WASPS: Latest version
August 1st 2007 Few professionals enjoy what is often seen as the tiresome chore of legal compliance in fields that may not be within their comfort zone. Eamonn Boyle, plant safety advisor, Kellogg Co of GB, comments on software that, he says, delivers results at reasonable cost. "Environmental Science has for some time provided a package called WASPS (Workplace Action Safety Protection Sheets) to the health, safety and environmental professional. Version 2 moves this forward to a system that is easy to use and which provides a library of generic chemicals and processes." Boyle says it follows the format of COSHH Essentials, but gives a more detailed result. The finished work sheet has colour-coded rating bars and graphic symbols. To start a worksheet, an MSDS must fill in the physical properties, material classification and risk factors which should be provided by the MSDS, or he/she can use one of the WASP sheets already in the database in either the ESL chemical substance or proprietary generic library. At present there are almost 2000 WASP files in the library. This produces the Hazard worksheet that is the permanent record, which can be personalised and printed. Boyle adds "Full COSHH assessments require a WASP worksheet with exposure time and a description of the process, all of which is easy to use and understand. All this and a good help/ instruction page and friendly support staff at the end of a phone, make this a pleasure to use to fulfil a legal requirement with minimum fuss." More articles from Environmental Science Limited: | 
