ADOSH-SF Code of Practice 1.0 - Hazardous Materials

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Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and
Health System Framework
(ADOSH-SF)
Code of Practice
CoP 1.0 - Hazardous Materials
Version 4.0
July 2024

ADOSH-SF – Codes of Practice
CoP 1.0 – Hazardous Materials - Version 4.0 – 15th July 2024 Page 2 of 14
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Training and Competency .......................................................................................................................... 4
3. Requirements ................................................................................................................................................. 6
3.1. Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................................. 6
3.2. Employees Safety and Health ........................................................................................................ 10
3.3. Emergency Management and Notifications .............................................................................. 11
4. Document Amendment Record .............................................................................................................. 13

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1. Introduction
(a) This Code of Practice (CoP) applies to all concerned entities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
that import, store, transport, sell, or use hazardous materials.
(b) The purpose of this CoP is to reduce associated risks to the safety and health of
employees, and the community.
(c) This CoP is not a substitute for any other laws or regulations mandated by the Federal
Government or the Government of Abu Dhabi, or advisory guidance established by
other Abu Dhabi government authorities. It is the responsibility of the Employers to
ensure that this document is read and applied in conjunction with applicable laws,
regulations and guidance relevant to the entity. If requirements of this document
conflict with requirements set by another regulatory authority, employees are
required to follow the more stringent requirement.
(d) This CoP does not apply to radioactive sources (Class 7 of the United Nations Model
Regulations, which are not included in Federal Law No. 24 of 1999). Of the materials
classified as explosives (Class 1 in Regulations of the Federal Law No. 24 of 1999 and
the UN Model Regulations), this CoP shall only apply to chemical substances that have
explosive properties but are also used for other applications (e.g. ammonium nitrate
as fertilizer).

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2. Training and Competency
(a) Employers shall ensure that OSH training complies with the requirements of:
(i)
ADOSH-SF – Element 5 – Training, Awareness and Competency;
(ii)
ADOSH-SF – Mechanism 7– Occupational Safety and Health Practitioner and
Service Provider Registration.
(b) Employers shall train all employees on the general awareness/familiarization of
hazardous materials prior to starting work.
(c) Employers that import, store, transport, sell, or use hazardous materials shall train all
employees and contractors that package, handle, store, or transport hazardous
materials to a level that is commensurate with their responsibilities. At a minimum,
training shall include:
(i) use of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) (previously known as Material Safety Data
Sheets, MSDS) and/or profile sheets;
(ii) required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when handling hazardous
materials;
(iii) properties of and risks associated with hazardous materials;
(iv) storage, handling and decanting requirements;
(v) appropriate disposal requirements;
(vi) actions to take to prevent accidental exposures or releases of hazardous
materials;
(vii) incompatible materials and segregation requirements;
(viii) appropriate labeling of hazardous materials and hazardous waste;
(ix) meaning of signs and placards;
(x) specialized training for specific hazardous material management requirements
applicable to the responsibilities of their position; and
(xi) control measures to take if there is an incident involving hazardous materials.
(d) Employers that transport hazardous materials shall train employees transporting
hazardous materials on the following:
(i) all training listed in Section 2(c);
(ii) safe driving techniques;
(iii) correct loading and unloading techniques;
(iv) correct techniques for securing loads;
(v) actions to take in the event of an incident;
(vi) actions to take if there is a release/spill of hazardous materials during transport;
(vii) any applicable journey management, reporting and logbook requirements; and
(viii) any transport pathways pre-assigned by the authorities.

