Industry guidance

Boat building

Building boats can require the use of a variety of hazardous substances that must be safely managed. You need to know about the substances you’re using and how to protect your health and the heath of your staff.

Collision repair workshops

Collision repair workshops store and use significant quantities of hazardous substances. You need to know about the substances you’re using and how to protect your health and the heath of your staff.

Agrichemical retailers

We have produced a series of information sheets for rural supply retailers on the essentials of managing, handling and storing agrichemicals.

Dry cleaning

Dry-cleaners store and handle a range of chemicals, many of which are hazardous; some may be flammable, others are toxic or corrosive.

Embalming products

Embalmers need to be aware of the dangers of the products they use and understand the safe handling and storage practices.

Metal finishing

Hazardous substances are part of everyday life in metal finishing businesses. They can be dangerous to your health when they’re not used correctly.

Printing

A number of different types of processes are used in the printing industry, with each process using a range of hazardous substances depending on the operation involved.

Retail hardware

Retail hardware stores will store and handle significant quantities of hazardous substances. Careful management of these substances is important in order to protect people and the environment.

Service stations

Service stations store and dispense large amounts of hazardous substances, especially flammable substances such as petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

Timber treatment

Timber treatment plants store and handle significant quantities of hazardous substances. Careful management of these substances is important to protect people and the environment.

Transit depots

Transit depots include ports, airports, freight forwarders' yards and rail depots. They can hold and handle large quantities of a wide range of substances and careful management is needed.

Paint, printing inks and resins

Manufacturing paints and inks can have long-term effects on the health of people working in the industry. Precautions need to be taken with the range of solvents and chemical additives used in the manufacture of paints, printing inks and resins.

Photoengraving and lithographic processes

Photoengraving and lithography often involves using corrosive fluids such as nitric acids, and it is important that appropriate training and safety equipment is provided for anyone working with these materials.

Electroplating

Electroplating and related processes like anodising use hazardous chemicals. Safely managing these chemicals, along with the risk from working with electricity, are vital for preventing accidents and long-term health problems.

Containers – inspection and unpacking

Harmful substances in transported goods, or chemicals used to fumigate containers can make workers inspecting or unpacking those containers sick. Care must be taken when workers inspect or unpack containers that may contain harmful substances.

Laboratories

The Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations apply to laboratories. However, those involved in research and development, teaching and analytical testing have a different set of requirements to laboratories not involved in these areas.

Transport

The Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Act 2015 (HSWA) defers to the labelling and packaging rules set by the relevant transport agency.

Motorsport fuel

If you organise or manage motorsport events, you need to know how to manage the risks of motorsport fuel to protect the health and safety of competitors, racing car support personnel, event officials, marshals and spectators who handle motorsport fuel, or may be exposed to its vapours or fumes.