MODULE 11

Hazard Communication
 Purpose of OSHA’s Hazard
Communication Standard
“…ensure that employers and employees
know about work hazards and how to
protect themselves so that the incidence
of illnesses and injuries due to hazardous
chemicals is reduced.”
Hazard Container Material Safety
Communication Labeling Data Sheet
Program

Program MSDS
Label

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 Why should chemical hazards
be communicated?
 Exposure Risk: About 32 million workers
potentially exposed to chemical hazards
 Profusion of Chemicals: About 650,000
chemical products exist; hundreds of new
ones introduced annually
 Health Effects: May include heart ailments,
central nervous system damage, kidney and
lung damage, sterility, cancer, burns, and
rashes
 Safety Hazards: Potential to cause fires,
explosions, or other serious accidents

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 Concept of regulation:

 Employees have both a need and a

right to know the hazards and identities
of the chemicals they are exposed to
when working.
 They also need to know what protective
measures are available to prevent
adverse effects from occurring.
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 Who is covered?

 General industry, shipyard, marine

terminals, longshoring, and construction
employers
 Chemical manufacturers, importers,
employers, and employees exposed to
chemical hazards

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 Employer Responsibilities

 A significant portion of the standard

pertains only to chemical manufactures,
importers, and distributors
 Employers who do not produce
chemicals only have to focus on
 establishing a workplace program and
 communicating information to their
workers.
 Appendix E provides guidelines
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 Employer Responsibilities

 Inventory: Identify and list hazardous chemicals in

workplaces
 MSDS & Labeling: Obtain Material Safety Data
Sheets and labels for each hazardous chemical, if not
provided by the manufacturer, importer, or distributor
 Written Program: Implement a written HazCom
program, including labels, MSDS, and employee
training
 Communication & Training: Communicate hazard
information to employees through labels, MSDSs,
and formal training programs

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 Labeling Exemptions

 Other federal agencies control labeling

requirements for the following substances:
 Pesticides
 Chemicals covered under the Toxic Substance
Control Act
 Foods or food additives
 Distilled spirits, tobacco
 Consumer products, lumber, cosmetics
 Hazardous wastes

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 How can workplace hazards be
minimized?
 Hazard Assessment: The first step in
minimizing workplace hazards is to
perform a thorough hazard assessment
 Manufacturer Evaluations: Employers
can rely on the manufacturers’ or
importers’ evaluations of the hazards of
the chemicals they use (from MSDS)

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 Why is a written program
required?
 Employer: Program ensures that all
employers receive the information they
need to inform and train their
employees
 Employee: Program provides
necessary hazard information to
employees

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 Employer Requirements-
Written Program
 Must cover at least:
 Labels and other forms of warnings
 Material Safety Data Sheets
 Employee Information and Training
 List of chemicals present and MSDS for
each
 Methods used to inform employees of
hazards of non-routine tasks
 Hazards of chemicals in unlabeled pipes
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 Multi-Employer Workplaces

 When other employers have employees

onsite that may be exposed, program
must include:
 Methods to provide contractor employees
with on-site access to MSDS
 Methods used to inform other employers of
precautionary measures for normal and
emergency situations
 The employer’s chemical labeling system
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 Consumer Products Exemption

 Any consumer product as defined in the

Consumer Product Safety Act where:
 Used in the workplace for the purpose
intended
 Exposure within the range that could
reasonably be experienced by consumers
when used for intended purpose

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 Written Program Availability

 Written program available on request:

 To employees and their representatives
 Program may be kept at main location

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 How must chemicals be
labeled?
 Containers of hazardous chemicals
entering workplace must be labeled with
 Identity of chemical
 Appropriate hazard warnings
 Message, picture or symbol
 Hazards of chemical
 Target organs affected
 Legible in English, may have other languages
 Name and address of responsible party
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 Container Labeling Exemptions

 No new labels necessary if existing labels

convey required information
 Labeling not required for portable containers if:
 Transferred from labeled containers and
 Intended for immediate use by employee
performing transfer

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 Material Safety Data Sheets