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(e) Employers involved in classifying, labeling, packaging, preparation of transport
documents for hazardous materials, offering or accepting hazardous materials for
transport, carrying or handling hazardous materials in transport, marking / placarding
/ loading / unloading of hazardous materials into or from transport vehicles / bulk
packaging / freight containers or are otherwise directly involved in the transport and
handling of hazardous materials shall train contractors and employees on the
following:
(i) all training listed in Section 2(c);
(ii) requirements for labeling, marking, and placarding;
(iii) hazard classification criteria;
(iv) purpose and requirements for transport documentation; and
(v) use of emergency management documents.
(f) Employers shall at a minimum train their managers and supervisors on the following
elements of security awareness:
(i) nature and recognition of security risks;
(ii) control measures to reduce identified security risks;
(iii) actions to be taken in the event of security breaches; and
(iv) notification systems to alert management about new security risks.
(g) Training shall take into account literacy levels and be held in an appropriate language
for the employees.

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3. Requirements
3.1. Roles and Responsibilities
3.1.1. All Employers that Handle Hazardous Materials
(a) Employers that handle hazardous materials shall perform a risk assessment in
accordance with
ADOSH-SF – Element 2 – Risk Management. The assessment shall
cover all activities, products and services to identify all hazardous materials that are
present, stored or being handled at the worksite and the risks associated with them.
(b) Employers shall familiarize themselves with the requirements of all Federal and Abu
Dhabi Emirate laws and regulations applicable to the hazardous materials they handle,
including but not limited to:
(i)
Federal Law No. (24) of 1999 concerning Protection and Development of the
Environment;
(ii) Federal Regulations for Handling Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Wastes and
Medical Wastes, issued by Cabinet Decree No. 37 of 2001;
(iii) Relevant procedures and guidelines issued by the authorities in charge of
hazardous materials management in Abu Dhabi;
(iv) current editions of international model regulations / codes of practice ratified by
the United Arab Emirate and came into force;
(v) current editions of international model regulations prescribed by applicable
federal or local laws and regulations or by federal or local Competent Authorities;
(vi) requirements of relevant Competent Authorities and/or SRA’s as identified
through codes of practice, guidelines, permit conditions, notices, information
bulletins and inspection and audit reports; and
(vii) Safety Data Sheets issued by manufacturers of hazardous materials.
(c) Employers shall familiarise themselves with the lists of hazardous materials that are
b do not import, produce, store, export or otherwise handle any banned materials;
(i) do not import, produce, store, export or otherwise handle any banned materials;
(ii) obtain any import permits / approvals required by the relevant Competent
Authorities before proceeding to import any restricted materials; and
(iii) comply in the handling of each restricted material with the corresponding special
requirements and conditions set by the relevant Competent Authorities.
Note: For information on lists of banned and restricted hazardous materials and their relevant
Competent Authorities, visit www.hazmat.ae
(d) Employers shall ensure they have the permits, licenses, approvals, and other
necessary documentation required by the relevant Competent Authorities and/or
SRA’s to undertake their activities.
(e) Employers shall appoint competent persons to oversee the storage, use and disposal
of hazardous materials within the workplace.

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(f) Employers shall implement all reasonably practicable control measures to reduce the
harmful effects of hazardous materials on human health by preventing and/or
minimizing emissions, exposure and hazardous waste generation at source.
(g) Employers shall conduct routine inspections of hazardous materials in storage / use
and replace expired or damaged materials. Expired or damaged materials shall be
handled in accordance with applicable Federal and Local regulations. Unclear or
damaged labels shall be replaced.
(h) Employers shall ensure that expired and waste chemicals and hazardous materials are
disposed of through methods or contractors that are approved / permitted by the
authorities in charge of regulating waste management in Abu Dhabi, as
per ADOSH-SF
– CoP – 54.0 – Waste Management.
(i) Employers shall implement appropriate programs for protecting safety and health of
employees working with or near hazardous materials.
(j) Employers shall develop an emergency response plan for incidents involving
hazardous materials. Refer to Section 3.3.
3.1.2. Manufacturers of Hazardous Materials
(a) Manufacturers of hazardous materials shall assess and classify materials by reference
to applicable international model regulations (e.g. Globally Harmonized System of
Classification And Labelling of Chemicals), laboratory analysis, expert judgment,
and/or weight of evidence to determine if materials create a:
(i) physical hazard;
(ii) health hazard;
(iii) biological hazard; or
(iv) other hazard.
(b) Manufacturers of hazardous materials shall:
(i) use the data obtained during the classification process to create a Safety Data
Sheet (SDS) in accordance with applicable international model regulations;
(ii) provide a copy of the SDS with any shipment of the hazardous material offsite;
(iii) as far as reasonably practicable, make an electronic copy of the SDS available to
end users;
(iv) maintain appropriate inventory records;
(v) review and update the SDS on an annual basis; and
(vi) ensure all individual containers or bulk packaging of hazardous materials are
labelled as required by applicable federal and local laws and regulations and / or
applicable international model regulations.

