Safe Handling of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Material – 5 Rules to Follow

Safe handling of hazardous waste and hazardous material comes with inherent risks that can affect human health and the environment. It is important to prioritize safety and adhere to safety rules when dealing with chemicals and materials. 

According to the EPA, improper handling of hazardous materials will lead to contamination of soil, water, and air. In fact, the EPA reports that incidents related to these wastes result in thousands of illnesses each year. 

This blog explains safety rules for handling hazardous materials. By following these guidelines, employees, and organizations can minimize the risk of improper evacuation procedures, ensuring the safety of employees and their adequate protection. 

Now, let’s dive into the essential safety tips for handling hazardous waste and materials to ensure a safe and responsible approach to this critical task.

Rule# 1: Understand the Regulations

Proper handling of hazardous waste and materials requires a careful comprehension of the guidelines. To protect the environment, keep employees safe, and avoid legal repercussions, it is essential to follow all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.

Regulations for handling hazardous waste can vary for different locations and the type of waste being managed. It is essential to become familiar with the specific regulations that apply to your industry and area. A few critical regulations are stated below:

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

The framework for managing hazardous waste from its generation to its disposal is established by RCRA, which is enforced by the EPA. It provides guidelines for identifying, transporting, treating, and disposing of waste. Understanding the critical provisions of RCRA will assist you to ensure compliance with government guidelines.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA establishes standards for workplace safety to shield workers from dangers, such as those posed by handling hazardous materials. Personal protective equipment (PPE), hazard communication, emergency response, and employee training requirements are all covered by these standards. For workers’ safety and well-being, adhering to OSHA standards is essential.

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Assuming you transport perilous waste or materials, you want to follow spot guidelines. These guidelines frame prerequisites for bundling, marking, placarding, and getting loads during transportation. To avoid transport-related injuries, spills, and accidents, DOT regulations must be followed strictly.

Rule# 2: Label and Store the Waste Appropriately

Storage and labeling are significant for the protected treatment of harmful waste and materials. Deficient capacity can prompt mishaps, spills, and the release of harmful substances, posing risks to human health and the environment. Here are some tips to follow:

Use suitable storage containers

Choosing the right stockpiling compartments and warehouses is fundamental for guaranteeing the trustworthiness and regulation of harmful materials. Holders ought to be viable with the particular kind of waste being put away and intended to endure the risks related to the material.

Make your containers from materials that won’t corrode, leak, or deteriorate due to hazardous waste. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), stainless steel, or specially lined drums or containers are all common materials. To stop spills or leaks, check that the containers you use have the right mechanisms for sealing. Store hazardous waste and materials in assigned regions or offices that are all around ventilated, secure, and furnished with well-being highlights like auxiliary control frameworks.

Label containers with clear and accurate information

Legitimate naming of holders is fundamental for rapidly distinguishing the items, perils, and important insurances. Labels ought to be prominently displayed, easy to read, and provide personnel working with or around hazardous materials with clear information.

The name of the hazardous material, any associated dangers (such as corrosive or flammable), and any required safety symbols or pictograms should all be included. In accordance with regulatory standards, such as those provided by Hazardous Materials Identification Systems (HIS) or Globally Harmonized Systems (GHS), put up the appropriate hazard warning labels. 

Also, include any additional information, such as waste generator identification numbers or hazard codes, that is required by federal, state, or local regulations. Below is one such example for your better understanding.

For example
A holder of destructive synthetic compounds needs to be named with a destructive image and fitting instructions about the risks of contact with skin or eyes. The correct product name, chemical composition, and any specific hazard warnings should be written on each container’s label. 

Rule# 3: Develop Safe Handling Procedures

Safe handling of hazardous waste containers is necessary to provide adequate protection for reducing the risk. During transportation and handling, accidents and emergencies are less likely to occur if proper emergency procedures are not followed. For safe handling, follow these steps one by one:

1. Understand hazards and plan ahead
2. Make use of PPE (personal protective equipment)
3. Set up a controlled workspace
4. Reduce your exposure
5. Appropriate handling techniques
6. Prevent mixing of materials
7. Follow appropriate disposing of waste

By following these safe handling of hazardous chemicals and other safety rules, you can minimize the risks, and protect the employees while handling hazardous materials during transport and shipment. 

However, to prevent any mishap, there are different types of material handling and its principles to follow. 

