Hazardous Chemicals
Construction workers are regularly exposed to hazardous chemicals including silica dust, asbestos, solvents, and cement. This section covers Safety Data Sheets (SDS), the Globally Harmonised System (GHS) for chemical labelling, storage requirements, atmospheric monitoring, health surveillance, and the specific controls for high-risk substances like asbestos.
Study Guide: Hazardous Chemicals
Review these sample questions before starting the practice test.
Q1: What does GHS stand for in relation to chemical labelling?
- A. General Hazard Standards
- B. Guidelines for Hazardous Substances
- C. Government Health and Safety
- D. Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals β
GHS (Globally Harmonised System) is the international system for classifying hazardous chemicals and providing consistent labelling and safety data sheets.
Q2: What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
- A. An insurance document for chemicals
- B. A list of chemical prices
- C. A chemical purchase order
- D. A document that provides detailed information about a hazardous chemical including its properties, hazards, safe use, storage, and emergency procedures β
An SDS (formerly MSDS) is a 16-section document providing comprehensive information about a hazardous chemical, required by the WHS Regulations for all hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
Q3: How many sections does a GHS-compliant Safety Data Sheet contain?
- A. 8 sections
- B. 12 sections
- C. 16 sections β
- D. 20 sections
A GHS-compliant SDS contains 16 sections covering identification, hazards, composition, first aid, fire-fighting, accidental release, handling, exposure controls, physical properties, stability, toxicology, ecology, disposal, transport, regulation, and other information.
Q4: What information must be on a GHS chemical label?
- A. Only the product name
- B. Just a skull and crossbones symbol
- C. Only the pictogram
- D. Product identifier, signal word, hazard pictograms, hazard statements, precautionary statements, and supplier details β
A GHS label must include the product identifier, signal word (Danger or Warning), hazard pictograms, hazard statements, precautionary statements, and supplier identification.
Q5: What are the two GHS signal words used on chemical labels?
- A. Safe and Unsafe
- B. Toxic and Non-toxic
- C. Danger (more severe) and Warning (less severe) β
- D. Red and Yellow
"Danger" is used for more severe hazard categories and "Warning" for less severe categories. The signal word immediately conveys the relative severity of the chemical hazard.
Q6: A chemical container on site has no label. What should you do?
- A. Use it anyway if you think you know what it is
- B. Smell it to identify the contents
- C. Do not use it β report it to the supervisor for proper identification and labelling β
- D. Pour it out and reuse the container
Unlabelled chemicals must never be used. Report the container to the supervisor for proper identification. Using an unknown chemical creates serious health, fire, and environmental risks.
Q7: Where must Safety Data Sheets be kept on a construction site?
- A. In the supervisor's locked office only
- B. They do not need to be kept on site
- C. Only in the first aid kit
- D. At a location readily accessible to all workers who may be exposed to the hazardous chemicals β
SDS documents must be readily accessible to all workers who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals. This allows workers to check hazard information, first aid measures, and PPE requirements.
Q8: The GHS pictogram showing a skull and crossbones indicates:
- A. A pirate area
- B. The chemical is corrosive
- C. The chemical is flammable
- D. Acute toxicity β the chemical can cause serious illness or death from short-term exposure β
The skull and crossbones pictogram indicates acute toxicity. The chemical can cause serious illness or death through oral, dermal, or inhalation exposure, even in small quantities.
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