Labels HAZCOM

When a signal word is required on a label, HazCom requires that it be either ... 

SCHC offers HAZCOM 101, a 2 day course. This course, the first of its kind in the United States, is designed for people who have little formal HazCom training and are recently assigned to hazard communication, MSDS, labeling, or regulatory compliance responsibilities. The curriculum presents basic information, provides reference material, and practical exercises. 

The Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM) is performance-based, not specification-based. Performance-based standards are very flexible. They tell you what you have to accomplish and you decide how to do it. Except for a few minor things like ensuring that shipped containers have labels in English, OSHA doesn t care how you meet the goals of the hazard communication standard as long as you meet them. 

If there are other employers on the site, such as contractors, the HAZCOM Program must also state (1) how these other employers will be informed of the site labeling system (2) how they should protect their own employees during normal operating conditions and emergencies and (3) how contractors and contractor-type personnel will be provided access to MSDS. 

The MSDS must show the identity of the chemical on the label. For a single substance, the MSDS identifies its chemical and common name. If the chemical is a mixture, the MSDS must show the common name of the mixture and the chemical name or common names of ingredients which contribute to known hazards. Because MSDSs are so important to the HAZCOM process, the HAZCOM standard establishes detailed requirements for information that is needed on them. To illustrate this information, a commonly used MSDS format, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) format (see Table 14-1) will be described. This format was developed by the Chemical Manufacturer s Association (CMA) and approved by ANSI. 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.1200 et seq.. Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). It requires the development and dissemination of such information. Chemical manufacturers and importers are required to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import, and prepare labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) to convey the hazard information to their downstream customers. All employers with hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must have labels and MSDSs for their exposed workers, and train them to handle the chemicals appropriately. See also Hazardous Communication (HAZCOM). 

HazCom information and training. Employers are required to train workers on the new labels elements and safety data sheets format to facilitate recognition and understanding. 

Note Employees must also be trained on the March 26, 2012, changes to the Hazcom standard. These changes incorporate the GHS system of classification and labeling of chemicals. In particular, employees must be trained on the new pictograms, labels, and safety data sheets, by Dec. 1,2013. 

One out of every four workers contacts hazardous chemicals on the job. As a construction worker, you have a need and a right to know the chemicals to which you are exposed, their hazards, and how to protect yourself when working. This simple concept is the basis of the Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom). Labeling is the part of HazCom that requires a label on containers so that you are alerted to the fact that a potential hazard exists. Because labels are right on a container, in most cases, you can immediately find out what the chemical s hazards are. The label s message about the hazards is the hazard warning label. Take a look at a hazardous chemical container in your facility, it should have a label. This label should have the following minimum information ... 

If you need more information than that printed on the label, refer to the material safety data sheet for the chemical, the chemical inventoiy, and/or your company s HazCom written program. Ask your safety director to help you. 

OSHA believes that incorporating GHS into the HazCom standard will help create safer working conditions in all workplaces. By using a standardized system of hazard classification and labeling, workers will have uniformly better safety information. 

Using the employee handout, review the requirements of 1910.1200. Show samples of hazard labels. Use a sample SDS to explain what information is available on the SDS and where employees can find the written HazCom program and the SDSs in their work area. 

By adopting portions of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), OSHA s Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard, requires the use of GHS-compliant labels. Chemical hazard warning labels are one way of informing employees of the hazards and of how to protect themselves when using or storing a material. 

In other words, employers may continue to use rating systems such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA ) 704 diamonds or Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS ) III requirements for in-house workplace labels as long as they are consistent with the requirements of the HazCom Standard, and the employees have immediate access to the specific hazard information as discussed above. If you use NFPA or HMIS labeling, you must, through training, ensure that your employees are fully aware of the hazards of the chemicals used. 

Well, look at the HazCom label. What does it say about it Ramon asked. 

Explained the importance of HazCom label and the information that is provided on it. 

OSHA requires that all shipped containers of hazardous chemicals be labeled, tagged, or marked with six elements according to the Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200 ... 

OSHA defines container as any bag, barrel, bottle, box, can, cylinder, drum, reaction vessel, storage tank, or the hke that contains a hazardous chemical. Any OSHA-defined container must have a HazCom label. For purposes of the standard, pipes or piping systems, and engines, fuel tanks, or other operating systems in a vehicle, are not considered to be containers. 

On the other hand, if HazCom-labeled chemical containers are being shipped, and these containers are not packaged within another container, then these containers must not only have the OSHAHazCom label, tag, or marking but also a DOT label. Drums and totes fit this scenario, where the container itself both holds the chemical and is the DOT-shipping container. 

If a label has a DOT transport pictogram, 1910.1200 Appendix C.2.3.3 states that the corresponding OSHA HazCom Standard pictogram shall not appear. However, recently OSHA has explained that DOT does not view the OSHA pictogram as a conflict and for some international trade, both pictograms may need to be present on the label. Therefore, OSHA intends to revise Appendix C.2.3.3. In the meantime, OSHA will allow both DOT and OSHA pictograms for the same hazard on a label. 

As an employer, you are not responsible for updating labels on shipped containers, even if the shipped containers were labeled under the HazCom Standard as effective prior to May 25, 2012. You must relabel items if the labels are removed or defaced, however. Also, if you become aware of newly-identified hazards not disclosed on the label, you must ensure your employees are aware of them. 

If these HazCom-labeled chemical containers are packaged within another container (such as small bottles packed inside a box), the outer container is required to be labeled per Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, but an OSHA HazCom label, tag, or marking would not be required to appear on the outer container because the outer container would not contain a hazardous chemical. Chemicals in smaller containers inside the larger shipped container require the OSHA HazCom label, tag, or marking but do not require the DOT diamond. 

Your employer must train you on the hazcom standard, and on the in-house labeling system being used in your workplace. Be sure you understand how to read hazcom labels before you use any chemicals. 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Guide to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) available at http //www.osha.gOv/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html 3 (accessed September 14, 2009). 

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