What is the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard?

What is the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard?

The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)), revised in 2012, requires that the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (formerly MSDSs or Material Safety Data Sheets) for each hazardous chemical to downstream users to communicate information on these hazards.

What are the four main requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard?

IMPORTANT PROVISIONS OF THE HCS Employers using hazardous chemicals have four main requirements: ensuring the proper chemical labeling ; providing safety data sheets ; training employees ; and creating a written hazard communication program.

What are the 5 components to the Hazard Communication Standard?

These are the Five elements of the Hazard Communication Standard. They are: Chemical Inventory, Written Program, Labels, Material Safety Data Sheets, and Training. The first element of the Hazard Communication Standard is for employers to develop inventories of all the hazardous chemicals they have at their worksite.

Who is covered under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard?

OSHA’s HazCom standard applies to general industry, shipyard, marine terminals, longshoring, and construction employment and covers chemical manufacturers, importers, employers, and employees exposed to chemical hazards. Basically, any employer with one employee and one hazardous chemical is covered.

What are the 6 hazard classification categories?

Criteria for classifying chemicals have been developed for the following physical hazard classes:

  • Explosives.
  • Flammable gases.
  • Aerosols.
  • Oxidizing gases.
  • Gases under pressure.
  • Flammable liquids.
  • Flammable solids.
  • Self-reactive substances and mixtures.

What are the three main components of OSHA Hazard Communication Standard?

There are three major hazard groups:

  • Physical hazards.
  • Health hazards.
  • Environmental hazards.

What are three components of a workplace hazard communication plan?

The NIH Hazard Communication Program focuses on three essential components: 1. The identification of hazardous chemicals; 2. The maintenance of current hazard information at the worksite including warning labels, signs and SDSs; and 3.

What are the new hazard communication standards?

The new hazard communication standard, also known as OSHA’s hazard commincation standard and hazard communication standard pictograms, still requires chemical manufacturers and importers to evaluate the chemicals they produce or import and provide hazard information to employers and workers by putting labels on containers and preparing safety data

What does the hazard communication standard require?

The Hazard Communication Standard requires that effective hazard communication in the workplace be achieved by recognizing and evaluating work place hazards, accurately labeling hazardous chemicals, along with the effective training of employees regarding the proper handling and use…

What are OSHA hazard categories?

OSHA classifies workplace hazards in categories 1 through 4. A Category 1 employee is at the greatest risk for encountering materials that pose serious health risks, while a Category 2 employee’s job poses less risk. Employees in categories 3 encounter fewer risks, and category 4 employees are at the least risk of exposure to harmful materials.

What is considered an OSHA health hazard?

According OSHA, a health hazard refers to a chemical that is classified according to its potential to cause one of the following hazardous effects: acute toxicity (any route of exposure), skin corrosion or irritation, serious eye damage or eye irritation, respiratory or skin sensitization,…