STEPS TO IMPLEMENT HAZARD COMMUNICATION STANDARDS

Purpose

The purpose of the hazard communication standard is to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals produced or imported are evaluated, and that information concerning their hazards is transmitted to employers and employees. This transmittal of information is to be accomplished by means of comprehensive hazard communication programs, which are to include container labeling and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets (MSDSs), and employee training.

Scope and Application

This standard requires chemical manufacturers or importers to assess the hazards of chemicals, which they produce or import, and all employers to provide information to their employees about the hazardous chemicals to which they are exposed, by means of a hazard communication program, labels, and other forms of warning, MSDSs, and information and training.

In addition, this standard requires distributors to transmit the required information to employers.

Written Hazardous Communication Program

Each employer shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program, which at least describes how labels and other forms of warning, MSDSs, and employee information training will be met, and which also includes the following: A list of the hazardous chemicals

 • Known to be present in the workplace

• The methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of nonroutine tasks and the hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas

• Multiemployer workplaces—employers who produce, use, or store hazardous chemicals at a workplace in such a way that the employees of other employers may be exposed shall additionally ensure that the hazard communication programs developed and implemented are transmitted to those employees and employers.

Label and Other Forms of Warning

The chemical manufacturer, importer, or distributor shall ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals leaving the workplace is labeled, tagged, or marked with the following:

• Identity of the hazardous chemical

• Appropriate hazard warnings

• Name and address of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other responsible parties.

Material Safety Data Sheets

Material safety data sheets shall be developed by the chemical manufacturers for each hazardous chemical they produce. Importers shall obtain the MSDS and transmit to the customers. Employers shall have an MSDS in the workplace for each hazardous chemical they use. Each MSDS shall be in English, but may also be maintained in other languages, but this is not required by the standard.

Employee Information and Training

Employee training and information is at the core of this standard. Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new physical or health hazard the employees have not been previously trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific conformation must always be available through labels and MSDSs.

Training

Employee training shall include at least the following information:

The methods and observations that

 • May be used for detecting the presence or release of hazardous chemicals in the work area.

• The physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area.

• The measure employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals.

• The details of the hazard communication program developed by the employer, including the explanation of the labeling system and the MSDS, and how employees can obtain and use the appropriate hazard information.