Poor response and actions during emergencies can cause disasters.
Chemical explosions, fire, spillage and other chemical-related accidents can happen anytime. This is why you need hazchem labels in Australia and EIP signs for emergency management personnel to safely and immediately identify the actions needed.
Proper communication and use of safety signage is essential to ensure a safe, healthy, and secure environment for everyone.
Why are hazchem labels important?
Hazchem labels are safety signs that instantly communicate to staff the substance at hand, as well as how to safely store, handle, transport, and deliver it.
Hazchem labels are very important as they serve as a guide for fire, emergency and safety personnel to appropriately deal with chemicals in times of emergencies such as accidents or spills.
Government legislation also requires the use of hazchem labels when transporting, storing, and handling hazardous and chemical substances to ensure everyone’s safety.
1. Provide detail on the chemical reactions
Improper handling of chemicals may result in explosion, injuries, accidents and even death, especially when exposed directly to heat or pressure.
To reduce the risk of violent reactions of chemical materials, hazchem signs usually determine the standard category of chemicals and instantly inform the person in charge of handling the proper way of transporting, storing, and managing these substances.
Hazchem signs are used to label dangerous goods based on the United Nations system.
Chemicals and dangerous goods are divided into classes and categories based on the hazards they contain.
As such, transport or storage packages, containers, trucks, and tankers must have the right label to inform the hazard posed by the dangerous material.
Classifications can include:
- Explosives
- Compressed gases
- Flammable liquids
- Flammable solids
- Oxidising agents and peroxides
- Poisonous, toxic and infectious substances
- Radioactive substances
- Corrosive substances
- Miscellaneous dangerous goods
2. Communicate safety messages
Staff and employees rely on visual communication seen in the colour and printed information on hazchem signages and emergency information panels in Melbourne.
Clear visual communication through hazchem signs and EIP’s give reliable instructions and communicate an important message to everyone who reads.
Printed photographic illustrations and eye-catching visuals represent warnings that are easily interpreted, while diamond-shaped hazard warning signs instantly convey to workers the hazardous nature of goods being transported.
Frequent health and safety training is an important reminder of safety messages that everyone must follow, especially in using hazchem signs and emergency information panels (EIPs).
3. Ensure you strictly follows legal requirements
Businesses and workplaces may need to include hazchem and emergency information panels as part of OHS obligations as well as various legal requirements in Australia.
The use of hazchems and EIPs comply with strict Australian standards and laws, especially for proper labelling of dangerous goods in manufacturing, storage, and delivery.
4. Remind us of the safest and most effective way of working
Improper use of chemicals and hazardous materials can cause serious damage or injury.
Hazchem and EIPs can reduce the risk of disaster by reminding everyone of the safest and most effective way of working with such chemicals.
A hazchem plate guides a worker on the safest way to transport a non-hazardous or hazardous substance from one place to another.
The purpose of hazchem signage and EIPs is to reduce events like fire and explosions.
Rescuers and firefighters will know what actions to take in a specific material depending on the hazchem and EIP signage of the goods.
Industries like petroleum, logistics, and transport may rely on custom safety signs to quickly and accurately alert personnel to the substances in their care.
But more than just informing workers on safety practices while onboard, hazchems and EIPs serve as means to provide the safest and most effective way of working.
What does a chemical label tell you?
Hazardous chemicals are toxic substances that can be poisonous and may have adverse effects on one’s health.
Chemicals may also bring harm, explosion, and put lives at risk depending on their toxicity level. Safety precautions must always be applied.
What are the 6 required elements of a product label?
Emergency Information Panels must tell you the following:
- Signal word
- Pictogram
- Precautionary statement
- Hazard statement
- Name, address and telephone number
- Product identifier
These key pieces of information make it easy for someone to quickly and clearly identify the material at hand, and understand how it should be stored or handled.
Why is chemical labelling important?
Most Australian employees regularly handle hazardous substances that may, when improperly handled or stored, may bring on short-term and long-term health effects including:
- Respiratory infections
- Kidney diseases
- Poisoning
- Skin rashes
These substances can take the form of solid, dust-like particles, gas, powered and liquids.
Employees associated with logistics, manufacturing, and importing of hazardous substances rely on hazchem labels and EIP signs in Melbourne to handle chemical materials safely and to respond accordingly should a disaster occur.
Appropriate labelling is also crucial for emergency personnel such as police or firefighters in case of emergency or accident.
Correctly label your hazardous materials with the help of Signsmart!
Signsmart has a range of danger and warning signs and can also work closely with you to create customised Hazchem and EIP signage to help create a safe and compliant workplace.
We pride ourselves in meeting our customers’ requirements with satisfaction guaranteed. We can also deliver the right signage quickly, so if time is of the essence, contact us today!
Our sign experts will answer any of your enquiries and can also help you determine exactly which hazardous signs and labels you might need.
Get in touch with our team of designers: call us now on (03) 9687 3050 or request for a quote.
