Types of Hazardous gases in the workplace - is your business at risk?

When it comes to running a business, there are many things to consider, but the most important should always be safety. If you use hazardous gases within your business, there are some huge safety concerns that need to be taken into account and handled carefully.

It is important that you are aware of your legal obligations as well as your moral ones as a good employer in order to keep staff safe and ensure that gases are handled and stored correctly.

What are hazardous gases?

Hazardous gases are any gases found in the atmosphere of the workplace that could be harmful when they are breathed in. The harm they cause may be immediate, or after long periods of exposure, or repeated exposure. Depending on the type of business that you run, it may not just be your staff who are exposed, as in some cases, it may be possible that customers are at risk as well.

There are a range of hazardous gases that might be found in your workplace, including chlorine or carbon monoxide. It is easy to assume that hazardous gases will only be found in industrial settings, but it is actually possible that hairdressers, healthcare workers, cleaners, engineers and construction workers could all be at risk.

Hazardous gas precautions

Your staff could be exposed to these gases and so it is important to be aware of Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs). We can be exposed to gases through ingestion, contact with the skin or inhalation. This exposure can be through direct contact with something in the line of work, or accidental contact such as through a leak, and both need to be monitored and contain.

Damage to the body might include bronchitis, lung diseases, damage to the nervous system, and in some cases, cancers. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) requires employers to take measures to control or prevent this exposure.

You will first need to conduct a risk assessment to identify hazards. This involves looking at the products and equipment that you use to see if they carry danger labels warning that something might be toxic or harmful.

You will also need to assess whether any products come with safety data sheets or emits fumes. You will need to identify whether the hazardous gases are used or generated and who is exposed to them. This then requires you to assess whether the levels of exposure are safe or acceptable, and if not, what can be done about them.

You will need to be aware of whether these hazards can be removed workplace, or whether extra precautions need to be taken, including wearing masks or breathing apparatus or whether regular breaks should be implemented. If PPE is necessary, this should be provided free of charge and should always be properly fitted.

You may also need to look at forms of ventilation in the workplace to filter out the gases or whether any of your products can be exchanged for something less hazardous.

To avoid accidents, regular checks should be made to ensure that your hazardous products are stored safely and properly to avoid leaks and contamination. Some gases can also be flammable, so this is another thing to be aware of in your risk assessment.

Keeping staff safe is always important, and as a responsible employer you will need to continually assess what levels of exposure are experienced in your workplace and take every step to minimise this and keep your employees safe and healthy. This will help to avoid illnesses, accidents and legal complications for your business.

For more on how you can measure hazardous gas levels in your workplace, visit the Gas Data website.