Category: Chemicals

When assessing the potential for respiratory hazard exposure in the workplace, OSHA says the key issues are when, what, and how much. Paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of the Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134) requires you to identify and evaluate the respiratory hazards in your workplace. Specifically it says: “The employer shall identify and evaluate the respiratory […]

To keep contact lens wearers safe in chemical environments, NIOSH recommends these guidelines. NIOSH recommends that workers be permitted to wear contact lenses when handling hazardous chemicals provided that the safety guidelines below here are followed and that contact lenses are not banned by regulation or contraindicated by medical or industrial hygiene recommendations. 1. Conduct […]

Control banding helps you better evaluate chemical information in the context of the unique conditions of your workplace, especially when the MSDS and product label don’t tell the whole story. As a safety and health professional, you know that certain chemicals are hazardous, but there’s often no way to know the actual risk to workers […]

What do you do with hazardous chemicals for which OSHA has not designated a permissible exposure limit? Absent a PEL, you need other guidelines to protect employee health. But what are they? When there is no specific regulation concerning a hazard, the general duty clause kicks in. But it merely states that employers must “furnish […]

Yesterday, we reviewed a study that revealed some disturbing news about workers’ perceptions concerning chemical safety in the workplace. Today, we suggest 7 simple steps for correcting the hazard communication deficiencies highlighted by the study. To ensure more effective hazard communication: 1.   Train supervisors and safety personnel to communicate hazard information and safety procedures effectively. […]

According to a new study, workplace hazard communication might not always be as effectively as we’d like to believe. New research from Belgium has made some very important (some might even say alarming) findings about chemical safety in the workplace. The study, entitled “Workers’ Perception of Chemical Risks: A Focus Group Study,” was published in […]

What you are about to read is the story of an actual hazardous substance accident inspected and documented by OSHA. This story highlights the importance of HazCom training. Aside from compliance with OSHA’s hazard communication standard (29 CFR 1901.1200), HazCom training is essential because it prevents accidents, like this one: An employee was removing a […]

Got a few minutes to test your knowledge of HazCom requirements? Answer the questions below and then check your responses. Employers have four basic duties under the Hazard Communication standard. What are they? When must employees receive HazCom training? Who is responsible for training temps? The HazCom standard identifies four basic components that must be […]

Cleanup procedures for chemical spills depend on the size of the spill and the risks. Make sure employees understand cleanup rules. Even small spills of highly toxic or flammable substances can be hazardous. Large spills can cause serious injuries to employees and damage to your facility as well as have an environmental impact. Cleanup should […]

Even in small amounts, chemical spills and leaks can be dangerous. Train employees to respond quickly and effectively. Although there is no specific training requirement for general employee response to the accidental spill or leak of potentially hazardous chemicals, there are specific training requirements for workers who: Handle certain specified hazardous substances such as formaldehyde, […]