an inventory of chemical agents used, complying with environmental laws and regulations, completing risk assessments associated with the use of chemical agents, and other activities to ensure safety. Again, relying on GHS compliance software is a great way to simplify the work.

Tracking compliance with regulations

Traceability of chemicals is a practice that ensures companies’ compliance with current legislation and any other specific regulations, such as those related to environmental compliance and workplace safety. Several techniques can be used to keep a record of activities and obtain data on the progress of production:

  1. Manual surveys
  2. Records in paper format
  3. Digital records and databases: relying on a
    GHS compliance management software
    you can store your own data, such as the SDSs of your chemicals. You will then have everything under control and accessible at all times.

HSE compliance management

F1 Consulting & Service has been working alongside companies for more than 10 years to provide technology and digital solutions that can streamline processes, facilitate work and increase earnings. Our extensive experience with chemical companies led us to create a solution to manage GHS regulatory compliance, to further attempt to help companies working with chemicals manage their businesses according to HSE principles.

That is why we developed Chemilla, a cloud-based software that can manage GHS compliance and enables companies working with chemicals to better comply with Environment, Health & Safety (HSE) regulations.

Chemilla is a valuable tool for companies working with chemicals. Find out what offers are available now!