AWARE 

AWARE

When working with organic solvents there are risks related to the health. These products are found in cleaners, coatings, printing inks and so on.
On the initiative of the industry, trade unions and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, the AWARE-code has been developed.
Biesterfeld is one of the companies on behalf of the industry that is involved in this project.

AWARE helps companies to make a healthier and safer product.
The AWARE-code is a well-tailored tool to compare the safety between products.

'AWARE' stands for 'Adequate Warning and Air Requirement. This also means as much as "conscious, vigilant".

What is AWARE?
The AWARE-code is a 2-digit code for coatings, cleaning products and dilutions. The lower the code numbers, the safer the product.

Two figures
The first figure shows how much air is needed for safe work. This is calculated on the basis of the quantity of the product, their MAC/MAK values and their volatility. The higher the ventilation requirements, the more risky the product.

The second digit indicates the risk characteristics of the substances in the product. This figure ranges from 1 to 5 in Roman numerals, with higher numbers referring to serious danger. The classification is done using the R-phrases of the product.

For example, a product code 800-II is less risky than a product code 2000-II, and a product code 2000-II is less risky than a product code 2000-V.

The AWARE codes help you to make a balanced choice with the best balance between technical quality, price and the lowest possible risk. That balance may still be difficult, but at least you know with AWARE which risk to the occupational health you choose.