This brochure explains the most relevant aspects when handling hazardous substances. Using hazardous chemical agents can lead to risks to the safety and health of workers, such as irritation, poisoning, and burns. Long-term effects, emanating, for example, by carcinogenic agents, can cause occupational diseases. Furthermore, chemical agents with physical hazards have the potential to cause accidents like fire and explosion. Chemical agents with hazards for the environment can constitute risks for aquatic life and the ozone layer.

In this context it is very important to implement risk assessment as a key element of occupational health and safety in every company. The brochure is addressed, in particular, to trained first-line supervisors or “foreworkers” in small and medium-sized enterprises and other persons who have to instruct employees on this topic and raise awareness about health hazards when in contact with chemicals.