Information and training materials

Access to information and training materials. (i) The employer shall make readily available to all affected employees a copy of this standard and its appendices. 

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. 

The gathering of information and training materials is the linchpin that holds the safety management system together. Establishing a structured method to gather and maintain information and data specific to your operational environment increases your ability to influence and design safety performance requirements and/or job practices. 

At a minimum, the employee should have access to information and training materials, as follows ... 

The gathering of information and training materials is the linchpin that holds the safety system together. 

DOT. 1997. Hazardous materials table, special provisions, hazardous materials communications, emergency response information, and training requirements. U.S. Department of Transportation. Code of Federal Regulahons. 49 CFR 172.101. 

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. 

More than one year after withdrawal of the Hazard Identification proposed standard, the new proposed standard (standard) entitled Hazard Communication, was published in the Federal Register, Volume 47, No. 5, Friday, March 19,1982. It proposes that chemical manufacturers assess the hazards of chemicals which they produce and that all employers in SIC Codes 20 through 39 (Division D, Standard Industrial Classification Manual) provide information to their employees about the hazardous chemicals which they use by meems of a hazard communication program, labels, placards, material safety data sheets, and information and training. 

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 ... 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 49 CFR 172, Hazardous Materials Table, Special Provisions, Hazardous Materials Communications, Emergency Response Information, and Training Requirements ... 

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. 

Employers shall provide employees with information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assigmnent, and whenever a new hazard is introduced into their work area. Information may be designed to cover categories of hazards, e.g., flammabihty, carcinogenicity, or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and material safety data sheets. 

The provision of information and training is an integral part of any system of radiological protection. The level of instmction provided should be appropriate to the nature and type of work undertaken. Workers involved in the transport of radioactive material require training concerning the radiological risks in their work and how they can minimize these risks in all circnmstances. 

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. 

In addition to the interviews, documentary sources were also consulted. For example, corporate safety policies, rule books, and training materials were examined and where possible I was given access to statistical data such as they were. But the main source of data remained the interview transcripts which provided such a rich source of information and a testament to the time and honesty accorded to the research by BR and most importantly by its staff and also the unions. 

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