Hazard Communication

The Purpose of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)

1. Reduce illness and injuries related to hazardous chemical exposures

2. Evaluate hazardous chemical usage and storage at our facilities

3. Communicate information to employees, emergency responders, and contractors about the hazardous chemicals used at, or brought into, our facilities

4. Reduce quantities of hazardous waste disposal fees due to unused products left at or past their prime use condition

Hazard Determination (Chemical Inventory) Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Labels and Other Forms of Warning Employee Training Including Appropriate Protective

Measures

Hazard Communication

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

• Developed by Chemical manufacturers and importers

• Distributors transfer to customers

• Employers maintain a copy onsite• Electronic or hard copies of

MSDS must be reasonably available

• Includes information regarding hazards associated with the product

Required by law except for:◦ Food◦ Drugs◦ Cosmetics◦ Tobacco or tobacco products◦ Wood or wood products

Treated wood or wood intended for subsequent cutting/dust generation is not exempt

◦ Biological hazards◦ Nuisance particulates◦ Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation◦ Over the shelf products in quantities a consumer would have –

AKA one or two bottles◦ Hazardous waste covered by RCRA◦ Hazardous substances covered by CERCLA

(removed/remediated substances)

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Must include some basic information◦ Name, address and phone number of the manufacturer◦ Identity used on the label◦ Chemical and common name◦ Physical and chemical characteristics◦ Physical hazards◦ Primary route of entry◦ PEL/TLV◦ If it is a carcinogen◦ Safe handling procedures◦ Control measures◦ Emergency & first aid information◦ Date of preparation

MSDS

Name, address and phone number of manufacturerIdentity use on the label

Chemical names of ingredients

Emergency and First Aid

Date of preparation

Carcinogen information

Physical Hazards

Primary route of entry

PEL/TLV

Control measures

Safe handling precautions

More control procedures

Physical/chemical characteristics

Environmental

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Labeling

What does it all mean? Don’t swallow it

◦ If you do, don’t vomit Don’t spray it in your

eyes◦ If you do flush with water◦ Best to look at the direction

of the arrow on top of spray button

Don’t use in confined spaces without proper ventilation

Avoid skin contact◦ If you do, wash with soap

and water

It is flammable◦ Don’t store it by the furnace◦ Don’t spray it into the flames◦ Don’t let it touch the battery

terminals◦ An ABC extinguisher is fine to

extinguish a fire Leaking cans

◦ Put them in a bucket until pressure is dispersed

◦ Clean up any spills with pig pads

Store in flammable cabinet ◦ In vehicles care should be

taken to not store in direct sun and avoid temps over 120o

Caution Consider how the manufacturer intended the

product to be used◦ Fertilizer used in small quantities is not harmful to

plants Consider the quantity of the product being used

◦ One can of WD-40 verses a facility where they are manufacturing the cans of WD-40

Consider the controls in place when using the product◦ Natural gas is a hazard when not controlled by

design. We cook our food and heat our homes safely when natural gas is controlled.

Chemical inventory Hazard evaluation Communication of hazards to employees

and contractors Labeling of containers including piping

systems Training

Implementing Hazard Communication Programs

Chemical Groups Solvents, Strippers, and DegreasersPaints, Coatings, and ResinsAdhesives, Sealants, and CementPesticides, Insecticides and HerbicidesFuels and Fuel AdditivesLubricants, Hydraulic and Cutting FluidsCleaners and DetergentsCompressed GasInsulating Materials, Abrasives and

PackingCorrosivesCoolantsMetals and Fluxes for Welding and MeltingOther Chemicals and Specialty ChemicalsWater Treatment Chemicals

By reading the MSDS a hazard evaluation can take place based on the chemicals in the product and how it is used

Use the MaxCom system to identify hazard warning labels on secondary containers

Monitoring can also be used to evaluate exposure risks

Hazard Evaluation

Both employees and contractors must be knowledgeable

Employees need to know what contractors have and contractors need to know what employers have◦ Ensure contractors do not leave products after the job is

over without prior approval Products which are of concern under normal use

situations must be identified◦ H2S exposure◦ Corrosives

Unusual or infrequently performed tasks must consider exposure to hazards during the pre-job meeting/Safe Work Checklist review

Communication of Hazards

Understand hazards of chemicals you are exposed to

Understand the MSDS Understand your responsibilities to

communicate hazards to others Understand your responsibilities to label

containers Understand what is required on a label

Training

Identification of chemical Warning labels Name and address of

manufacturer/distributor Legible In English Prominently displayed Secondary containers

Labeling

Must be labeled unless◦ Immediately used by person making transfer◦ Under the control of the person making the transfer

Examples:◦ Transfer paint from a five gallon container to a quart

sized container for quick paint touch up activities Quart must be labeled unless product is used up at the

end of the workday or when not under the control of the employee who transferred it

◦ Transfer five gallons of oil from a 55 gallon barrel Five gallon container must be labeled

Secondary Containers

LABELS

LABELS

Labels should have the following information:

Chemical Name or alternative or synonym name

Warning Statement

Caution Phrases

Precautionary Statements

First Aid Information

LABELS

METHANOL (Methyl Alcohol)

DANGER! FLAMMABLE POISON

Vapor Harmful. May Be Fatal If Swallowed

Keep away from heat, sparks, open flame. Keep container closed. Use only with adequate ventilation. Wash thoroughly after handling.

IMMEDIATELY CALL POISON CONTROL CENTER OR 911.

IF SWALLOWED. Give a tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm water and repeat until vomit fluid is clear.

LABELS

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) utilizes a diamond divided into four color coded sections:

Blue - Health Hazard

Red - Flammability

Yellow - Reactivity Hazard

White - Other Hazard Information

LABELS

Within each section, a number ranks the degree of hazard:

0 - No or Minimal Hazard

1 - Slight Hazard

2 - Moderate Hazard

3 - Serious Hazard

4 - Extreme Hazard

1

2

3

LABELS

The white section alerts the user to special hazards that a material may possess, such as:

Water reactivity

Strong oxidizer

Corrosivity

Radioactivity

LABELS

The Hazardous Material Identification System (HMIS) is similar to the NFPA. The color and numbering codes are identical. HMIS uses a color bar system with ranking for the level of protection:

Proper Labeling of Tanks