Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00417:body:0:p5
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00417
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 10489–13543

eliminated or minimised so far as is reasonably practicable.

For example, if you engage a contractor to carry out abrasive blasting activities at your workplace, then you should find out what blasting medium and what work processes are being used, any associated hazards and how the risks will be controlled. This may include jointly conducting a risk assessment for the work and determining the control measures to implement. After the risk assessment has been conducted, it is important for all duty holders to cooperate and coordinate activities with each other to implement the control measures.
Further guidance on consultation is available in the Code of Practice: Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination.

2.  THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS

    2.1 Identifying the hazards

The first step in managing risks associated with abrasive blasting activities is to identify all
the hazards that have the potential to cause harm.

Potential hazards may be identified in a number of different ways including:

    * conducting a walk through assessment of the workplace
    * observing the work and talking to workers about how work is carried out
    * inspecting the plant and equipment that will be used during the abrasive blasting activity
    * reading product labels, safety data sheets and manufacturer's instruction manuals
    * talking to manufacturers, suppliers, industry associations and health and safety specialists
    * reviewing incident reports.
Examples of abrasive blasting hazards include:

    * airborne contaminants such as dust
    * hazardous chemicals, particulate matter, for example small particles or pieces of the substrate or blasting medium
    * noise
    * abrasive blasting plant and equipment.

Exposure standards
Regulation 49: A person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that no person at the workplace is exposed to a substance or mixture in an airborne concentration that exceeds the exposure standard for the substance or mixture.
Exposure standards represent airborne concentrations of a particular substance or mixture that must not be exceeded. There are three types of exposure standard:

    * 8-hour time-weighted average
    * peak limitation
    * short term exposure limit.
Exposure standards are based on the airborne concentrations of individual substances that, according to current knowledge, should not cause adverse health effects nor cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers.
Chemicals with workplace exposure standards are listed in the Workplace Exposure Standards
for Airborne Contaminants. These exposure standards are also available from the Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS) on the Safe Work Australia website. The HSIS database contains additional information and guidance for many substances. Although exposure standards may also be listed in Section 8 of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS), you should always check the Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants or HSIS to be certain.
If the blasting medium or the surface