The "Stoffenmanager": an instrument for risk assessment

Under the German occupational health and safety act employers are obliged to conduct a risk assessment for tasks involving hazardous substances. The web-based "Stoffenmanager" software, developed in the Netherlands, can be used as a tool for this purpose. The Stoffenmanager considers both inhalative and dermal exposure. The hazard caused by the product and the level of exposure are classified based upon information on the product and processes being used. If the hazard determined in this way is too high, measures can be selected for reduction of the exposure. The software then estimates their influence upon the level of the hazard and supports prioritization during their implementation. Preliminary tests conducted at the Institute for Occupational Saftey and Health of the German Social Accident Insurence (IFA) have yielded promising results in the estimation of both inhalative and dermal exposure. The IFA therefore plans to make a German version of the Stoffenmanager available on the Internet in the form of a GESTIS Stoffmanager.