Hazardous Material

• Follow the instructions on the label and in the corresponding Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each chemical product you will be using in your workplace

• Use personal protective clothing or equipment such as neoprene gloves, rubber boots, shoe covers, rubber aprons, and protective eyewear, when using chemicals labeled "Flammable", "Corrosive", Caustic" or "Poisonous"

• Always use your chemical goggles and the face shield when handling chemicals labeled "Corrosive" or "Caustic"

• Do not use protective clothing or equipment that has split seams, pin holes, cuts, tears, or other visible signs of damage

• Each time you use your gloves, wash them, before removing the gloves, using cold tap water and normal hand washing motion; always wash your hands after removing the gloves.

• Only dispense a liquid labeled "Flammable" from its bulk container located in areas posted "Flammable Liquid Storage"

• Before pouring, dispensing or transferring any liquid from a bulk container labeled "Flammable", observe the following safety procedure:

1. Only use the red color-coded, plastic or metal containers for transferring the liquid.
2.  Electrically ground and bond the containers as follows:

• a) Attach the clip at one end of the grounding wire to the rim of the dispensing container and then attach the clip at the other end of the grounding wire to a ground source, such as a ground driven steel stake.

• b) Attach the clip at one end of the bonding wire to the rim of the dispensing container and then attach the clip at the other end of the bonding wire to the rim of the receiving container.

• c) You are now ready to dispense the liquid from the bulk container into the opened receiving container. Upon completion, replace the lid on the receiving container and remove the bonding wire.

• Before using the chemical exhaust hood, flip the fan motor switch to the "On" position

• Do not use chemicals from unlabeled containers or unmarked cylinders

• Do not perform "hot work", such as welding, metal grinding or other spark producing operations, within 50 feet of containers labeled "Flammable" or "Combustible"

• Do not drag containers labeled "Flammable"

• Use the rubber cradle when transporting unpackaged, glass bottles of chemicals

• Do not store chemical containers labeled "Oxidizer" with containers labeled "Corrosive" or "Caustic"

Fire Filling Portable Gas

• In incidents reported to NIOSH in the US, fires spontaneously ignited when workers or others attempted to fill portable gasoline containers (gas cans) in the backs of pickup trucks equipped with plastic bed liners or in cars with carpeted surfaces. Serious skin burns and other injuries resulted.

• These fires result from the buildup of static electricity. The insulating effect of the bed liner or carpet prevents the static charged generated by gasoline flowing into the container or other sources from grounding. The discharge of this buildup to the grounded gasoline dispenser nozzle may cause a spark and ignite the gasoline.

• Both ungrounded metal (most hazardous) and plastic gas containers have been involved in these incidents, a NIOSH Hazard ID said.

Recommendations for prevention
Construction workers and others in small businesses who often work withgasoline powered equipment commonly use portable gas containers. Homeowners usegas cans for their landmowers and other equipment.

• Avoid the hazardous practice of leaving the portable gas containers in trucks or cars when refueling

• Before filling, remove the containers from the vehicle and place them on the ground at a safe distance from the vehicle (provides path to dissipate static charge to ground)

• Touch the container with the gas dispenser nozzle before removing the container lid (provides another path to dissipate static charge to ground)

• Keep the nozzle in contact with the container inlet when filling (to dissipate static charge buildup from flow of gasoline)

Additionalprevention measures include:

• Manufacturers or retailers - place a hazard label on all plastic liners being sold warning workers not to fill portable gas containers in the bed liner of the truck but always to place the containers on the ground before filling

• Gas stations - display a warning notice near gas pumps to place all portable gas containers on the ground before filling

• Manufacturers - build bed liners that can be grounded to the metal truck, thereby dissipating potential electrostatic charge