The health of individuals, especially those who

are constantly being exposed to hazardous

chemicals during their working life have to be
protected by the management.

It is mandatory, under the USECHH 2000, for

any workplace to conduct Chemical Health Risk
Assessment (CHRA), in order to ensure a proper
chemical safety management in the work
operations.

CHEMICAL LEGISLATION IN MALAYSIA

PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT
 Use and Standards of Exposure of Chemicals
Hazardous to Health-USECHH Regulation 2000, To enable decisions to be made on:
the sixth set of Regulations, enacted under the  Suitable control measures;
OSHA 1994 ( ACT 514 ).
 Worker training needs;
 The purpose of this Regulation is to provide a  Monitoring; and
legal framework for the employer to control all the
 Health surveillance needs;
hazardous chemicals at the workplace with
respect to their use, storage and disposal, so as
to protect the health of those affected employees that are required to protect the health of workers
handling them. who are exposed to chemicals hazardous to
 The assessment has to be conducted by a health at the workplace
qualified Assessor registered by DOSH, Malaysia.

1
 CONCEPT OF ASSESSMENT
OBJECTIVES
Assessing the risk of a group of workers (work
 Identify the hazards posed by each chemical unit) with similar risks at the workplace should
hazardous to health use within the workplace; include the following considerations:
 Evaluate the degree of exposure of workers to the
chemicals hazardous to health, either through  Identity and form of chemical being
inhalation, dermal or ingestion; used/released at the workplace
 Evaluate the adequacy of existing control measures;  Health hazards
 Recommend further appropriate control measures  Method and level of exposure
and prioritise actions to be taken to prevent or reduce  Existing control measures and their
risks. effectiveness

CONCEPT OF WORK UNIT

CONCEPT OF ASSESSMENT
Should fulfill 2 basic criteria:
• Identify chemical hazards
• Assess the level of exposure Similar work task
• Assess the adequacy of existing control • Workers in the unit are doing similar tasks
• Potential for same type of exposure
measures
• Summarise risk significance
Same/chemical
• Recommend suitable/additional control • Workers in the unit are exposed to same
measures necessary chemicals hazardous to health
• Potential for same chemical exposure

2
CONCEPT OF HAZARD CONCEPT OF EXPOSURE
HAZARD is the potential of a chemical to Exposure is when there is contact with a
cause injury or harm to health chemical, whether through inhalation,
ingestion, contact with eyes/skin, either for
Example: Natrium cyanide is hazardous as a a short or long duration
small quantity is capable of causing death
Example: a quarry worker is exposed to silica
Example: Nitric acid is hazardous as it is capable dust via inhalation as he is constantly inhaling
of destroying parts of the body upon contact stone dust

CONCEPT OF RISK RISK EQUATION

Probability of injury or harm to health due Risk = How x Severity x Quantity
to use of chemicals hazardous to health
• HOW refers to the route of entry of the
Risk of a person contracting silicosis is high if he chemical into the body
is constantly exposed to stone dust containing
high percentage of silica, and for long durations, •SEVERITY refers to the toxicity of the
without using proper respiratory protection chemical

•QUANTITY refers to the quantity of the

chemical entering/in contact with the body

RISK = HAZARD X EXPOSURE

3
 CONTENT OF ASSESSMENT
RISK EQUATION: 5 SCALE VALUE
Regulation 9(2): An assessment should take into
consideration:

1) Potential risks
2) Method and steps of chemical usage
3) Health hazard criteria
4) Level of exposure
5) Risk to health
6) Control measures
7) Control measures for accidental release
8) Necessity for worker exposure monitoring
9) Necessity for health surveillance
10) Necessity for worker training and retraining

1) POTENTIAL RISK 2) METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR USE /

HANDLING OF CHEMICALS
Situation where there is a possibility of a worker
falling ill or sustaining injury from the normal use, • Method of handling
handling, storing, transporting or disposal, or •Manual or Automatic?
accidental/abnormal release of the chemical • Type of process
• Closed or Open?
Example: chemical sprays, clouds of dust, bad • Work Procedures
work practices, worker complaints of • Standard Operating Procedure
symptoms/diseases • Safe Operating Procedure

