Chemicals are present in almost every sector, from fertiliser stores and water treatment works to hospital laboratories, breweries and manufacturing lines. When they are handled well, they are invisible; when they are not, the consequences include burns, poisonings, fires, explosions, environmental damage and lengthy regulatory action. Many serious events trace back not to a single dramatic error but to gaps in everyday management: unreviewed changes, outdated inventories, untrained temporary staff and poor communication of hazards.

This programme gives supervisors and safety professionals a structured approach to controlling chemical and process risk. Participants first learn how to identify and classify hazards, read safety data sheets critically and apply the hierarchy of controls to storage, handling, transfer and disposal. They then focus on laboratories, covering design, working practices, waste, emergency equipment and training. The process safety segment introduces the core elements of a management system, including hazard studies such as HAZOP, operating procedures, permits to work, management of change, contractor control and emergency planning.

Teaching is practical, using inspection exercises, case studies of industrial incidents and drafting tasks. Participants finish with checklists, a risk register and an improvement plan prepared for their own site.

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Classify chemical hazards and interpret GHS labels and safety data sheets.
• Carry out a chemical risk assessment and select controls using the hierarchy of controls.
• Specify safe storage, segregation, transfer and waste handling arrangements.
• Organise a laboratory safety programme covering procedures, equipment and training.
• Prepare spill, fire and exposure emergency responses and run drills.
• Explain the main elements of process safety management and how they interact.
• Facilitate a basic HAZOP or what-if review of a process or procedure.
• Apply management of change and incident investigation to prevent repeat events.

The course is relevant to people who manage, supervise or audit hazardous work, including:

• Health, safety and environment officers and managers
• Laboratory managers, technicians and quality control staff
• Plant, production and maintenance supervisors
• Process and chemical engineers
• Warehouse and stores managers handling hazardous goods
• Water and wastewater treatment operators
• Safety committee members and fire wardens
• Public health, university and hospital laboratory heads
• Contractor and facilities managers on industrial sites

Participants leave the course with:

• A chemical inventory and risk assessment template for their workplace.
• A storage compatibility chart and inspection checklist.
• A laboratory safety audit form that can be used straight away.
• An emergency response outline for spills, fires and exposures.
• A simple management of change form and incident investigation guide.
• A site improvement plan ranked by risk.

This course is designed for people who work with real hazards, so the teaching stays close to the workplace. Delegates take part in:

• Facilitated walk-through inspections using photographs and floor plans
• Analysis of industrial and laboratory incident reports
• Hands-on label, SDS and compatibility exercises
• Group HAZOP practice with guidance words and node sheets
• Emergency drill planning and review

A CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion from Vision Reach Global Consultancy is awarded to participants who attend all sessions and complete the inspection and risk assessment exercises. It records training and does not replace site-specific competence checks or statutory licences.