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3.1.3. Importers and Distributors of Hazardous Materials
(a) To the extent required by applicable federal and local laws and regulations and /or
concerned federal or local Competent Authorities and / or SRA’s, Importers and
Distributors of hazardous materials:
(i) shall not import any restricted material unless in possession of required import
permit(s) / approval(s);
(ii) shall not store, transport, dispense, sell, or dispose of any hazardous material
unless it is appropriately packaged and labelled and accompanied by a SDS or
equivalent;
(iii) shall maintain appropriate inventory records; and
(iv) shall inform manufacturer’s or suppliers of hazardous materials of local relevant
requirements.
3.1.4. Transporters of Hazardous Materials
(a) For each mode of transport in use, transporters must comply in the receipt, handling,
packaging, labelling, documentation, transport and delivery of hazardous materials
shipments with the requirements stipulated by:
(i) applicable Federal and Local laws and regulations;
(ii) current editions of international model regulations / codes of practice ratified by
the United Arab Emirate and came into force;
(iii) current editions of international model regulations prescribed by applicable
federal or local laws and regulations or by federal or local Competent Authorities;
(iv) requirements of relevant Competent Authorities and/or SRA’s as identified
through codes of practice, guidelines, permit conditions, notices, information
bulletins and inspection and audit reports;
(v) Safety Data Sheets issued by manufacturers of hazardous materials; and
(vi) any special instructions for handling any specified hazardous materials.
(b) To the extent required by the applicable laws and regulations and / or relevant
Competent Authorities and / or SRA’s, transporters shall ensure that hazardous
materials are transported:
(i) in compatible and appropriately labelled containers, packages, vehicles or tankers;
(ii) in appropriate packages or containers that are secured (blocked and braced) in the
vehicle to prevent damage during transportation;
(iii) using vehicles constructed to an approved specification;
(iv) using vehicles equipped with appropriate fire extinguishers, flash lights and/ or
other emergency management equipment and information;
(v) using vehicles that are appropriately maintained and in good condition;
(vi) using vehicles equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices;
(vii) using appropriately permitted vehicles;

