The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires you to control the hazards and risks in your warehouse. Many health hazards are hard to see, and the damage they cause can build up slowly over years.

In this module you will learn about:

• Hazardous substances, safety data sheets and hazard labels.
• Noise, vibration, asbestos and legionella.
• Display screen equipment, work-related stress and shift work.
• Personal protective equipment, and first aid.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations 2001, as amended, require you to prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances. In a warehouse these include:

• Substances handled at work, such as adhesives, battery acid, paints, pest control products and cleaning chemicals.
• Substances created by the work, such as vehicle fumes, and leaks from damaged containers.
• Dust, and asbestos in the fabric of older buildings.
• Biological agents, such as bacteria.

Exposure can cause asthma, dermatitis, chemical burns, loss of consciousness, infection and cancer. Lung disease and cancer often appear years after the exposure.

To control the risks from hazardous substances, you should:

• Keep an up-to-date inventory of the chemicals in the warehouse.
• Store chemicals in well-ventilated areas, away from heat and other work.
• Inspect containers regularly for damage and leaks.
• Make sure everyone knows where hazardous substances are kept, and reads the safety data sheets.
• Never decant chemicals into unlabelled or unsuitable containers.
• Never mix chemicals. Some cleaners, when mixed, release toxic chlorine gas.
• Provide health surveillance where it is needed, and suitable PPE such as gloves, goggles and respirators.

Under the EU REACH Regulation, suppliers of hazardous chemicals must provide a safety data sheet, or SDS. It is a standard document that explains the hazards and how to handle the product safely.

An SDS has sixteen sections. They include the product and supplier details, the hazards, the ingredients, first aid and fire-fighting measures, what to do after a spill, handling and storage, exposure controls and PPE, and disposal.

Use the SDS to inform your risk assessment. It does not replace it.

Warehouses often store and use chemicals, for cleaning or as part of their operations, and some are highly dangerous. Mixing the wrong ones can release toxic gases such as chlorine. The safety data sheet is your main source of information on each product, so it is worth knowing what to look for. It must be provided in English, although other languages may be added. It names the substance or mixture and gives the contact details of the supplier or manufacturer.

It sets out the hazards, including chemical reactions, and gives details of the ingredients, the stability of the product and how it reacts with other materials. It explains the health risks and the ways the substance can enter the body. It tells you what to do after an accidental spill or exposure, how to transport, store and dispose of the product safely, which PPE is required, and the emergency first aid and fire-fighting procedures. Use it to build your risk assessment, never instead of one.

The EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation, known as CLP, sets out how hazardous chemicals must be labelled and packaged. It applies to all chemicals supplied in Ireland.

A label gives a quick picture of the main hazards. It includes:

• The supplier’s name, address and phone number.
• The product name.
• Hazard pictograms, a signal word such as danger or warning, and hazard and precautionary statements.

Like the SDS, a label is not a substitute for a risk assessment.

Each pictogram is a red diamond with a black symbol:

• Acute toxicity, the skull and crossbones: toxic or fatal in small amounts.
• Health hazard, the exclamation mark: irritation, drowsiness or harm to the ozone layer.
• Serious health hazard: long-term harm, such as cancer, organ damage or asthma.
• Oxidising: can cause or intensify a fire. Keep apart from flammables.
• Flammable: catches fire easily.
• Explosive: may explode from fire, heat, shock or friction.
• Corrosive: causes severe burns and eye damage.
• Gas under pressure: may explode if heated, or cause cold burns.
• Hazardous to the environment: harms aquatic life.

Part 5 of the General Application Regulations 2007 requires employers to assess and control the risks from noise, and to inform and train employees.

The law sets three levels, averaged over an eight-hour working day:

• The lower action value is 80 dB(A). Information, training and hearing protection must be available.
• The upper action value is 85 dB(A). Noise must be reduced, and hearing protection worn.
• The exposure limit is 87 dB(A), allowing for hearing protection, and must never be exceeded.

Noise sources include conveyors, forklifts, automated systems, compactors, radios and refrigeration plant.

Noise-induced hearing loss builds up silently over years. It is permanent, and often comes with tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears. It also makes it harder to hear warnings, such as reversing vehicles or the fire alarm.

To reduce noise:

• Buy quieter equipment, and maintain it.
• Use screens, barriers and sound-absorbing materials.
• Move noisy work to separate areas, and rotate jobs.
• Provide hearing protection where other controls are not enough, without cutting out warning sounds.
• Provide health surveillance for people regularly exposed.

Noise-induced hearing loss is irreversible and can be severely disabling, but it develops so gradually that many people do not notice it until the damage is done. Common signs include tinnitus, a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears; trouble recognising or telling apart particular sounds; difficulty following conversations at work; and, most dangerously in a warehouse, failing to hear warning signals such as reversing alarms or the fire alarm.

Where noise is excessive, you must reduce it as far as is reasonably practicable. Alongside buying quieter tools and machines, you can fit vibration-damping materials to machines so they do not shake panels and floors, install acoustic screens and sound barriers, and separate noisy operations from general work areas. Train operators to use equipment quietly and efficiently, and rotate tasks to limit how long each person is exposed. Where hearing protection is needed, make sure it does not block out essential warning sounds, and provide health checks for people exposed to noise.

Part 5 of the General Application Regulations 2007 also requires you to assess and control the risks from vibration.

