• What law applies
• What is foundry work?
• Foundry health hazards and solutions
  
  • Heat
  • Hazardous substances and dangerous goods
  • Gases, vapours, dust and fumes
  • Manual tasks
  • Noise and vibration
  • Molten metal
  • Plant, machinery and electricity

Foundry Industry Code of Practice 2004

• Noise
• Risk management
• Safety switches
• Working near exposed live parts

	Print-friendly page
	Print full Foundry Code of Practice (PDF, 425 kB)

Hazardous substances and dangerous goods

Hazardous substances
Dangerous goods

Hazardous substances

Hazardous substances are widely used in foundries. Exposure to hazardous substances like formaldehyde and amines can have a damaging effect on the health of foundry workers if they are not properly protected.

Hazardous substances can enter the body through inhalation, skin contact or by mouth.

Ways to help protect workers from exposure to hazardous substances include using:

• physical processes like ultra-sound, rather than chemical processes, to clean an object
• ready-cut and sized form material to avoid dust production from cutting material on site
• less hazardous substances, forms or processes, for example using a granular form instead of powder
• a separate restricted access room for the mixing and use of epoxy resins in pattern making
• exclusion zones around work areas to restrict access
• local exhaust ventilation to remove contaminated air directly from the source
• shift or work rotation, safe storage and disposal of hazardous substances, strict personal hygiene practices, proper washing facilities and regular maintenance of ventilation and exhaust systems
• personal protective equipment where exposure to hazardous substances cannot be prevented or reduced by any other way.

Read more about the main hazardous substances used in foundries in appendix 1 of the Foundry Industry Code of Practice 2004 (PDF, 425kB).

To find out more about protecting yourself and others, check:

• Hazardous substances section of the Foundry Industry Code of Practice 2004 (PDF, 425kB).
• Hazardous Substances Advisory Standard 2003 (now known as a Code of Practice).

Dangerous goods

Dangerous goods that are not stored and handled properly have the potential to cause fire, explosion, corrosion, radioactivity, toxicity, asphyxiation or environmental harm.

The safe management of dangerous goods involves:

• identification of dangerous goods and site classification
• provision of information, training and supervision
• control of ignition sources where flammable atmospheres may exist
• segregation of incompatible goods
• separation of dangerous goods from 'protected places'
• spills management
• provision of safety equipment and personal protective equipment
• use of documented safety management systems.

For example, to avoid the possibility of an explosion or the emission of toxic flammable or corrosive gases:

• store two incompatible goods at least 3m apart
• where the goods could react violently, store them at least 5m apart or
• use fire rated, vapour proof, task-specific physical barriers

Refer to appendix 2 of the Foundry Industry Code of Practice 2004 (PDF, 425kB), for examples of stated dangerous goods or combustible liquids used in foundry operations.

Foundry occupiers need to check the Foundry Industry Code of Practice 2004 for:

• examples, refer for appendix 2 of the Foundry Industry Code of Practice 2004 (PDF, 425kB) of dangerous goods or combustible liquids used in foundry operations
• their obligations for the storage and handling, refer to dangerous goods section of the Foundry Industry Code of Practice 2004, of dangerous goods and combustible liquids.