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(viii) using a manifest based journey management system to document transport and
delivery operations;
(ix) by qualified drivers / persons;
(x) with appropriate security escort; and
(xi) through roads pre-assigned for this purpose within the Abu Dhabi Emirate.
(c) Transporters shall develop an Emergency Response Plan for incidents during
transportation of hazardous materials. Refer Section 3.3.
3.1.5. Entities Using or Storing Hazardous Materials
(a) Employers that mix hazardous materials or produce hazardous waste shall:
(i) assess and classify the material / waste as described in clause 3.1.2(a);
(ii) use the data obtained during the classification process to create a profile sheet
equivalent to an SDS. However, this document shall be identified as a “Mixed
Material Profile” or a “Waste Material Profile” and not as a SDS;
(iii) provide a copy of the “Mixed Material Profile” or “Waste Material Profile” with any
shipment of hazardous material / waste offsite;
(iv) as far as reasonably practicable, make an electronic copy of the “Mixed Material
Profile” or “Waste Material Profile” available to end users / handlers;
(v) review and update the “Mixed Material Profile” or “Waste Material Profile” on an
annual basis;
(vi) maintain appropriate inventory records; and
(vii) ensure all individual containers and bulk packaging of hazardous materials /
wastes are labelled as required by applicable federal and local laws and
regulations and / or applicable international model regulations.
(b) When not in operational use, all hazardous materials shall be stored in an appropriate
storage facility, ensuring appropriate compatibility risk assessments have been
undertaken.
(c) Hazardous wastes shall be identified, handled / stored on site, pre-treated,
transported off site, and disposed of according to any guidelines issued by the Centre
for Waste Management – Abu Dhabi:
(d) Prior to storing hazardous material / waste, storage facilities shall comply with
location, construction and design with requirements, specifications, guidelines and
approval / permitting requirements of applicable laws and regulations and / or relevant
Competent Authorities and / or SRA’s; including at a minimum:
(i) Federal Regulations for Handling Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Wastes and
Medical Wastes, issued by Cabinet Decree No. 37 of 2001;
(ii) Guidelines issued by the concerned authorities in Abu Dhabi regarding the storage
of chemical and hazardous materials;
(iii) Requirements of the authorities in charge of regulating the handling of materials,
products and wastes related to the petroleum industry; and

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(iv) requirements of the civil defence (including latest edition of the
UAE Fire and Life
Safety Code).
(e) Employers using hazardous materials, generating hazardous waste, and / or storing
hazardous materials or waste shall have a hazardous materials / waste management
system that includes, at a minimum:
(i) a schematic / plan of any store showing locations of the hazardous materials /
waste stored, locations of emergency and fire-fighting equipment, and access and
escape routes;
(ii) appropriate storage compatibility risk assessments undertaken;
(iii) limitations on quantities of the materials / wastes stored;
(iv) storage conditions / procedures to be implemented;
(v) an updated and accurate inventory of the materials / wastes stored, including the
following:
1. name of the hazardous material / waste;
2. manufacturer of the hazardous material;
3. location of the hazardous material / waste;
4. quantity of the hazardous material / waste onsite (can be an average); and
5. if applicable, expiration date of the hazardous material.
(vi) copies of current SDS’s / profile sheets for all hazardous materials / wastes stored,
such that the SDS / profile sheets are available:
1. in hardcopy or electronic copy for access by employees and emergency
responders; and
2. in language/s understood by the workforce.
(vii) an emergency response plan for any store of hazardous materials / wastes (see
3.3).
3.2. Employees Safety and Health
(a) Employers shall ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that employees and other
persons are not exposed to the occupational safety and health and safety risks from
hazardous materials.
(b) Employer shall implement the occupational safety and health hierarchy of Controls
when developing and implementing hazardous material control measures, as per
OSHAD-SF – Element 2 – Risk Management.
(c) Employees in areas where hazardous materials are being used or stored must be
protected through effective programs for:
(i) prevention of overexposure to hazardous substances - refer
ADOSH-SF –
Occupational Standards and Guideline Values;

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(ii) personal protection – refer ADOSH-SF – CoP 2.0 – Personal Protective Equipment;
(iii) First aid and medical facilities – refer ADOSH-SF – CoP 4.0 – First Aid and Medical
Emergency Treatment;
(iv) vaccination or prophylaxis; and
(v) medical surveillance – refer ADOSH-SF – CoP 5.0 – Occupational Health Screening
and Medical Surveillance.
(d) Appropriate Personal Protection Equipment shall be available, including but not limited
to:
(i) protective helmets and or caps;
(ii) safety spectacles, goggles or face shields;
(iii) respiratory protection;
(iv) gloves;
(v) rubber or plastic aprons for handling materials;
(vi) coveralls; and
(vii) safety boots.
(e) Eating or changing of clothes shall not be allowed within areas where hazardous
materials are being stored or used. Eating and changing facilities shall be segregated
by at least 10m away from the storage / use areas.
(f) To protect their health and safety, employees in areas where hazardous materials are
being used or stored must, at a minimum:
(i) never use smell, taste or touch as means for material identification;
(ii) refrain from smoking;
(iii) refrain from any practice that is risky or incompatible with the hazardous
materials, e.g., welding or use of lighters in areas where flammable materials are
being stored;
(iv) avoid mixing of unknown or incompatible materials;
(v) always use compatible and appropriately identified portable containers for
transporting even small quantities of hazardous materials;
(vi) use colors, tags or both to identify at least the following when using equipment
including liquid hazardous materials:
1. tanks, control valves, and pumps;
2. fill and discharge openings; and
3. content and direction of flow in pipelines.
(vii) clean and decontaminate any used PPE after use; and
(viii) observe all precautions stated in safety data sheets of the relevant materials.
3.3. Emergency Management and Notifications

