Good housekeeping, personal cleanliness and equipment maintenance are important wherever any chemicals, including corrosives, are used.

To maintain cleanliness and order at all times in the workplace, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health recommends the following:

• Clean up any spills and buildups of corrosives promptly and safely;

• Properly dispose of unlabelled or contaminated chemicals;

• Remove empty containers at once from work areas;

• Ensure that all containers for waste are properly marked and easily located. Personal cleanliness is a very important way of protecting personnel working with hazardous chemicals. CCOHS also recommends:

• Wash hands before eating, drinking, smoking or going to the toilet;

• Remove and clean contaminated clothing before wearing it again, or discard it;

• Do not smoke, drink, chew gum or eat in any areas where hazardous chemicals are present;

• Store food and tobacco products in uncontaminated areas;

• Avoid touching yourself with contaminated hands;

• Clean yourself thoroughly at the end of the workday.

Regular maintenance of equipment is important in preventing leaks or emissions of corrosives into the workplace.

Ensure maintenance personnel know the possible hazards of the materials they might be exposed to. Be sure they know any special procedures and precautions that might be needed before they begin to work on equipment.

Regular workplace inspections can help in spotting areas where health and safety problems may be developing.

When should I wear proper personal protective equipment? If other methods, such as engineering controls, are not available or effective enough to control exposure to corrosives, wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE).

Choosing the right PPE to wear when doing a particular job is essential. MSDSs should provide general guidance. Selecting PPE for a specific job is best done with the help of someone who knows how to evaluate the hazards of the job and how to select the proper PPE.

Avoid Skin Contact

Wear protective gloves, aprons, boots, hoods, or other clothing depending on how much chance there is of skin contact. This clothing must be made of materials that resist penetration or damage by the chemical. The MSDS should recommend appropriate materials. If it does not, contact the chemical’s manufacturer or supplier for specific information.

Protect Your Eyes and Face: Always wear eye protection when working with corrosives. Although ordinary safety glasses provide some protection, chemical safety goggles are best. In some cases, you should also wear a face shield to protect your face from splashes.

Know and be familiar with the right PPE for emergencies, as well as normal operations. You must wear the PPE needed for doing a particular job. PPE cannot protect you if it is not worn.

What should I do in an emergency? Be ready to handle emergencies safely. In emergencies like chemical fires, leaks and spills, act fast.

• Evacuate the area at once if you are not trained to handle the problem or if it is clearly beyond your control.

• Alert other people in the area to the emergency.

• Call the fire department immediately.

• Report the problem to the people responsible for handling emergencies where you work.

• Obtain first aid if you have been exposed to harmful chemicals.

The MSDS and container label for a particular corrosive should give specific first aid instructions in case of exposure by skin or eye contact, inhalation, or swallowing.

Most workplace injuries caused by common corrosives, such as acids and bases, result from accidental skin or eye contact. The first aid for these injuries usually involves flooding the contaminated area with large amounts of water. However, the specific first aid recommendations can vary from one corrosive material to another, depending on the nature (properties and hazards) of the material.

Emergency eyewash stations and safety showers should be present wherever accidental exposure to corrosives might occur. These are available from safety equipment retailers. Only specially trained people, equipped with the proper tools and protective equipment, should handle the emergency. Nobody else should go near the area until it is declared safe.

Planning, training and practicing for emergencies are important so that everyone knows what they must do.

The MSDSs for the materials you are using on each job are a good starting point for drawing up an emergency plan. MSDSs have specific sections on fire and explosion hazards, including suitable fire extinguishing equipment and methods, spill clean-up procedures and first aid instructions. If the directions in each MSDS section are not clear or seem incomplete, contact the material’s manufacturer or supplier for help. You can obtain help in developing emergency plans from many other sources too. Local fire departments can assist with fire emergency plans and training. Specialized private consultants are also available.

What are the basic safety procedures concerning corrosives? Following these basic safe practices will help protect you from the hazards of corrosive materials:

• Obtain and read the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) for all of the materials you work with;

• Be aware of all of the hazards (fire/explosion, health, chemical reactivity) of the materials you work with;

• Know which of the materials you work with are corrosives;

• Store corrosives in suitable labeled containers away from incompatible materials, in a cool, dry area;

• Store, handle, and use corrosives in well ventilated areas;

• Inspect containers for damage or leaks before handling. Never use containers that appear to be swollen;

• Handle containers safely to avoid damaging them;

• Dispense corrosives carefully and keep containers closed when not in use;

• Stir corrosives slowly and carefully into cold water when the job requires mixing corrosives and water;

• Handle and dispose of corrosive wastes safely;

• Practice good housekeeping, personal cleanliness and equipment maintenance;

• Wear the proper personal protective equipment for each of the jobs you do;

• Know how to handle emergencies (fires, spills, personal injury) involving the corrosive materials you work with;

• Follow the health and safety rules that apply to your job;

• Flush contaminated eyes or skin with water for at least 20-30 minutes, sometimes longer, in case of accidental contact. Call immediately for medical assistance;

• Know where the closest eyewash station and safety showers are located, and how to use them;

• Never return unused material to the original container. It may contain traces of contamination which may cause a chemical reaction;