Employee Training and Information

The hazards associated with handling pigments is contained ia the MSDS mandated by an OSHA Hazards Communication Standard (28) which also requires labeling and employee information and training. 

The employee information and training program shall include at least the following topics ... 

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), which was established in 1988, aims to protect workers using chemicals by improved communication of hazards. This involves labelling and MSDSs, in English and French, and employee information and training programmes. 

Employers shall develop and implement a written hazard communication program for their workplaces which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f>, (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following ... 

Section 4.1 consolidates the requirements for general employee information and training on hazardous chemicals in the workplace such as the location, availability and content of material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for the chemicals and chemical products being used or stored, methods to detect the presence of hazardous chemicals, personal protective measures, the details of the workplace hazard communications program, etc. 

Of the violations of the Laboratory Standard issued by OSHA, many have been for failure to have a Chemical Hygiene Plan or for a missing element in the plan. Another commonly cited violation is failure to meet the "Employee Information and Training" requirements of the Laboratory Standard. It is likely that OSHA enforcement of the Laboratory Standard will increase in the future, as state and federal OSHA inspectors focus more on laboratory activities and the implementation of this still relatively new standard. 

The OSHA performance-based Laboratory Standard that places responsibility on individual laboratories to develop site-specific laboratory health programs, including certain elements such as written procedures, a designated coordinator for the written procedures, employee information and training, and compliance with OSHA-specified exposure limits ... 

The OSHA HCS (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires employers to provide employees information and training on hazardous chemicals used in their work areas. Employers must conduct training at the time of their initial assignment and upon the introduction of a new hazardous substance. Training must address the methods and observations used to detect the presence or release of the chemical. It must also address physical and health hazards, protective measures, labeling, and an explanation of the SDS. Employers must inform employees of the hazards of nonroutine tasks and the hazards associated with chemicals in unlabeled pipes (Table 7.11). 

Strive to identify persons with active tuberculosis. Provide medical surveillance at no cost to the employee, including preplacement evaluation, tubercnlosis skin tests, annual evaluations, and twice-yearly exams for those exposed. Evaluate and manage individuals with a positive skin test. Use acid-fast bacilli isolation rooms for those with active or snspected TB infection. Maintain such rooms under negative pressure and use outside exhaust or high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-filtered ventilation. Develop an employee information and training plan. 

Recordkeeping The employer shall provide, upon request, all materials relating to the employee information and training program to the Assistant Secretary and the Director. The employer shall make readily available to all affected employees a copy of 1910.1018 and its appendices. There are additional recordkeeping requirements for exposure monitoring and medical surveillance programs. 

Employee Information and Training, (i) The employer shall train each employee who is likely to be exposed in excess of a PEL, and each employee who performs Class I through IV asbestos operations, in accordance with the requirements of this section. Such training shall be conducted at no cost to the employee. The employer shall institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program. 

The employer shall provide to the Assistant Secretary and the Director, upon request, all information and training materials relating to the employee information and training program. 

Employee information and training, (i) The employer shall ensure that each employee can demonstrate knowledge of at least the following ... 

Employee information and training. (1) The employer shall provide information and training for each affected employee prior to or at the time of initial assignment to a job involving potential exposure to MC. 

The written program will also address employee information and training. A training section in the written program can outline what information will be provided in various forms of training, the intervals at which training will be conducted, and training that will be presented to various levels of individuals within the school system. 

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