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(a) Employers / facilities importing, exporting, producing, storing, or managing chemicals
or hazardous materials shall comply with any inventory / record keeping, notification
and incident planning requirements prescribed by applicable laws and regulations and
/ or relevant Competent Authorities and / or SRA’s.
(b) Hazardous materials storage and handling facilities must perform a risk based
identification of potential emergency scenarios and develop corresponding
emergency management programs and response plans in consultation with
emergency management authorities and other stakeholders. At a minimum, the
program and plans thus developed must comply with requirements of:
(i) ADOSH-SF – Element 6 – Emergency Management;
(ii) National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority;
(iii) The Civil Defence; and
(iv) Local emergency services, including Abu Dhabi Police and Department of Health
– Abu Dhabi;
(c) In particular, the emergency management program and plans thus developed must
identify and ensure provision of the following, as required:
(i) arrangements to prevent build-up of static electricity, occurrence of sparks, and
consequent potential for fire or explosion, e.g., near the outlet of a fill pipe or
opening of a liquid container where flammable materials may be present in air;
(ii) arrangements for grounding or bonding of flammable material containers;
(iii) alarms, detectors or tests, e.g. for presence of flammable or toxic mixtures in air;
(iv) arrangements for informing employees of parties to be contacted in case of
emergency (names, telephone numbers, etc.);
(v) emergency response kits, e.g. adsorbent materials and PPE;
(vi) arrangements for containment of spilled materials, and for preventing them from
reaching groundwater, sewerage network or storm-water pipes. Containment
measures shall, at a minimum, be 110% of the maximum storage capacity;
(vii) arrangements for site decontamination and for disposal of waste and
contaminated materials;
(viii) types and numbers of fire extinguishers, sprinklers, fire hose reels, fire hydrants,
fire pumps and other control measures; and
(ix) inspection and surveillance requirements.
(d) Incidents of hazardous materials at entities or during transport shall be reported to
the relevant emergency services, Competent Authorities and/or SRA’s in accordance
with the reporting requirements of
ADOSH-SF – Element 7 – Monitoring, Investigation
and Reporting.
(e) Employers shall disclose the ingredients of hazardous materials on request by
emergency responders responding to an incident, licensed medical practitioners
treating patients exposed to the hazardous material, enforcement agencies, and
authorized members of the Competent Authorities and / or SRA’s.

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4. Document Amendment Record
Version Revision Date Description of Amendment Page/s Affected
4.0 15th July 2024
System acronym updated from OSHAD-
SF to ADOSH-SF to accurately reflect
document title
Throughout
Change from OSHAD to ADPHC
Change of Logo
References to authorities in charge of
hazardous materials, wastes, and
emergency management updated to be
more general
Minor editorial changes throughout the
document without changing requirements.
Title of Mechanism 7.0 updated to
ADOSH-SF – Mechanism 7–
Occupational Safety and Health
Practitioner and Service Provider
Registration
OSHAD-SF - Mechanism 8.0 - OSH
Practitioner Registration deleted
Former Section 4 (References) deleted,
having contained only legal references