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Recyclers News Press
The training deadline for the updated OSHA rule that
requires employee safety training and a site record of
chemicals via Safety Data Sheets just passed by De-
cember 1, 2013.
Better late than never, never more
aptly applied than now.
The rule requires that all employers subject to the
Hazard Communication Standard are required to re-
view the changes and the
conversion to GHS with
their employees. This is the
training you will share with
your employees during the
implementation period.
Under the provisions of the
Hazard Communication
Standard, employers are
responsible for informing
employees of the hazards
and the identities of work-
place chemicals to which
they are exposed.
Recently the United States
agreed to the
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
. This
simply means that the material safety data sheet
(MSDS) for chemicals will look the same in all nations
across the globe. It is the agreed United Nation’s
standard and will now be called Safety Data Sheets
(SDS).
In fact, the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
has always been the rule that requires employers to
provide training and chemical hazard information to
their employees. The requirement of maintaining an
inventory and the material safety data sheets (MSDS)
for chemical found in the workplace is the most com-
monly know portion of the rule. Having a Safety Su-
pervisor, MSDSs, monthly training and a written
Safety Plan (
or Hazard Commu-
nication Program
) makes up the
rule.
Identify Responsible Staff
Simply stated this is the Safety
Supervisor. Hazard Communica-
tion is an ongoing program in the
facility. In order to have a suc-
cessful program, it is necessary
to assign responsibility for both
the initial and ongoing activities
that have to be undertaken to
comply with the rule. For any
safety and health program, suc-
cess depends on commitment
and possibly a change in behav-
ior. This will only occur if employers understand the
program, and are committed to its success, and if em-
ployees are motivated by the people presenting the
information to them.
Hazard Communication
Safety Training
