Current software in hazardous substance management
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Hazardous substance management software, such as our Gefahrstoff-Profi, is used to record, approve and assign hazardous substances. The results are legally compliant risk assessments, up-to-date hazardous substance registers / hazardous substance directories and, of course, the easily updated local operating instructions. But what if the software for updating is no longer up to date?
Or in other words: Why do you have to update your hazardous substances software? In this article, I will go into a few important key points that change over time. Time does not stand still for occupational safety and its requirements.
Legal adjustments
In addition to adjustments to technical progress (German article), there are also other legal adjustments that can affect the handling of one’s own hazardous substances.
Adjustments are regularly made to classifications and thus to the way you can recognise and compare hazards. For example, self-igniting gases are referred to with the comparatively new H232: “May ignite spontaneously if exposed to air.” [1] In evaluations of flammable and explosive substances, such a change is very important and must be taken into account through software updates.
Sometimes requirements are also changed by local lawmakers, as in the case of the German Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz) [2]. Since 2018, the risk assessment according to MuSchG is required for every activity. This, of course, also affects hazardous substance risk assessments in particular.
Changes to legally specified limit values
Due to technical progress, the requirements for limit values are also becoming increasingly stringent. In addition, over time, related substances may also receive limit values. This, for instance, influences the direct comparison for substitution testing. Here, too, adjustments in the risk assessment and effects on the work with the substance may be necessary. One example is through modified protective measures.
Using the data from the software in hazardous substance management
Hazardous substance software can also assign information without it obviously having been contained in the safety data sheet or other sources. Whether it is the determination of substances of the German Major Accidents Ordinance (Störfall-Verordnung), the determination of storage classes according to TRGS 510 or maybe the calculation of hydrocarbon limits. Perhaps you simply want to find all hazardous substances with CMR substances or examine your hazardous substance lists for substances subject to authorisation – many of these functions have comparison lists, calculations and display conditions in the background, which are derived directly or indirectly from a mixture of legal requirements and the need for clarity. Regular updates from our side are also necessary for this, so that the known functions continue to display the correct results in the future.
Another advantage of regular software updates is the possibility to clearly display risk assessments / operating instructions / etc. that need to be changed due to the mentioned updates.
Software updates not only for features
To summarise – pretty much every function and query in a hazardous substances software depends on the current occupational safety requirements. These can only work properly if the software is also kept up to date.