It can be assumed that using environmentally friendly products are the sound way to go in so far as protecting your workforce from hazardous chemicals.
However, it is not necessarily the case that products which are essentially safe for the environment are safe and non hazardous for human beings.
It is still very much a necessity to complete a CoSHH risk assessment for all eco/environmentally friendly products. Natural, after all, does not equate to non-toxic.
Indeed, an example of a potentially hazardous environmentally friendly product is the reusable shopping bag which could be dangerous for our health. A micro-biological study in America of earth friendly shopping bags discovered that although these bags are better for the environment than plastic bags, they may be a source of an alarming amount of bacteria, yeast and mould which could make us ill.
The possible dangers of reusable bags include food poising, provoking asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and ear infections.
Adversely, plastic carrier bags may be bad for the environment, but they are actually much more hygienic than reusable ones. This is very much down to the fact that reusable carrier bags are used repeatedly.
The biggest cause of bacteria can come from leaks into the bags from produce bought in supermarkets, and then this bacteria being spread, inadvertently, by staff who are transferring bacteria from one reusable bag to another.
Some companies, do actually claim to produce eco friendly products, but actually they do not. Body care products do not have the same specifications for what is considered 'organic' like food does. There are a small number of differing rules and regulations that manufacturers look at when considering a product to be classed as 'organic', but on the whole, few follow these.
Eco friendly baby care products are containing more and more dangerous chemicals. Chemicals containing BHA, tricolsan and parabens, are not only to the atmosphere but to humans aswell.
Terms such as 'natural' and 'eco friendly' on a product should not qualify them as being safe unless they are supported by specific ingredient information such as 'solvent free', 'no petroleum based ingredients' etc.
It is imperative then, that in order to comply with CoSHH regulations, a CoSHH assessment must be undertaken for all cleaning products regardless of any claims associated with the product that relate to being 'eco/environmentally friendly' or 'organic'.
In order to protect the health and safety of workers, a CoSHH assessment will help identify any potential hazards when using chemicals. In order to prevent ill health, it is a legal requirement that employers control exposure to dangerous substances within their working environment.
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