4
 3) HEALTH HAZARD CRITERIA HAZARD CLASSIFICATION
HR HEALTH EFFECTS HAZARD CATEGORY
• Physical form 5 LOCAL: INJURY TO THE SKIN, EYES, OR MUCOUS *VERY TOXIC CHEMICALS:-
MEMBRANES OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY TO THREATEN LD50<25 MG/KG (ORAL)
LIFE BY SINGLE EXPOSURE. LD50<50 MG/KG (SKIN)
•Chemical used/produced? . LC50<0.5 MG/LIT RE

KNOWN HUMAN CARCINOGENS. MUTAGENS OR *CATEGORY 1

•Toxicity data T ERAT OGENS CARCINOGEN. MUTAGEN AND
TERATOGEN
4 LOCAL: INJURY TO THE SKIN, EYES, OR MUCOUS CORROSIVE (R35 CAUSES
MEMBRANES OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY TO CAUSE SEVERE BURN)
• Effect on health PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT. DISFIGUREMENT OR *T OXIC CHEMICALS:-
IRREVERSIBLE CHANGE FROM SINGLE OR REPEATED
• Acute EXPOSURE.
LD50: 25-200 MG/KG (ORAL)
LD50: 50-400 MG/KG (SKIN)
SYST EMIC: VERY SERIOUS PHYSICAL OR HEALTH
• Chronic IMPAIRMENT BY REPEATED OR PROLONGED EXPOSURE. LC50:0.5-2 MG/LITRE
PROBABLE HUMAN CARCINOGENS, MUTAGENS OR *CAT EGORY 2
TERATOGENS BASED ON ANIMAL STUDIES. CARCINOGEN. MUTAGEN AND
T ERAT OGEN

HAZARD CLASSIFICATION 4) LEVEL OF EXPOSURE

HR HEALT H EFFECT S HAZARD CAT EGORY
•Route of Entry
3 LOCAL: SERIOUS DAMAGE TO SKIN, EYE OR MUCOUS *CORROSIVE (R34: CAUSE
MEMBRANES FROM SINGLE OR REPEATED OR BURN) • Inhalation, skin absorption or ingestion
PROLONGED EXPOSURE *RESPIRAT ORY SENSITISERS
*IRRITANT -SERIUOS EYE
SYST EMIC: SEVERE EFFECT S AFTER REPEAT ED OR
PROLONGED EXPOSURE
DAMAGE
*HARMFUL CHEMICALS:- •Quantitative Assessment: Evaluation of actual
LD50: 200-500 MG/KG (ORAL) personal workplace exposure to chemical using accredited
LD50: 400-2000 MG/KG (SKIN)
LC50:2-20 MG/LIT RE
numerical and mathematical analysis
• Sampling of airborne contaminants
POSSIBLE HUMAN OR ANIMAL CARCINOGENS OR *CATEGORY 3 CARTINOGEN
MUTAGENS, BUT FOR WHICH DATA IS INADEQUAT E AND MUTAGEN
2 LOCAL: REVERSIBLE EFFECTS TO THE SKIN, EYE OR
MUCOUS MEMBRANES NOT SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE
*SKIN SENSITISERS
* IRRITANT CHEMICAL
• Qualitative Assessment: Evaluation of potential
SERIOUS HEALT H IMPAIRMENT personal exposure to workplace chemicals based on
SYST EMIC: CHANGES READILY REVERSIBLE ONCE
personal experience and professional judgment
EXPOSURE CEASES • Job ob servation
1 NO KNOWN ADVERSE HEALT H EFFECTS NOT CLASSIFIED AS • Measurement of frequency, duration and intensity of
HAZARDOUS exposure

