CAB - Agricultural Safety Resource Guide: 9

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Agricultural Safety Resource Guide

9 - HAZARD COMMUNICATIONS

Introduction

The Hazard Communication standard is one of OSHA's most significant standards affecting worker health. This standard was initiated as a final rule on November 25, 1983. It requires all chemical manufacturers, distributors, and importers to label chemical shipping containers, to assess chemical hazards, and to provide material safety data sheets to all recipients of their products. All employers must have a written and operating hazard communi-cation program assuring that necessary training and information is provided to affected employees.

On August 24, 1987, OSHA expanded the scope of the Communication Standard to include the non-manufacturing sector. The primary goal of the Communication Standard is to provide employees with information about the potential hazards of their work environment. The objective of employee training is to enable employees to make knowledgeable decisions in respect to personal risks and to encourage safe work practices. The standard requires that employee training include the following:

Explanation of the standard.
Identification of workplace operations where hazardous chemicals are present.
Understanding of methods and observation used to detect the presence of hazardous materials.
Assessment of the chemical and physical hazards associated with these chemicals.
Warnings of hazards in unlabeled pipes.
Descriptions of hazards associated with non-routine tasks.
Details about measures employees can take to safeguard themselves against hazards.
Explanation of the labeling system.
Instructions on the use of material safety sheets.
Details on the availability and location of hazardous material inventory.

Points of interest checked during a compliance inspection

Monitoring Program Data typically asked for by an OSHA inspector include number and qualification of personnel, availability of necessary sampling and calibration equipment, and ventilation compliance.

Medical Program An industrial hygienist or safety professional will check to see if the employer is required to provide employees with pre-employment and regular examinations required by certain OSHA standards.

Education and Training Program A special effort is always made to check if the employer's efforts comply with the Communication Standard, 1910.1200.

Record-keeping Program The employer's record-keeping program will be checked - particularly the types of records, how long they have been maintained, and their accessibility to the employees.

Laws and regulations

STANDARD 29 CFR 1910.1200 - This standard requires that chemical manufacturers assess both physical and health hazards associated with their products. The chemical product is required to be labeled with this information when leaving the manufacturer; a material safety data sheet (MSDS) also must be supplied to the purchaser. Employers within covered SIC codes who purchase these products must label all in-plant containers, must provide training and information to all exposed employees, and must make manufacturers' safety data sheets available in order to create a written hazard communication program (state and federal communication standards may vary depending on location).

Model programs/training videos

FELS - Hazard Communication Program Manual. Contains a model program, forms and audio cassette in both English and Spanish.

OSHA/NIOSH - HAZMAT Training in the Work Place. Information on safe material handling regarding the type of work environment and the hazards involved. Both literature and videos available.

National Safety Council (NSC) - Hazard Communication Training program. Selected as a training tool by the federal government for more than four million federal workers as a means of training and educating workers in meeting state and federal training requirements (a three-video series). Product #19121-2222.

The Hazardous Materials Series (NSC). A series of 10 modules which addresses the hazard communication standard, evaluation and control, categories of hazardous materials, and the safe handling of these materials.

Related articles/brochures

CAL/OSHA - Hazardous Materials in the Workplace Digest.

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