Chemical safety

Chemical safety includes all <a href="/facts/Safety/jyH5HLSg">safety</a> policies, procedures and practices designed to minimize the risk of exposure to potentially hazardous <a href="/facts/Chemical_substance/EWcXU41d">chemicals</a>. This includes the risks of exposure to persons handling the chemicals, to the surrounding environment, and to the communities and ecosystems within that environment. Manufactured chemicals, either pure or in mixtures, solutions and emulsions, are ubiquitous in modern society, at industrial, occupational and private scale. However, there are chemicals that should not mix or get in contact with others, as they can produce byproducts that may be <a href="/facts/Toxic/qa96rs60">toxic</a>, <a href="/facts/Carcinogenic/soH8Y9CE">carcinogenic</a>, <a href="/facts/Explosive/sUme5Pp8">explosive</a> etc., or can be dangerous in themselves. To avoid disasters and mishaps, maintaining safety is paramount.
Chemical safety refers to safety issues surrounding the use, production, transport and handling of chemicals at large or small manufacturing facilities, <a href="/facts/Laboratory/kqR3Vtx9">laboratories</a>, non-chemical sites that use manufactured chemicals for their business, or homes during everyday activities. While there is some overlap, it is different from <a href="/facts/Process_safety/yYDXSoAg">process safety</a>, which is concerned with more than just hazardous chemicals (extending for example to refined and unrefined <a href="/facts/Hydrocarbon/Dcg95Ju5">hydrocarbons</a>). Process safety is specific to industrial <a href="/facts/Process_manufacturing/avJnNA5S">process plants</a>, and focuses primarily on major accidents rather than both immediate and long-term effects (such as chemical <a href="/facts/Carcinogen/soH8Y9CE">carcinogenity</a>).
The hazardous nature of many chemicals may be increased when mixed with other chemicals, heated or handled inappropriately. In a chemically safe environment, users are able to take appropriate actions in case of accidents, although many incidents of exposure to chemical hazards occur outside controlled environments such as manufacturing plants or laboratories.
It is estimated that 1.6 million human deaths occur each year from contact with hazardous chemicals and that in 2016, 45 million disability-adjusted life-years were lost, a significant increase from 2012.

Chemical safety open-in-new

Chemical safety