There are a huge variety of chemicals being manufactured in the world today with varying degrees of toxicity. Europe stands as a front-runner in setting high standards of worker protection against health and safety risks at work, seeking to provide guidance in the safe handling of chemicals, which includes the recommendation that closed loop transfer systems should be implemented where possible. What is REACH? REACH is a European Union regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals. It came into force on 1st June 2007 and replaced a number of European Directives and Regulations with a single system. How is IPI Global involved? In Article 5 (2) of the CMD it is specifically mentioned that “where possible, a carcinogenic substance should be substituted with a less-hazardous alternative – otherwise carcinogens must, so far as is technically possible, be manufactured and used in a closed system to prevent exposure of workers”. (Directive 2004/37/EC – April 2004). With our high quality products from Schaefer Werke and Micro Matic, IPI can supply the closed system needed to provide the safe and controlled environment necessary to comply with this directive. We are proud to be a REACHReady approved supplier. Making legislation work for you It is vital the chemicals industry as a whole, from manufacturer through to downstream users, accept their responsibilities for the safety of their workforce and the environment. Minimising or even eliminating the risks of exposure should be compensation enough for the commitment and investment required to implement new systems. However, it is also possible to grow your business by marketing your improved safety standards and processes. Case Study Take for example the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) case study of Lansdowne Chemicals in Oxfordshire, UK: https://ipi-global.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cancer-case-study1.pdf The company invested heavily in an enclosed and automated system which incorporates Micro Matic valves and couplers. As well as the essential improvement in both worker and environmental safety, Lansdowne also found they could market the following benefits of their new system: The ability to offer customers bespoke dilutions. Just in time deliveries reduce the risk for customers having to store large amounts of hazardous substances. The closed system from Micro Matic allowed customers to extract Hydrazine Hydrate without having to rely on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE). The ‘bespoke’ containers supplied to customers cannot be tampered with or opened without a specialist tool. The risks of exposure are further reduced by containers being sent back to Lansdowne for re-filling, which also reduces waste. Being at the forefront of worker and environmental safety makes Lansdowne an attractive supplier. Complying with legislation is necessary and it comes with costs. Use all the marketing tools available to you, however, and you may find those costs pale to insignificance compared to your growing business. For more information on how IPI can help you with closed transfer systems, please contact us.