The Hazard Communication Standard is designed to reduce the potential for occurrences of chemical-related occupational illnesses and injuries.  Hazard Communication, also referred to as “HAZCOM” and “The Employee Right to Know Act”, was developed to ensure employees have important safety information for chemicals used in their workplace. 

The Hazard Communication program establishes procedures and training information to ensure that the hazards associated with chemical substances used in County operations are communicated to all employees.

 

Hazardous Chemical Inventory

The County Hazardous Communication Program requires departments to prepare and maintain a current hazardous chemical inventory of all known hazardous chemicals present in the workplace.  Safety data sheets (SDS) will be kept using the County online database, with each location having a yellow SDS binder readily available for all employee review.  For additional SDS information, refer to the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) webpage.    

Departments can use the below format to document current hazardous chemicals at their location:

 

Labeling

 

Each department is responsible for ensuring that workplace labels or other forms of warnings are legible, in English (other languages may also be included if appropriate), and prominently displayed on the container, or readily available in the work area.  

 

Training

 

Employees must be trained on the hazardous chemicals they may encounter at the time of initial assignment, whenever a new hazard is introduced into the workplace, and when employees may be exposed to other employers’ workplace chemical hazards.

Information and training must include:

  • Requirements of the Hazard Communication Regulation, including employee rights (e.g., employees receiving and sharing with their physician information on hazardous chemicals to which they may be exposed).
  • The location and availability of the employer’s written HazCom Program, inventory of hazardous chemicals, and the SDSs.
  • An explanation of the labels received on shipped containers, the workplace labeling system, safety data sheets, and how employees can obtain and use the hazard information.
  • Identification of any operation in the employee work area where hazardous chemicals are present.
  • How to detect the presence or release of hazardous chemicals (e.g., appearance, odor, exposure monitoring).
  • All hazards (including physical and health, simple asphyxiation, combustible dust, and pyrophoric gases, as well as hazards not otherwise classified) of the chemicals in the work area, and the measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards.

 

References and Resources