General Responsibilities
The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200), effective July 19, 2024, affects over 5 million workplaces in the United States. It provides workers exposed to classified chemicals with a "right to know" the identities and hazards of those materials. The HCS is aligned with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).
Introduction to HazCom & GHS
To understand the HCS requirements, it's important to know how the standard is organized. The standard is divided into regulatory paragraphs that describe specific requirements. The paragraphs are further supplemented by appendices that contain specific supportive details.
The HCS incorporates a downstream flow of information from chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors, to employers using the products. It requires manufacturers, distributors, and employers to develop and distribute chemical information as stated below:
- Chemical manufacturers and importers must classify the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import, and prepare labels and safety data sheets to convey the hazard information to their downstream customers;
- All employers with classified hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must have labels and safety data sheets for their exposed workers, and train workers to handle the chemicals appropriately.
Right to Understand
The HCS states that workers have the right to know and understand the hazards chemicals pose. For example, if a chemical is a strong acid, it is not enough for an employee to know the chemical is an acid. The employer must ensure employees understand the hazards of a strong acid and the actions to take to protect themselves from the associated hazards.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-1. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard is aligned with the provisions of the _____.
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