The Principles Of Green Chemistry – Twelfth Principle: Inherently Safer Chemistry For Accident Prevention

Minimizing the potential for chemical accidents—including releases, explosions, and fires—starts with choosing inherently safer substances and forms within chemical processes. This proactive approach is a clear call to anticipate and mitigate risks before they occur, making safety the paramount concern in chemical manufacturing.

Chemical accidents often lead to the release of toxic substances, presenting primary or secondary hazards for safety managers and cleanup crews. Adopting greener products and lower-risk alternatives is crucial for breaking this “accident chain” and preventing complex, multi-hazard scenarios. Beyond ecological benefits, prioritizing safer chemicals significantly improves worker health and safety by reducing the estimated 190,000 illnesses and 50,000 deaths caused annually by chemical exposure in the U.S. Utilizing resources like OSHA’s toolkit can initiate safer chemical practices, leading to reduced costs, easier regulatory compliance, and safer outcomes across the entire spectrum of chemical safety.