Hazardous Substances

Hazardous substances are solids, liquids, or gases that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment. They are often subject to chemical regulations. Hazardous substances include materials that are radioactive, flammable, explosive or corrosive, oxidizers or asphyxiants, biohazardous, toxic, pathogen or allergen substances and organisms. Also included are physical conditions such as compressed gases and liquids or hot materials, including all goods containing such materials or chemicals, or may have other characteristics that render them hazardous in specific circumstances.

Mitigating the risks associated with hazardous substances may require the application of safety precautions during their transport, use, storage and disposal. Most countries regulate hazardous substances by law, and they are subject to several international treaties as well.

Persons who handle hazardous substances will often wear protective equipment, and metropolitan fire departments often have a response team specifically trained to deal with accidents and spills. Persons who may come into contact with hazardous substances as part of their work are also often subject to monitoring or health surveillance to ensure that their exposure does not exceed occupational exposure limits.

Laws and regulations on the use and handling of hazardous substances may differ depending on the activity and status of the material. For example, one set of requirements may apply to their use in the workplace while a different set of requirements may apply to spill response, sale for consumer use, or transportation. Most countries regulate some aspect of hazardous materials.

Hazardous substances are divided into classes on the basis of the specific chemical characteristics producing the risk.

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