Occupational Safety Training

Hazard Communication Standard, better known as right- to- know law, was established on November 25, 1983, by Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This was changed with small replacements and technical improvements. The function of this standard is to make sure that in the workplace the chemical dangers are valued and identified and the employees as well as the employers are given the necessary information about these hazards. This hazard communication is passed onto them through the means of container labeling, material safety data sheets, other forms of warning and also employee training. There are the following categories under which evaluation is based:

The first is Hazard Determination which requires the employers to recognize and make an evaluation of all the chemicals being used in the workplace. Combustible liquids, corrosives, oxidizers, reproductive toxins as well as non toxins are defined by OSHA as health and physical hazards. The chemicals that are excluded from the standard are: wood and wood by- products (excluding wood dust), tobacco products, regulated hazardous waste, food, cosmetics, drugs, alcoholic beverages, etc. These are excluded because they come under other government standards. Second main category is Material Safety Data Sheets. After the evaluation and identification of hazardous chemicals in the workplace, it should be documented and an MSDS should be obtained for every item. MSDS can be obtained from chemical supplier, or the manufacturer. The sheets have unique chemical hazards information like physical, routes of entry, health hazards, safeguards for handling and also the use, exposure limits, spill clean-up methods, first aid and emergency methods, personnel protective equipment being used, name, telephone, address, number of the manufacturer of the chemical. The information should be in English and also be made available for employees who are working with or are near the hazardous chemical.

Third category has labels as well as other forms of warning; all the chemicals used in the workplace should be labeled. The label must identify material, warnings for hazards name, address of manufacturer, or the party that is responsible.

In the fourth one, employee information as well as training requires the employers must provide the necessary information and training to the employees who work with hazardous chemicals in workplace. The training must include: procedures, predictions which are used for the detection of the presence and the release of the chemical, health and physical hazards, labeling protective measures and explanation of MSDS.

Fifth category, the written hazard communication program. This program requires full documentation of the actions that are carried out. It should be in accordance to the list that is with the responsible person.

The final category includes the manufacturer trade secrets. The manufacturer of the chemical has the right to hold the identity of the chemical, that includes chemical name and other information from MSDS. But under certain conditions, this information can be demanded from the manufacturer, by the health care professionals.

The main purpose of this program is to make sure that the dangers of chemicals produced and imported are evaluated, this information concerns the hazards is passed on to employees and employers. And it is passed on by the hazards communication programs that include container labeling and other warnings, employee training and MSDS. This helps to avoid the accidents that often happen in the workplaces.