Excerpts from the Course

What is the Hazard Communication Standard?

The Hazard Communication Standard from OSHA aims to ensure the chemical safety of employees in the workplace. Hence detailing information about the identities and hazards of the chemicals.  As a result, determining the process to be properly labeled and understood by the employees.

Specifically, requiring the development and dissemination of the following information.

• Chemical manufacturers and importers require the evaluation of the hazards and chemicals they produce or import. And in addition, prepare labels and safety data sheets conveying the hazard information to their downstream customers.
• All employers with hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must have labels and safety data sheets for their exposed workers.   As well as training them to handle the chemicals appropriately.

The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) also aligns with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Coupled with classifying chemicals and communicating hazard information on labels and safety data sheets.

HAZWOPER Training

OSHA has developed the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard or HAZWOPER program.  The purpose, in short, is protecting workers at hazardous sites.

While requiring workers to be trained to perform their anticipated job duties without endangering themselves or others. To determine the level and type of training your workers need, you must consider the hazards in your community and what capabilities your personnel needs to respond to those hazards. You should make your determination based on worst-case scenarios.

If your personnel is expected to provide limited decontamination services to attend to medical problems, they must be trained to the first responder operations level with emphasis on the use of PPE and decontamination procedures.

Overall, HAZWOPER requires the employer to certify that workers have the training and competencies to handle emergencies involving hazardous substances.