Take the HazCom ‘Brain-Teaser’ Quiz

1. Employers have four basic duties under the Hazard Communication standard. What are they?
2. When must employees receive HazCom training?
3. Who is responsible for training temps?
4. The HazCom standard identifies four basic components that must be included in HazCom training. What are they?
5. If a new employee has been trained in HazCom by a previous employer, do you have to retrain?
6. What basic elements must be included in a HazCom program?

Scroll down to check your answers.

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Answers

1. Your four basic duties under the Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) are:

• To have a written hazard communication program that describes how you intend to ensure that all employees understand the hazards of chemicals in the workplace.
• To maintain a list of hazardous chemicals that are used and stored in the workplace.
• To obtain MSDSs from chemical manufacturers and maintain them in such a way that your workers have unrestricted access to them at any time.
• To train employees to understand chemical hazards and safe work practices. Training must include information about OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard, about specific chemicals in the workplace, about how to read and interpret labels, and how to obtain and read MSDSs.

2. Employees must receive HazCom training:

• At the time of their initial assignment to a job that exposes them to hazardous substances
• Whenever a new physical or health hazard is introduced

3. For temps, the issue is generally decided by contract. Your organization’s contract with the temporary agency will spell out safety training requirements. Often the temp agency is responsible for general safety awareness training and you are responsible for workplace-specific training and supervision.

Regardless of the contractual arrangement, however, it is in your best interest to assume the lion’s share of responsibility for training temps because temp agencies might not be as well equipped to provide the safety training you require. Remember that the risk of a new worker having an accident is greatest during the first few days and weeks on the job.

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4. Employee training must include at least:

• Methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the work area (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, continuous monitoring devices, visual appearance or odor of hazardous chemicals when being released, etc.)
• Physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area
• Measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and PPE
• Details of your hazard communication program, including an explanation of the labeling and MSDS systems, and how employees can obtain and use the appropriate hazard information.

5. It’s usually not necessary to completely retrain a new hire if that employee has received prior training by a past employer, an employee union, or any other entity. General information, such as the rudiments of the hazard communication standard could be expected to remain with an employee from one position to another. However, you are still responsible for ensuring that new employees are equipped with the knowledge and information necessary to conduct their jobs safely. So it’s important to verify the employee’s knowledge of HazCom information. It’s also likely that some additional training will be needed, since new employees must learn the specifics of your programs, such as where the MSDSs are located, details of your in-plant labeling system, and the hazards of any new chemicals to which they will be exposed.

6. Your hazard communication program must be written and at least describe how the standard requirements will be met for:

• Labels and other forms of warning
• MSDSs
• Employee information and training

HazCom programs must also include:

• A list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using an identity that is referenced on the appropriate MSDS. The list may be compiled for the workplace as a whole or for individual work areas.
• The methods you will use to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine tasks and the hazards associated with any chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas.

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