Hazard Communication Standard

Author: Ashley Shaw, XpertHR Legal Editor

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard to better comply with the Globally Harmonized System used in most parts of the world and within other administrations in the US.

The new standard was implemented through a series of rolling deadlines. An employer that uses hazardous chemicals in its workplace had to train its employees by December 1, 2013, and had to fully implement the HazCom Standard by June 1, 2016.

Tasks

Developing a proper hazard communication plan is a required OSHA step for employers who fall under the HazCom Standard. The following XpertHR task is here to help those employers:

Develop a Hazard Communication Plan

How To

From understanding safety data sheets (SDSs) to training workers to creating safety programs, there are a lot of things an employer needs to do correctly. The following XpertHR How To's include step-by-step guidance on these topics:

How to Help Employees Understand a Safety Data Sheet

How to Train Workers for Dangerous Jobs

How to Implement a Safety Program

Supervisor Briefing

Correctly managing employees who work with hazardous chemicals can be a daunting and dangerous job. XpertHR has the following Supervisor Briefings to help supervisors understand the HazCom Standard:

Hazard Communication Standard - Supervisor Briefing

Safety Data Sheets - Supervisor Training

Policies and Documents

When dealing with hazardous chemicals, employee safety should be the ultimate goal. The following XpertHR policy and form can help keep employees safe:

Safety Training Policy

Safety Corrective Action Form

Employment Law Manual

HazCom violations are one of OSHA's most frequently issued citations. For this reason, as well as employee health and safety, it is important for employers to be fully aware of the standard and its application. XpertHR's Employment Law Manual offers in-depth analysis of this standard:

Risk Management - Health, Safety, Security > Hazard Communication Standard

Quick Reference Chart

While OSHA is a federal administration, it does allow states to create their own approved safety plans that act in place of OSHA but are at least as strict as OSHA. For employers who might be in one of those states, it is important to know the state law on hazard communication. The following XpertHR Quick Reference Chart shows employers which states have a state plan:

Occupational Safety and Health Plans by State