Hazardous Materials Management: Definitions, Risks, and Safety Protocols

Hazardous Materials: Definitions and Safety

Hazardous Materials are all those materials, substances, or items that, by their volume or hazardous nature, imply a high, and certainly more than normal, risk to health, the environment, and property if they get out of control. These risks can occur during extraction, manufacturing, storage, transport, and use.

Key Definitions

Accident: An unwanted event or action that disrupts the normal work process, causing personal injury and/or material losses.

Chemical: A chemical, either alone or in a mixture or preparation, manufactured or obtained from nature, with the following categories of use: Plant Health, Industrial, and Consumer.

Toxicity: The ability of a substance to cause harm to a living organism.

Hazardous Substance: A substance that, by its nature, causes or may cause momentary or permanent damage to human health, animals, plants, and elements such as facilities, machinery, buildings, etc.

Risks Associated with Hazardous Materials

Injuries

• Chemical burns to the skin
• Chemical burns to the eyes
• Mucous membrane irritation of airways
• Poisoning

Damage

• Fires
• Explosions
• Spills

Effects on the Environment

• Pollution
• Public health impacts
• Ecosystem damage

Routes of Entry to the Body

• Digestive
• Respiratory
• Dermal
• Parenteral

Control Measures

Ventilation (Local and General Extraction)

• Hoods with forced ventilation
• General enclosure ventilation

Working Procedures

• Mandatory use of personal protective equipment
• Use of pipette bulbs for suction
• Do not eat in the work area
• No smoking

Personal Protective Equipment

• Specific long gloves
• Face shields or goggles
• Waterproof aprons and/or coveralls
• Sunscreen

Hazard Classification

Hazardous materials are classified into nine classes as stipulated in Chilean Standard 382:

1. Class 1: Explosive substances and articles
2. Class 2: Gases (compressed, liquefied, dissolved under pressure, or cryogenic)
3. Class 3: Flammable liquids
4. Class 4: Flammable Solids and substances that, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
5. Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
6. Class 6: Poisons and infectious substances
7. Class 7: Radioactive Material
8. Class 8: Corrosive substances
9. Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances

NCH 1411 Identification System

Objective

To provide basic information for firefighting and emergency response, offering an overview of the dangers posed by emergency materials.

Applicability

Industrial and Commercial Facilities. Not applicable in: Transportation and for the general public.

Diamond Colors

The system is divided into four colors:

• Red: Identifies fire hazard and risk.
• Blue: Identifies health hazard.
• Yellow: Identifies reactivity hazards.
• White: Identifies special risks.

United Nations (UN) Number

This is a four-digit number that identifies a particular hazardous substance. It is displayed on an orange background with black numbers. The UN number is located under the sign or signal accompanying the dangerous substance during transport. When transporting multiple dangerous substances, the UN number for the substance posing the greatest risk should be prominently displayed.