Educational guidance on how workplace induction and safety instruction generally work — connected to workplace safety, occupations, industries, employment documents and company types. Informational only — not certified training, not an official qualification and not a substitute for mandatory workplace instruction; employers remain responsible for required training, competence and authorisation.
What this instruction covers
This page outlines, in general educational terms, the safety information around substances hazardous to health — what they are, how they enter the body, how exposure is assessed and controlled, and the role of health surveillance.
It is awareness material, not a substitute for the employer’s assessment of the actual substances and the task-specific instruction on how to work safely with them.
The hazards & exposure routes
- Harm from substances entering the body by breathing in, swallowing, skin contact or injection.
- Effects ranging from immediate irritation to long-term diseases of the lungs, skin and other organs.
- Dusts (such as silica and wood dust), fumes, vapours, mists, gases and biological agents.
- Effects that may only appear years after exposure, making early control essential.
Who this is for
- Workers exposed to substances hazardous to health in their tasks.
- Those in cutting, grinding, spraying, cleaning, healthcare and many other roles.
- Supervisors who assess exposure and oversee controls.
- New starters before instruction on the substances in their work.
The safe system of work
- Prevent exposure where possible by removing, substituting or enclosing the substance or process.
- Where exposure remains, control it with engineering measures such as extraction before relying on PPE.
- Follow the safe method, use the controls correctly and keep exposure as low as reasonably practicable.
- Use respiratory and other PPE only as a final control, properly selected and worn.
Required PPE & controls
- Local exhaust ventilation and other engineering controls maintained in good order.
- Respiratory protective equipment, suitable and fit-tested where it is tight-fitting.
- Gloves, clothing and eye protection specified by the assessment.
- Good hygiene, washing and changing facilities to prevent spread and ingestion.
Pre-task checks
- Confirm the assessment for the substance and the task is understood.
- Check that controls such as extraction are switched on and working.
- Check PPE is the right type, in good condition and, where needed, fit-tested.
- Do not start if the controls are not working or the assessment is missing.
Assessment, monitoring & health surveillance
- The employer assesses exposure to hazardous substances and sets the controls needed to prevent harm.
- Where required, exposure is monitored and controls such as extraction are examined and tested.
- Where the law requires it for certain substances, health surveillance is provided to detect early signs of harm.
- These arrangements are the employer’s — set by competent people and not provided by this page.
What you are and are not authorised to do
- Work with hazardous substances only as instructed and with the controls in place.
- Do not bypass or switch off extraction or other controls.
- Do not carry out tasks that release hazardous substances without the assessment and controls.
- Some work needs specific training and authorisation set by the employer, not by this page.
Exposure, incidents & reporting
- On overexposure or contamination, move to clean air, follow the first-aid guidance and get help.
- Stop work if controls fail or an uncontrolled release occurs, and raise the alarm.
- Take part in health surveillance where it is provided, and report symptoms early.
- Report exposures, control failures and near misses through the site’s reporting route.
Training & competence
Where substances hazardous to health are used, employers are generally expected to assess the risk and provide task-specific instruction, information and training on the substances, the controls and the precautions — based on the assessment and the safety data.
Instruction such as this page is information, not competence. Reading it does not make anyone competent to work safely with a specific substance; that comes from instruction reflecting the actual substances and the employer’s assessment.
Documentation
- The assessment, safety data sheets and the controls for each hazardous substance.
- Examination, testing and monitoring records for controls and exposure.
- Health surveillance records where the law requires them, and training records.
- A record documents what was provided; it is not, by itself, proof of competence.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Working with a hazardous substance without the assessment and controls.
- Switching off or working around extraction and other engineering controls.
- Relying on PPE alone when better controls are available.
- Ignoring early symptoms or skipping health surveillance where it is provided.
Who is responsible
The employer is responsible for assessing exposure, preventing or controlling it, maintaining and testing controls, providing health surveillance where required, giving instruction and keeping records. This page is an educational outline only.
It does not deliver training, satisfy any legal requirement, or transfer the employer’s responsibility for protecting health.
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