Building a Chemical Emergency Toolkit
It can be difficult to keep track of chemical hazards in your facility.
- By John Wagle
- Aug 01, 2022
Gas detection in the chemical industry can range from hand-held specialized meters used by industrial hygienists or chemical engineers to the basic clip detection monitors utilized by the hundreds of operations personnel and contractors at a facility. There are a wide range of chemical hazards that can be found throughout a plant and there are a multitude of ways to detect these hazards. Because of this, it can be difficult to keep track of who is monitoring what hazards, where, and how.
The truth, however, is that keeping your employees and community safe has never been easier through the effective use of a chemical emergency toolkit.
Why You Need a Chemical Emergency Toolkit
The first line of defense against gas hazards is a small personal monitor. These devices, while essential, are often treated as the ultimate protection against gas hazards when in fact they represent the first building block in a true emergency response toolkit. Whether your gas monitoring program consists of a small team in one area or hundreds of contractors, one point remains the same: a properly vetted and practiced emergency toolkit is critical.
The core objective of a chemical emergency toolkit is to provide a common operating framework during emergencies, rapidly respond to incidents, limit financial loss and protect human health. An emergency toolkit is a testament of your commitment to the safety and well-being of your community, your employees and your shareholders.
In communities across the globe, residents living near chemical facilities have not been trained in how to respond during a chemical accident—meaning it’s up to you and your team to protect your community from any hazardous gases or related incidents. A 2018 survey, “Awareness about hazardous chemicals of residents living near chemical plants in South Korea,” found that only 10 percent of residents living near chemical facilities had been trained or educated on how to respond during a chemical accident while only 30 percent of residents believed the facility operators had taken proper actions against chemical accidents in the past.
What to Include to Ensure Protection
While personal gas monitors are critical in protecting individual personnel, a true emergency response requires careful consideration of how these tools can be used in a broader context. By properly equipping your workers and responders, you are already taking a key step protecting your people and your community.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.