In Germany, the requirement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act to carry out a risk assessment for hazardous substances is implemented in the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances (GefStoffV). Activity-specific health risks due to inhalation and skin contact as well as the risk of fire and explosion have to be assessed. All these risks are initially assessed independently.
According to the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances, hazardous substances include all chemical substances or mixtures at the workplace that can endanger the health and safety of workers. They are not always labelled with a hazard label and pictograms; for example, water can become a hazardous substance when working in wet conditions. However, hazardous substances can also be generated or released, e.g. soldering and welding fumes, pyrolysis products, exhaust gases, hazardous substances from chemical reactions and decomposition processes or hazardous substances during recycling activities which are not always known.
For further detailed information please refer to our German Website.