|
Hazard Communication Program & Resources
In order to ensure chemical safety in the workplace,
information must be available about the identities and hazards of the
chemicals. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires the
development and dissemination of such information:
- Chemical manufacturers and importers are
required to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or
import, and
- Prepare labels and material safety data sheets
(MSDSs) to convey the hazard information to their downstream customers.
- All employers with hazardous chemicals in
their workplaces must have labels and MSDSs for their exposed workers,
and train them to handle the chemicals appropriately.
Over 30 million American workers are exposed to
hazardous chemicals in their workplaces. The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is intended to
ensure that these workers and their employers are informed of the identities
of these hazardous chemicals, associated health and safety hazards, and
appropriate protective measures. The HCS covers some 650,000 hazardous
chemical products found in over three million establishments.
Since the HCS was adopted 20 years ago, the availability of chemical
information in workplaces has increased dramatically, and the provision of
labels and MSDSs with products has become a standard business practice.
Surveys have shown that employers rely on MSDSs to select less hazardous
substitutes, as well as to help them identify appropriate protective
measures. In addition to these workplace uses of hazard information, MSDSs
have evolved into sources of information on other aspects of chemical use.
Return to Top
| 