Sources include hand-held power tools, impact drills, nail guns, and vehicles driven over rough floors. Too much vibration can cause hand-arm vibration syndrome, vibration white finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, nerve and joint damage, and back problems from whole-body vibration.

To control it, keep exposure below the daily limits, choose low-vibration tools, train people to use them correctly, use jigs and supports to reduce grip, and keep vehicle suspension, tyres and floors in good condition.

Asbestos may be present in any building built or refurbished before 2000. When disturbed, its fibres can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006 require you to prevent exposure. You must:

• Find out whether asbestos is present. If you do not know, presume that it is.
• Have a survey carried out by a competent surveyor with a recognised asbestos surveying qualification.
• Keep an asbestos register of its location and condition, with a plan to manage it.
• Never disturb it. Only a specialist may remove asbestos.

Finding asbestos in a building does not always mean it must be removed. Once a competent surveyor has assessed the premises, they will recommend how to control the risk. In many cases, asbestos that is intact and in good condition can be clearly marked and monitored instead of being taken out, because removal itself can release fibres. The asbestos register, which records where asbestos is found and what condition it is in, must be kept up to date and reviewed regularly, so that anyone planning maintenance knows exactly where it is.

The controls recommended by the surveyor must be maintained by qualified people. Day to day, the rules are simple. Do not let anything damage areas known to contain asbestos, such as vehicles striking walls or racking being fixed into old boards. Never disturb materials whose content is unknown: confirm what they are before any drilling, cutting or fixing begins. And never attempt removal yourself, because only specialists may handle it.

Legionella bacteria live in water systems, and cause illness when breathed in as fine droplets. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Biological Agents) Regulations 2013 require you to assess and control the risk.

Risk areas include hot and cold water systems, water storage tanks, air conditioning, and cooling towers. Get competent advice, and:

• Keep a written scheme for controlling the risk.
• Store hot water at 60°C or above, and circulate it at 50°C or above.
• Keep cold water cool, and insulate tanks and pipes.
• Avoid water standing still for long periods.
• Clean, disinfect and test systems regularly.

Under Part 2 of the General Application Regulations 2007, employers must assess the risks to people who use display screen equipment, or DSE, regularly, such as staff in the warehouse office.

Poorly set-up screens, keyboards, chairs and desks can cause back, neck and arm problems, and stress. Good set-up means:

• The screen at arm’s length, free of glare, with its top level with the eyes.
• The keyboard and mouse within easy reach.
• An adjustable chair with lower back support.
• Regular short breaks or changes of activity.

Under the 2005 Act, risk assessment must include psychosocial hazards, such as work-related stress. In Ireland, stress, depression and anxiety are among the main work-related illnesses.

Stress leads to illness, absence, staff turnover and mistakes that affect safety. Six areas are commonly identified: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change.

• Set realistic picking targets, matched to each worker.
• Make sure everyone understands their role, and has support.
• Encourage people to speak up, and hold regular one-to-ones.
• Explain changes openly, and give constructive feedback.

Each of the six commonly identified sources of work-related stress has a practical meaning in a warehouse. Demands cover the workload, hours, deadlines and working environment. Relationships are about the quality of contact with colleagues and the absence of conflict or bullying. Control is the say people have over how they do their work. Support means encouragement, feedback and the right tools. Role clarity means everyone understands what is expected of them.

And change is about how changes are communicated and managed. To reduce stress, define each job clearly and make sure people have the support they need. Balance workloads, because too little work can cause boredom and frustration just as too much causes pressure. Set achievable picking targets tailored to each worker. Encourage open communication, for example through monthly one-to-one meetings. Give regular, positive feedback and recognise good performance. And support a healthy work-life balance by encouraging rest breaks and full use of annual leave.

Shift work and long hours cause fatigue, which increases the risk of accidents. Good practice when organising shifts includes:

• Letting workers choose between permanent and rotating shifts where possible.
• Avoiding permanent night shifts and very early starts.
• Rotating shifts forwards, every few days or weeks.
• Avoiding day shifts over twelve hours, and night shifts over eight hours.
• Limiting runs of consecutive shifts, and allowing two full nights’ sleep when moving from days to nights.
• Allowing time for handovers, and controlling overtime.
• Encouraging staff to take their full breaks and annual leave.

PPE is the last line of defence, used when other controls cannot remove the risk. Under the General Application Regulations 2007, you must provide suitable PPE free of charge, and make sure it is worn and looked after. Warehouses commonly need:

• Hi-vis clothing around vehicles.
• Safety footwear with slip-resistant soles and protective toecaps.
• Gloves against cuts and vibration.
• Eye and hearing protection.
• Hard hats where objects may fall.

• PPE must fit the wearer. Poorly fitting PPE does not protect, and can catch in machinery.
• It must be worn whenever it is needed, even for short tasks. Managers should set an example.
• Users must be trained in how to wear, check, clean and store it.
• A competent person should inspect PPE regularly, and it should be stored somewhere clean and dry.
• Workers must know who to report damaged or lost PPE to.
• PPE must be designed and made to legal standards, and carry the CE mark.

Under Part 7 of the General Application Regulations 2007, you must provide first aid equipment, facilities and trained people, so that anyone injured or taken ill at work gets immediate help. You should have:

• Well-stocked first aid kits, restocked after use and checked regularly.
• A person to take charge of first aid arrangements.
• Trained first aiders, with regular refresher training.
• Clear information for staff on who the first aiders are and where the equipment is.
• A record of every accident and injury.

First aid cover must be available whenever people are at work.