Classifying Correctly and Applying the Appropriate Controls 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Understand your obligations, duties & compliance requirements under the ever-changing HSNO Act

• Determine your organisation’s test certification requirements and deadlines for compliance

• Gain best practice advice and information on the various control regulations

• Develop your organisation’s strategies for compliance

* Bring along your Material Safety Data Sheets to review your hazardous substances with the course instructor.

Is your organisation up to speed with the recent changes to the HSNO Act and regulations?

The HSNO Act and Regulations set out to manage Hazardous Substances by managing their intrinsic hazardous properties. An acceptable level of risk was to be achieved by imposing controls on their use - in other words applying risk management to the intrinsic hazardous properties.

During the policy development of HSNO it was decided to apply science and engineering principles when developing the controls. It was further decided that the controls should be performance based and measurable. Thus an understanding of the science underlying the HSNO controls will clarify what is required and allow innovative ways of applying the required controls, while maintaining a safe work environment.

The performance based controls were intended to provide industry with considerable flexibility on how to implement the controls, while achieving a safe working environment. Many of the prescriptive controls were inflexible, prevented innovation and imposed unnecessary compliance cost.

An interactive course, these two days provide a rare opportunity for those involved in the technical implementation of HSNO to extend their knowledge of Hazardous Substances and method to control adverse effects as well as the implementation of HSNO controls and conditions. You will come away from the course with a greater clarity and understanding of how HSNO interfaces with a number of other pieces on legislation and how it relates to the GHS, UN Recommendations on the transport of DG and systems used in North America and Europe.

8 GREAT REASONS TO ATTEND

1. Develop and work through the strategies to achieve industry compliance with the HSNO Act

2. Clarify how, when and why you can be responsible and liable at each stage of the hazardous substance’s life cycle.

3. Mitigate the costs and risks involved in non-compliance and fully appreciate the extent to which this can affect your business.

4. Understand how a better understanding of HSNO compliance issues can assist you in developing a cost-effective and well rounded strategy to achieving compliance.

5. Be aware of the penalties, defences, exemptions and fully appreciate the extent to which this can affect your business.

6. Determine your responsibilities under the HSNO Act for your site.

7. Be informed about the latest updates, changes and how your business must comply.

8. Maximise your learning experience with hands-on practical exercises and expert advice from the course facilitator. 

Day One

Examining the Science Underlying the HSNO Controls

By understanding how the hazardous properties manifest themselves will allow more effective measures to be implemented for their management.

• Properties of explosives

• Properties of flammable gases

• Properties of Flammable solids

• Properties of Oxidisers

• Properties of Organic peroxides

• Properties of Toxic substances

• Properties of Corrosives Substances and Irritants

• Properties of Ecotoxic substances

Performance Regulations

• Descriptive performance

• Measurable performance

• Advantages and Disadvantages

The Classification and Controls Matrixes

• Relationship to the Globally Harmonised System (GHS)

• Relationship to the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and transport legislation

• Relationship with other North American and European legislation

• Relationship with other NZ legislation (Health and Safety in Employment, Resource Management, Agricultural Chemicals and Veterinary Medicines, etc)

• Default Controls and Group Standard’s Conditions

Day Two

Hazardous Atmosphere Zone

• ASNZ 2430 Classification of hazardous areas - Examples of area classification - easy but over protective

• ASNZ 60079.10 Classifications of Hazardous Areas, more difficult but specific relevant solutions. Requires more knowledge of the hazardous properties

Approved Handlers are Required to Demonstrate Knowledge of:

• The hazard classifications of those hazardous substances of which they are an approved handler for

• The adverse effects that could be caused by each of those substances

• The controls that are imposed under the Act in respect of those substances

• The precautions required to prevent injury to a person or damage to the environment by any of those substances

• The procedures to adopt in an emergency involving those substances

• The operating equipment (including protective clothing and equipment) necessary to manage those hazardous substances for which they are to be an approved handler for

Hazardous Substance Locations Requirements

• Establishment of a Hazardous Atmosphere Zone

• Choosing a management method

Offences and Defences

• Strict liability

• Liability of Managers and Directors

• Compliance Orders

• Infringement Fees

Approved Codes of Practice

• Status as a statutory defence

• Relationship to Health and Safety in Employment

Practical Methods for Implementing the Performance Controls

Discussion and Q & A Session : Recent Changes from ERMA