Rule# 4: Perform Regular Inspection

Inspecting weekly or bi-weekly is an important procedure to check if there are any contamination risks or damaged containers. Regular inspections help ensure compliance with regulations, identify potential risks, and maintain the safe handling of waste. By conducting thorough inspections, companies can proactively address the issues that pose any emergency or risks to employees. 

The representatives from the State Health and Environment Department, who are aware of hazardous waste management visit for weekly inspections. They evaluate the facility’s compliance and identify any areas that require emergency reporting procedures. These inspections serve the following purposes:

Compliance verification

Regular inspections provide a chance to ensure the waste management process is followed with relevant rules and guidelines. By verifying compliance, companies can mitigate the risk of legal consequences. 

Identification of potential hazards

The inspection is done with the help of EPA professionals and with their expertise in handling hazardous waste management, the potential risks cannot be overlooked. They can assess the facility’s practices, equipment, storage areas, and procedures to identify what leads to accidents, leakages, and spills that can affect the environment. 

Employee and environmental protection

The primary objective of inspections is to safeguard the well-being of employees and protect the environment. By identifying and addressing potential hazards, companies can ensure that their employees work in a safe environment and that their activities do not pose a threat to surrounding ecosystems or communities.

Continuous improvement

Inspections serve as opportunities for continuous improvement. The feedback and recommendations provided by the inspectors can help companies enhance their safety protocols, update their procedures, and implement best practices. This ensures that the facility remains up to date with the latest safety standards and reduces the likelihood of incidents.

Rule# 5: Manage Transportation Safety

To protect employees, the public, and the environment, hazardous waste, and materials must be transported with care. It is essential to adhere to safe chemical handling rules and take appropriate safety precautions. Below are some important considerations for transportation safety that you must follow:

Get familiar with the rules for transportation

Be familiar with your region’s transportation regulations and perform job duties with properly labeled hazardous materials or waste. Guidelines might shift, however, they frequently incorporate prerequisites for bundling, marking, placarding, and getting loads. Complying with these guidelines is fundamental for safe transportation and staying away from punishments or infringement.

Utilize appropriate containers for packaging 

Make sure that hazardous materials and waste are properly transported and packaged. Use holders that are planned and supported for the particular sort of material being shipped. The bundling ought to have the option to endure the risks related to the substance and forestall breaks, spills, or responses during travel.

Placard hazardous materials 

Labeling containers and vehicles that carry hazardous materials with the appropriate symbols, and labels are mandatory under transportation regulations. This guarantees that emergency responders and employees dealing with the materials can quickly recognize the hazards and handle hazardous materials safely.

Secure the load with established procedures

Ensure that the hazardous materials or waste are properly secured throughout transportation to avoid shifting, tipping, or spilling. Make use of appropriate restraints like straps, tie-downs, or bracing to keep containers in place and prevent them from falling or causing accidents.

Emergency response planning 

In the event of spills, accidents, or leaks during transportation, have a plan in place for responding to emergencies. Make sure employees have access to spill containment kits, personal protective equipment, and emergency contact information, and instruct them on the proper response procedures.

To continue with the safe handling of waste and materials, there are some factors affecting the transportation costs for businesses. However, if you want to reduce transportation costs, a perfect route planning software is all that you will need.

Let’s find out.

Use Route Planning Software to Reduce Transportation Costs for Safe Handling of Hazardous Materials

Upper Route Planner is the ideal hazardous waste route optimizer to give you optimized routes in just a few clicks. All you need to do is only import a CSV or Excel file of addresses to get optimized routes on the map. When the route is ready, you can dispatch them to the driver instantly. 

Besides, your customers will always have access to up-to-date information about where their package is if you enable automated notifications. With the Upper Route Planner, you can collect electronic signatures upon delivery to guarantee order fulfillment.

If you are concerned about your transportation company’s excessive costs, you should take advantage of Upper Route Planner to save time and costs.

Conclusion

Hope this blog has helped you understand the rules to be followed while handling hazardous waste and hazardous materials safely. With all the safety rules and regulations, we can protect human health and the environment. So, you must understand the risks involved, and identify the hazardous materials, store them correctly, and label each container with accurate information. 

Additionally, adopting safe handling procedures and ensuring transportation safety minimizes the potential for accidents or spills. For that, you must have route planning software like Upper to optimize transportation routes, and track shipments in real-time effectively.