5
WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT
 Frequency Rating (FR): usually used for assessing chemicals  Duration Rating (DR): assessing chronic or routine exposure
with acute effects.
RAT ING T OTAL DURAT ION OF EXPOSURE*

Rating Description Definition % WORK HOUR DURAT ION PER 8-HR SHIFT OR PER 40-HR WEEK

5 Frequent P otential exposure one or more times per shift or per day 5 >87.5% > 7 HRS/SHIFT OR > 35 HRS/WEEK

4 50-87.5% 4 TO 7 HRS/SHIFT OR 20 TO 35 HRS/WEEK

4 P robable Exposure greater than one time per week
3 25-50% 2 T O 4 HRS/SHIFT OR 10 TO 20 HRS/WEEK
3 Occasional Exposure greater than one time per month
2 12.5-25% 1 TO 2 HRS/SHIFT OR 5 TO 10 HRS/WEEK
2 Remote Exposure greater than one time per year
1 <12.5% <1 HR / 8 HRS/SHIFT OR < 5 HRS/WEEK

1 Improbable Exposure less than one per year

WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT

 Degree of Chemical Absorbance and Contact
 Degree of Chemical Release or Presence
DEGREE SAMPLE OBSERVATIONS
DEGREE SAMPLE OBSERVATIONS LOW Low breathing rate (light work).
LOW Low or little release into air. No contamination of skin or eyes.
No contamination of air, clothing and work surfaces with
chemicals capable of skin absorption or causing irritation or
corrosion MODERATE Moderate breathing rate (moderate work).
MODERATE Moderate release such as solvents with medium drying time, Source close to breathing zone.
detectable odor.
Evidence of contamination of air, clothing and work surfaces with
chemicals capable of skin absorption or causing irritation or
corrosion. HIGH High breathing rate (heavy work).
Source within breathing zone.
HIGH Gross contamination of air, clothing and work surfaces with
chemicals capable of skin absorption or causing irritation or Skin damaged.
corrosion

6
WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT
 Magnitude Rating (MR)
 Exposure Rating (ER)
DEGREE OF DEGREE OF MAGNITUDE
RELEASE CONTACT / RATING (MR)
ABSORPTION MR 1 2 3 4 5
DR/FR
LOW LOW 1
MODERATE 2 1 1 2 2 2 3
HIGH 3
2 2 2 3 3 4
MODERATE LOW 2
MODERATE 3 3 2 3 3 4 4
HIGH 4 4 2 3 4 4 5
HIGH LOW 3
MODERATE 4 5 3 4 4 5 5
HIGH 5

WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT 6) CONTROL MEASURES

 Risk Rating (RR)
( HR  ER) •Existing control measures
RR =
EXPOSURE RAT ING (ER)
RISK NOT •Adequacy of existing control measures
1 2 3 4 5 SIGNIFICANT •Suitability
1 1 2 2 2 3 RISK • Use and Effectiveness
HAZARD RATING (HR)

SIGNIFICANT
2 2 2 3 3 4 CATEGORY 1 • Maintenance
3 2 3 3 4 4 RISK
SIGNIFICANT • Additional suggestions / recommendations
4 2 3 4 4 5 CATEGORY 2

5 3 4 4 5 5

7
7) MEASURES FOR ACCIDENTA L EXPOSURE 8)NECESSITY OF WORKER MONITORING
PROGRAMME
• Probability of accidental exposure?
•Spillage • Why necessary?
• Leakage • What chemical, and in what form, should be
• Accident monitored?
• Who should be monitored?
• Control measures • Frequency of monitoring?
• Emergency Response Plan (ERP) • Which sampling and analysis methods should
be adopted?

9) NECESSITY FOR HEALTH SURVEILLANCE 10) NECESSITY FOR WORKER TRAINING

AND RETRAINING
•Why necessary?
•Exposure to what? • Who should be trained?
• Who should be examined?
• Who should conduct surveillance? •What type of training is necessary?
• Requirements for health surveillance? •Induction
• Specific / specialised
• Refresher

•Frequency of training?

•Contents of training?