IN SECTION: MEMBER PROFILE

By Stephen Murdoch (Construction North - The Official Magazine of the Northeastern Ontario Construction Association 2019 Issue)

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A wide range of substances can be hazardous to human health and our environment. For those that have to handle these hazardous materials and dangerous goods, training is of the utmost importance. This is where Green Lights Environmental Solutions comes in. The Sudbury-based company ensures the processes and procedures you need to continue operating without interruption.

Look up safety data sheets within 15 seconds from your phone, tablet, laptop or desk top computer.

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Safety Data Sheet Management at your fingertips

Owner and president of Green Lights Environmental Solutions, Michael Moellenkamp, has seen an upswing in the number of Northern Ontario companies using his services. "Many people these days are calling themselves regulatory specialists, dangerous goods experts, or health and safety experts. The dangerous goods and hazardous materials field is a detailed, comprehensive topic requiring hands-on experience and a strong technical understanding of topics directly related to the industries we serve. Companies come to us because they know we provide custom safety training specific to the chemicals used at their sites," he said.

Chemical Safety Compressed Gas

Most work environments use one or more hazardous materials and these materials can cause serious bodily harm. "There are massive ramifications for not taking hazardous materials seriously. Companies need to be committed to safety and put in the time. Understanding how to avoid incidents and how to properly store, handle and clean up spills of chemicals and hazardous materials is a must. The human and financial toll of improper handling, storage and disposal could be severe," Moellenkamp explained.

Chemical Storage Safety

In December 2018, amendments were made to the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and a number of Northern Ontario construction companies are unaware. "The changes to the federal WHMIS-related law has changed and has aligned with globally-harmonized and recognized system. All chemicals and hazardous materials at each site require a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Our company can manage them for companies with first aid available within 15 seconds from their phone, computer or tablet."

To help companies better understand changing safety regulations, Green Lights Environmental launched an online safety data sheet management system. "Our online portal, MySDS.ca, is one of the best tools to keep employees safe. We are specialized in providing safety data sheet management library services in compliance with the environmental health and safety standards in North America," he went on to say.

The MySDS.ca portal searches for various Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and obtains the latest safety information directly from the manufacturers and distributors. "Once we secure the up-to-date information, we upload to the client's personal account. To ensure that our clients always have the latest revision, we also provide maintenance services as well as updating entire SDS databases as an ongoing service. The tool allows your employees to concentrate on what they do best and allow our portal to manage the safety data sheets and keep your company in compliance with WHMIS 2015 GHS."

For construction companies that are limited by time, Green Light Environmental Solutions provides online training services. "Our team provides instructor led online e-learning. Employees that enroll in the online training program will be trained to clean up incidental spills. They will also learn how to keep the workplace safer, minimize slip and fall incidents and quickly recognize spill hazards that may be beyond the scope of their training," Moellenkamp said.

With over 40 years of combined experience, Moellenkamp and his team can help construction companies with their compliance needs. "We provide a manual to the key stakeholders that is based on the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. The manual is customized to your specific company's needs. We can also provide you with the necessary requirements to maintain compliance within the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario. By working together, we can prevent work-related illness and injury."

For Northern Ontario construction companies wanting to learn more about the safe handling and storage of hazardous materials and government regulations, Moellenkamp encourages them to do their homework. "Look for a company that has the best tools to keep your employees safe. There is no cookie-cutter approach to handling hazardous materials. Chemical safety at the job site is just as important as the materials required for the project. Everyone has the right to go home safe and we help companies to achieve that," he concluded.

Learn more about Green Lights Environmental at www.greenlightsinc.ca.

Visit MySDS at https://www.mysds.ca/ and request a Free Trial - No credit card required.

https://www.constructionnorth-digital.com/sbca/annual_2019/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1508590#articleId1508590

All industries need to manage their chemicals. Industrial - Mining - Construction - Manufacturing - Retail - Commercial - Educational

Safety Data Sheet Management - North America Wide.

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