7-5. Specialized Training and Qualification Requirements for Chemical Handlers

Safe handling of chemical substances requires specialized education and the acquisition of appropriate qualifications. Chemical substances not only have a direct impact on the health and safety of workers, but they can also pose a risk to companies through environmental pollution and legal violations. Therefore, companies must not only meet legal requirements but also thoroughly manage the education and qualifications of handlers from a risk management perspective.

1. Importance of Specialized Education

Workers who handle chemical substances are required to acquire basic chemical knowledge as well as skills in risk assessment, reading SDS (Safety Data Sheets), proper storage methods, and emergency response in the event of a leak. Training becomes more effective when it is combined with practical exercises and case studies rather than just classroom learning. Especially in workplaces that handle new chemical substances or mixtures, regular refresher training enables the updating of knowledge and the maintenance of safety awareness.

2. Required Qualifications

In Japan, based on the Industrial Safety and Health Act and other laws and regulations concerning chemical substance management, certain tasks require a national qualification or a course completion certificate. Representative examples include Poisonous and Deleterious Substance Handler, High-Pressure Gas Production and Safety Manager, Chief of Operations for Organic Solvents, and Chief of Operations for Specified Chemical Substances and Tetraalkyl Lead. These qualifications serve not only to ensure legal compliance but also to secure personnel with the specialized knowledge to protect on-site safety.

3. Key Points for Building an Educational Program

To build an effective educational system, it is important to: (1) quickly reflect legal revisions and the latest chemical substance regulations, (2) customize the training to the risks of each workplace, and (3) incorporate tests and exercises to check comprehension. Additionally, introducing e-learning and simulated experience training using VR can increase employees' motivation to learn and enable efficient knowledge retention.

4. Company Initiatives

Companies need to support individual handlers in acquiring qualifications while also strengthening the overall organizational education system. Considering the balanced placement of qualified personnel and securing backup staff are directly linked to business continuity. Furthermore, systematizing education history and qualification management can streamline responses to audits and legal compliance.

Summary

Establishing specialized education and qualification requirements for chemical substance handlers forms the foundation of a safety culture and contributes to enhancing a company's trustworthiness. By combining the latest educational methods with qualification management, it is important to achieve both the prevention of occupational accidents and compliance with regulations.