Hazard Communication

These materials were produced by the Division of Safety, Florida Department of Labor and Employment Services, as part of a special OSHA program to reduce work-related deaths in construction in California, Florida, and Texas. Because Florida’s funding for the program - CARE, or Construction Accident Reduction Emphasis - ended in June 2000, the materials will not be updated. The materials should be reviewed yearly for any needed changes. - AND - This information, based on OSHA standard 1910.1200 for general industry, also applies to construction.

NOTE:

THIS SAMPLE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED TO ASSIST IN COMPLYING WITH 29 CFR 1910.1200, HAZARD COMMUNICATION. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO SUPERSEDE THE REQUIREMENTS DETAILED IN THE STANDARD. EMPLOYERS SHOULD REVIEW THE STANDARD FOR PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO THEIR SPECIFIC SITUATION AND TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES. EMPLOYERS WILL NEED TO ADD INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THEIR PARTICULAR FACILITY IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE, COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.

HAZARD COMMUNICATION PROGRAM

for

___________________________________

BACKGROUND

This written hazard communication program not only meets OSHA requirements, but
also ensures that ______________employees are effectively informed concerning potential and existing chemical hazards. Hazard Communication is one important aspect of _______________

Occupational Safety and Health Program, which includes:

• Management commitment and active support.
• Engineering controls for safety and health hazards.
• Enforcement of safety rules and programs.
• Recognition, Evaluation, and control of occupational safety and health hazards.
• Medical Surveillance.
• Assigned safety and health responsibility and accountability.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Hazard Communication Program is to inform our employees of all potential or existing chemical hazards.

APPROACH

The method used to inform employees include:

• Container labeling and other forms of warning.
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS’s).
• Employee education and training.

APPLICATION

This hazard communication program applies to:

• Known occupational safety and health hazards.
• Chemicals known to be present in the workplace in such a manner that employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency.

DETERMINING CHEMICAL HAZARDS:

_____________is responsible for identifying chemical hazards from material safety data sheets (MSDS’s) provided by chemical manufacturers and distributors.

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS (MSDS's)

MSDS's are prepared and distributed my manufacturers and distributors of hazardous materials. All chemical manufacturer and distributors must obtain or develop a MSDS for each hazardous material they produce or import. A hazardous material is one that is either a physical hazard (i.e., flammable, oxidizer, etc.) or a health hazard (i.e., causes acute or chronic health effects).

__________maintains the MSDS file for all hazardous materials used or handled in company workplace. He reviews each data sheet to make sure it is complete and that there are not obvious errors, and replaces old data sheets with the new ones that accompany shipments of materials.

MSDS’s are in English and contain the following information:

• The identity of the chemical.
• The physical and chemical characteristics.
• The physical and health hazards.
• Primary routes of entry.
• Exposure limits.
• Precautions for safe handling.
• Controls to limit exposure.
• Emergency and first aid procedures.
• Name of manufacturer or distributor.

MSDS AVAILABILITY

__________ maintains copies of all MSDS's for each hazardous material in the workplace and makes them readily accessible during each workshift to employees when they are in their work area(s). Employees may review the MSDS's for the materials they work with at the time, while they are in their work area. They also may request a copy of an MSDS if they wish. Copies of MSDS's for materials used in each work area are maintained in that work area, during all shifts. Upon request, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and OSHA have access to our MSDS's.

MATERIAL INVENTORY

Below is a list of the hazardous chemical(s) used or stored at this location. These
chemicals are referenced to their appropriate MSDS’s and are as follows:

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Employees wishing to see this list should contact their supervisor.

LABELS AND OTHER FORMS OF WARNINGS
Chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors provide labels, tags, or other
markings for containers of hazardous chemicals. This identification includes the
following information:

• Identity of the hazardous chemical.
• Appropriate hazard warnings.
• Name and address of the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or other responsible parties.

__________requires that containers of hazardous materials in the workplace are labeled, tagged or marked with the identity of the hazardous chemical and appropriate hazard warning. Occasionally, signs, placards, process sheets, batch tickets, operating procedures, or similar accessible written materials are used, instead of affixing labels to individual containers.

Portable containers of hazardous chemicals do not have to be labeled if they contain chemicals transferred from labeled containers, which are intended only for the immediate use of the employee who performs the transfer.

All labels on incoming containers must not be defaced in any way. Missing or defaced labels must be immediately reported to Finishing Supervisors so appropriate labels can be reapplied immediately.

EMPLOYEE INFORMATION, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING

Any information, education, and training program is provided by__________ to make sure employees know about hazardous chemicals in the workplace and the appropriate control measures to reduce exposure to them. This program is coordinated by __________

New employees receive appropriate safety and health information, education, and training during their initial assignment. This training includes information about hazardous materials and processes in the workplace through the use of printed materials and classroom instruction.

New employee safety and health training program begins upon hire by the personnel department and continues with on-site training by the new employee’s department supervision. The specific information in the safety and health training includes:

• General chemical hazards.
• Hazards associated with non-routine tasks.
• Recognition, evaluation, and control of hazardous chemicals.
• Chemical labeling.
• Hazards associated with unlabelled piping and processing systems.
• MSDS’s.
• Access to information on hazardous chemicals.
• Compliance with safety and health rules and regulations.
• Requirements of Federal Hazard Communication Regulations.
• Specific hazards present in the work areas.
• The location and availability of the written Hazard Communication Program and all supporting information.
• The measures employees can take to protect themselves from hazards, including pertinent work practices, company emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment.

All employees are informed by supervision concerning the ________ Hazard Communication Program and an explanation of the company's labeling system, MSDS's and how appropriate hazard information may be obtained by employees.

RETRAINING

It is necessary for work area supervision to provide additional employee training
concerning workplace hazards when:

• New materials or processes are introduced into the workplace.
• Process or equipment changes are made that could cause new or increased employee exposure.
• Procedures or work practices are introduced, or changed, which could cause changes in the employees’ exposure.
• Employees are transferred from one work area to another where different hazards are present.

A permanent record of all employee training is maintained in the employee’s personnel
folder.

NON-ROUTINE TASKS

The supervisor of an employee performing a non-routine task, such as cleaning process equipment, is responsible for properly training the employee concerning the potential hazards associated with the task. The employee also shares in this responsibility by making sure that his/her immediate supervisor knows that the non-routine task will be performed.

CONTRACTOR

All contractors working on company property are notified by company management of hazardous materials to which the contractor’s employees will be exposed to while working on company property. Also, proper controls will be established to ensure that ______________________________ operations do not expose the contractor’s employees to safety and health hazards. Copies of MSDS’s for all materials the contractor’s employees may be exposed to will be provided to the contractor by (management).

PROGRAM AVAILABILITY

________ (Company name) Hazard Communication Program is available upon request to:

• Employees.
• OSHA Representatives.
• NIOSH Representatives.

ATTACHMENT A-1
CERTIFICATION OF TRAINING

I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE RECEIVED TRAINING UNDER __________‘S HAZARD COMMUNICATION PROGRAM. I FURTHER CERTIFY THAT I UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURES AND WILL ABIDE BY THOSE PROCEDURES.

 

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AUTHORIZED EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE

               
   DATE