 Prepared by chemical manufacturer or

importer, describing
 Physical hazards, such as fire and
explosion
 Health hazards, such as signs of exposure
 Routes of exposure
 Precautions for safe handling and use
 Emergency and first-aid procedures
 Control measures
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 Material Safety Data Sheets

 Must be in English and include specific

chemical identity and common names
 Must provide information about:
 Physical and chemical characteristics
 Health effects
 Exposure limits
 Carcinogenicity (cancer-causing)
 Identification (name, address, and telephone
number) of the organization responsible for
preparing the sheet
 Must be readily accessible to employees in their
work area
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 Material Safety Data Sheets

 No prescribed format
 If no MSDS received for a chemical:
 Contact supplier, manufacturer or importer
 Maintain record of the contact
 May be kept in any form including
operating procedures
 Addressing hazards of process may
make more sense than individual
chemicals
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 Employee Information and
Training
 Employees must be provided
information and training on hazardous
chemicals in their work area:
 At the time of their initial assignment
 Whenever a new physical or health hazard
is introduced into their work area
 May cover categories of hazards or
individual chemicals

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 Employee Information

 Employers must inform employees of:

 Training requirements of this section
 Operations in their work area where
hazardous chemicals are present;
 Location and availability of the written
hazard communication program

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 What must employee training
contain?
 Program: Explanation of the HazCom
program, including information on labels,
MSDSs, and how to obtain and use available
hazard information
 Physical and health hazards of chemicals
 Protection: Protective measures such as
engineering controls, work practices, and the
use of PPE
 Detection: How to detect the presence or
release of a hazardous chemical (using
monitoring devices, observation, or smell)

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 Health Hazard Definitions

 Acute: rapid effects, as a result of

short-term exposures, of short duration
 Chronic: effects as a result of long-term
exposure, of long duration
 Corrosive: Visible destruction or
irreversible damage to body tissue,
including acids and caustics (bases)
 Definitions in 1910.1200 Appendix A
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 Target Organ Effects

 Hepatotoxins: liver damage

 Nephrotoxins: kidney damage
 Neurotoxins: nervous system effects
 Agents which act on the blood or
hematopoietic system: deprive body
tissues of oxygen
 Agents which damage the lungs

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 Target Organ Effects

 Reproductive toxins, including

teratogens (damage fetuses) and
mutagens (damage DNA)
 Cutaneous hazards: skin damage
 Eye hazards

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 Setting up a program

 The Hazard Communication Standard

covers both:
 Physical hazards (such as flammability),
and
 Health hazards (such as irritation, lung
damage, and cancer)
 Most chemicals used in the workplace
have some hazard potential, and thus
will be covered by the rule
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 Setting up a program

 This rule is more performance-oriented

than many other OSHA regulations.
 You have flexibility to adapt the rule to
the needs of your workplace, rather
than having to follow specific, rigid
requirements

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 Setting up a program

 Make a list of all chemicals in the workplace

that are potentially hazardous
 Survey the workplace to make a
comprehensive list
 Identify chemicals in containers, including
pipes
 Establish purchasing procedures so that
MSDSs are received before a material is
used in the workplace

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 Identify hazardous chemicals in
the workplace
 Compile a complete list of the potentially
hazardous chemicals in the workplace
 Determine if you have received material
safety data sheets for all of them
 If any are missing, contact your supplier and
request one
 Do not allow employees to use any chemicals
for which you have not received an MSDS

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 Preparing and implementing a
hazard communication program
 All workplaces where employees are
exposed to hazardous chemicals must
have a written plan
 The plan does not have to be lengthy or
complicated

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 Employee Training

 You may want to discuss each chemical

individually if there are only a few chemicals
in the workplace
 You may want to train generally:
 Based on the hazard categories (e.g.,
flammable liquids, corrosive materials,
carcinogens)
 Where there are large numbers of chemicals
or
 Where the chemicals change frequently

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 Training Documentation

 The rule does not require employers to

maintain records of employee training,
but many employers choose to do so
 This may help you monitor your own
program to ensure that all employees
are appropriately trained

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