Learn All About OSHA’s Hazcom Standard
There’s no way around it, employees must be made aware of the dangers associated with any potentially hazardous chemicals in their place of work. Hazard Communication, or HazCom for short, is a set of processes that employees must follow when working with chemicals. Because of the number of health and physical hazards that these workers face, special procedures need to be laid out. Here’s everything you need to know about hazard communication, regulations, and requirements. OSHA requires that any employer who oversees workers that deal with these chemicals must design and write a clearly-framed hazard communication program. As part of a company’s overall OSHA training program, it needs to include training program for all employees who might potentially be exposed to said hazardous chemicals. The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) as defined by OSHA specifies how to communicate important information about potential hazards to your employees and what measures can be taken to get ahead of any dangerous situations. At its core, the Hazcom exists to ensure that employees are made aware of the chemicals that they may be exposed to in their workplace, and that they understand the risks associated with said materials. Hazard Communication doesn’t just benefit workers, though. It acts as a sort of roadmap for employers – designing and implementing a program from scratch is a lot of work, and the guidelines laid out in Hazcom can serve as a great starting point. The Hazard Communication Standard was last updated in 2012, when a globally-recognized system of classification was implemented, aka: Globally Harmonized System (“GHS”). This update provided consistency when it comes to classifying chemicals on safety labels, including the introduction of “pictograms,” regardless of which state or country the chemicals were originally produced and labeled in. This makes it easier for American businesses who might have storage or processing facilities abroad, and seriously reduces barriers to trade by simplifying and streamlining the way we communicate safety information. The 5 Major Components of a Hazard Communication Program Here are the key pieces of a compliant Hazcom program. Your company needs to build and manage each component on an ongoing basis. Like all OSHA compliance requirements, it’s literally a never ending process. Hazard Communication Written Program The first step in developing your Hazcom program is to develop a customized and updated written program which includes and addresses all aspects of OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, and then keep it on file for ongoing use. Chemical Inventory The next step in developing your Hazcom program is to inventory and document all of the chemicals in your workplace. This includes everything from your process chemicals to your cleaning chemicals. They all need to be captured on your inventory so you know the full scope of your chemical safety program. This inventory must be continually updated as you add and subtract chemicals to your workplace over time. You must then ensure that you have a matching safety data sheet for each one of these chemicals. Safety Data Sheets Safety data sheets (formerly known as material safety data sheets (MSDS) are at the core of Hazard Communication. These sheets help clearly communicate a chemical’s specific hazards and helps employers to develop site-specific protection measures that meet their individual needs. The information on these sheets must appear in the following order per GHS:- Identification
- Hazard(s) identification
- Composition/information on ingredients
- First-aid measures
- Fire-fighting measures
- Accidental release measures
- Handling and storage
- Exposure controls/personal protection
- Physical and chemical properties
- Stability and reactivity
- Toxicological information
- Ecological information
- Disposal considerations
- Transport information
- Regulatory information
- Additional information when applicable
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