HAZARD and CONTROL BANDING

Let’s “BAND” together

Hazard banding is a method for quickly identifying physical properties, hazard classes,
and toxicological information of chemicals found in the workplace.
It categorizes every substance according to its toxicological potency and the effect exposure to it has on human health.

Historical Note: Hazard banding was first used in the pharmaceutical industry to assess the risk of exposure to therapeutic drugs, and agree on a consistent system of control measures for safe dosages for drugs within the same occupational exposure bands.

The use of hazard banding increases the effectiveness of R.A.C.E.

R.A.C.E.

R.A.C.E. is the step-by-step process used by organizations to make workplaces safer based on our knowledge of similar substances.

R.A.C.E. has been adopted by organizations to maximize employees’ overall health and safety, not just with regards to chemicals.
It consists of the following actions:

1. Recognizing the Hazard
2. Assessing the Risk
3. Controlling the Hazard
4. Evaluating the Controls

Diagram illustrating the steps in the Recognize, Assess, Control and Evaluate process

Some chemicals have already been categorized through other methods and have an established occupational exposure limit, but most have not been assessed this thoroughly. Health and safety representatives, along with employers and workers, are required to manage hazardous substances in their daily jobs, grouping each hazard into a risk category requiring appropriate control measures, sometimes with little information.

Categorizing a chemical into a hazard band means considering factors like measures of toxicity, exposure potential, the type and duration of the work being performed and physical characteristics of the chemical.

When a chemical has been put into a hazard band, and its risk evaluated, adequate control measures can be implemented. These measures can include better ventilation, personal protective equipment, containment, safe handling precautions, replacement with a safer alternative, etc.

For greater effectiveness, hazard banding tools are used alongside the R.A.C.E. protocol.

Following are corresponding hazard banding information sources for each step of R.A.C.E.:

Recognize the Hazard

Hazard Banding source: Chemical Hazard Assessment and Prioritization
(CHAP) Tool

Assess the Risk

Hazard Banding source: CHAP-Risk Tool

All Hazards: HazardAssess

Indoor Air Quality: AirAssess

Control the Hazard

Hazard Banding source:
COSHH Essentials e-Tool

Evaluate the Controls

Investigate if the action plan is implemented.

Investigate if the controls working as intended.

Investigate if the risk is lower:
re-apply a risk matrix or the CHAP-Risk tool.

Occupational Exposures

Some hazard banding products result in an occupational exposure band.
Examples of these include:

COSHH Essentials e-Tool
The COSHH Essentials e-Tool only requires a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and is easy-to-use.

NIOSH Occupational Exposure Banding e-Tool
This tool has three tiers, which allows for complex analysis using physical and toxicological properties.

Occupational exposure banding is just one type of hazard banding, applied when controlling the hazard.

Occupational exposure bands can only be applied to chemicals that do not have Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs).
Exposure limits for workplaces are available both provincially and federally.

Legislation in Canada recognizes the “precautionary principle,” meaning that “Employers must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker (Ontario OHSA S. 25(2)(h) in provincially regulated workplaces,” and ”Employers must ensure that the health and safety at work of every person employed by the employer is protected (Canada Labour Code Part II, S. 124) in federally regulated workplaces. OHCOW strongly recommends workplaces exceed the minimum legislated OELs to ensure an optimal level of workplace protection.