Tag: Hazard Communication

Q&A: Backup SDSs

Recently, a subscriber asked the following question: Where can I find the OSHA requirements for backup SDS documents?

Q&A: Storage of DEF Fuel Additives

Recently, one of our subscribers asked the following question: Are there any regulations regarding the storage of DEF fuel additives? This was our answer:

DOT’s New Hazmat Reverse Logistics Rule—What Retailers Need to Know

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently finalized efforts to make reverse logistics easier for retailers that have to ship hazardous materials. Yesterday we provided an overview of the new reverse logistics rule. Today we review some specific requirements for those retailers who choose to avail themselves of this new rule’s regulatory flexibility.

Do Your Research: Protect Lab Workers from Chemical and Biological Hazards

Laboratories are dangerous places, and university laboratories have proved deadly with disturbing regularity in recent years. In 2008, for example, a lab research assistant at the University of California, Los Angeles, was killed in a flash fire. In January 2010, an explosion at Texas Tech University cost a graduate student three fingers and caused severe […]

A Label for All Seasons … and All Situations

In yesterday’s article, we looked at the labeling requirements for solid materials, specifically, when a solid material is an “article” that does not require labeling and when it is a potentially hazardous chemical that must be labeled. Today, we’ll look at other unusual labeling situations that may arise and how to handle them.

Steps in the Hazardous Waste Decontamination Process

The steps in the decontamination process vary depending on the hazards involved, the equipment available, and the terrain and circumstances. However, this list is typical of what would be set up for a complex decontamination. Station 1: Segregated Equipment Drop Deposit equipment used on-site (tools, sampling devices and containers, monitoring instruments, radios, clipboards) on plastic […]

A Primer on Toxic Substances

Toxic substances are found in many facilities, and employees can suffer a variety of illnesses as a result of unprotected exposures. According to Understanding Toxic Substances, a guide for employers and employees published by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries: "The toxicity of a substance is its ability to cause harmful effects. These effects […]

GHS Review: Part 2

In yesterday’s GHS review, we talked about compliance guidelines, how GHS has changed HazCom, and GHS-compliant labeling requirements. Today, we review issues involving the SDS and employee training. Manufacturers, importers, or distributors must provide a safety data sheet (SDS) to their customers for each hazardous chemical at the time of the first shipment of the […]