Working Safely with Solvents

Course Description:

Solvents are substances that are used by millions of workers every day in every type of workplace for cleaning, bonding, or extraction purposes or to improve the performance of other substances. This course focuses on the hazards of organic solvents and best practices to work with them safely. “Organic” means they are a group of solvents that contain carbon molecules. Non-carbon-based solvents, like acids or bases and metal elements used to make alloys, are not covered in this presentation.

This course is for all employees who work with or around solvents.

Why “Working Safely with Solvents” Matters:

At the completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Recognize the basic characteristics of organic solvents
• Identify the hazards of solvents and where to get safety and health information about them
• Recall necessary safety precautions and safe work practices for working with solvents
• Describe measures that can be used to prevent solvent-related fires, contamination, injury, and illness
• Recall effective response actions for emergencies involving solvents

Key Points:

• Solvents are useful materials but can also be hazardous to your health and may cause fires, explosions, and contamination.
• You need to understand the health and safety hazards of the solvents you work with.
• Follow safe practices for storing, dispensing, handling, and working with solvents, as well as for disposing of waste solvents.