Hazardous substances used in the extractives industry include:
- explosives and detonators
- compressed gases
- petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
You must manage risks to health and safety associated with using, handling, manufacturing or storing a hazardous substance or group of substances with the same hazardous properties at your workplace. You must eliminate risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable. If you cannot eliminate a risk, you must minimise it so far as is reasonably practicable.
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5.1 How hazardous substances are classified
Hazardous substances are classified based on the hazards they pose to people and the environment due to their hazardous properties. This helps determine how to manage the risks they cause. Each new hazardous substance imported into New Zealand or manufactured in New Zealand must be approved by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and classified.
Hazardous substances may have one or more the following properties:
- explosive – hazard class 1
- flammable – hazard classes 2, 3 and 4
- oxidising – hazard class 5
- toxic – hazard class 6
- corrosive – hazard class 8
- toxic to the environment (ecotoxic) – hazard class 9.
5.2 Control measures for managing hazardous substances
Follow the control measures that apply for a substance’s classification or classifications to manage the risks is poses.
The control measures vary depending on the risk of the hazardous substance, its hazardous properties, how much of it there is and how it is used.
The best way to know which control measures you have to follow is by creating an inventory listing what hazardous substances you have and in what quantities. Enter these details into the Hazardous Substances Calculator which will list the key control measures that apply to your substances. You can find the calculator Hazardous Substances(external link)
More information
For more information on managing hazardous substances see Your practical guide(external link)
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