POWER May 2011 - 70

HEALTH & SAFETY
HAZCOM Is Essential for Avoiding
Explosive Situations
In 1983, OSHA published its Hazard Communication (HAZCOM) Standard, which
requires that the hazards of all chemicals used in the workplace be communicated
to employees so that responsible protective measures can be taken.
Today, HAZCOM remains near the top of the list of most frequently violated
OSHA standards that result in a citation. The 1917 Halifax Explosion, one
of the world's largest nonnuclear explosions, testifies to what can happen
when you don't have-or don't follow-an effective HAZCOM program.
By James M. Hylko
A
ccording to the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA),
more than 30 million U.S. workers
are exposed to hazardous chemicals in their
workplaces. To protect against chemical
source illness and injury, OSHA published
its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS),
also referred to as HAZCOM, in 1983. The
purpose of the HCS was to ensure that the
hazards of all chemicals produced or imported
are properly understood and that information
concerning those hazards is conveyed to
employers and employees.
The HCS standard requires those hazards
to be communicated through a company's
HAZCOM to employees-typically, by using
three separate means: container warning
labels, material safety data sheets (MSDSs),
and employee training. The HCS can be
found in its entirety at 29 CFR 1910.1200,
Hazard Communication.
Since the HCS rule became effective, it
has been amended to address the fast-growing
list of chemicals used in the workplace.
OSHA currently regulates exposure to approximately
400 substances. The OSHA
Chemical Sampling Information (CSI) file
contains listings for approximately 1,500
substances; the Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA's) Toxic Substance Control
Act (TSCA) Chemical Substances Inventory
lists information on more than 62,000 chemicals
or chemical substances; and some libraries
maintain files of MSDSs for more than
100,000 substances. As you can see, there are
numerous hazardous chemicals in the workplace,
regulated or not.
Review Your HAZCOM Program
The accessibility and use of MSDSs should
already be a part of your company's standard
business practices. Usually, they are
included as part of the company's right-to70
know
program. Typical HAZCOM training
information that should be disseminated to
all employees includes the following:
■ Reason for a HAZCOM plan.
■ The HCS and the standard operating procedure
that addresses HAZCOM.
■ MSDS books and their importance.
■ Common types of materials expected to be
encountered on-site.
■ Container labeling and disposition.
■ Building postings.
■ Employee protection and responsibilities.
MSDSs are used worldwide to transmit
detailed information about a chemical-
for example, how it should be used, its
effects, and how to protect against those
effects. Many employers routinely review
MSDSs before they purchase a chemical
and compare it to acceptable alternatives
in order to ensure that the least hazardous
material is selected. This practice is perhaps
the most important use of the MSDS,
as it prevents unnecessary exposure to a
hazardous chemical.
In addition, MSDSs help identify what
protective measures should be used when
handling the material, such as the type of
respiratory protection to prevent an inhalation
exposure or the type of glove material
required to prevent skin exposure.
For MSDSs, warning labels, and employee
training to be effective, the hazard information
they convey must be complete and accurate.
It's therefore critically important for
every company to obtain comprehensive and
correct information about the hazards associated
with particular chemicals. The process
of evaluating available scientific evidence in
order to determine if a chemical is hazardous,
as required by the HCS, is referred to as a
" hazard determination. " The hazard determiwww.powermag.com
nation
provides the basis for the information
provided in its MSDS.
Chemical manufacturers and importers are
required to perform hazard determinations
on the chemicals they produce or import.
Under the HCS, an employer that manufactures,
processes, formulates, or repackages a
hazardous chemical is considered a " chemical
manufacturer. " Distributors and employers
may also choose to conduct hazard
determinations if they are concerned about
the adequacy of hazard information for the
chemicals they use in their business or distribute
to others.
Two primary resources are required to
conduct a hazard determination. First, complete,
accurate, up-to-date literature and data
concerning the chemical is required. Second,
the analyst must be able to understand and
interpret the information retrieved in order
to identify and document the hazards. Specifically,
any chemical that presents either
a physical or health hazard is considered a
hazardous chemical. The HCS uses the following
definitions for physical and health
hazards:
■ " Physical hazard " means a chemical for
which there is scientifically valid evidence
that it is a combustible liquid, a
compressed gas, explosive, flammable, an
organic peroxide, an oxidizer, pyrophoric,
unstable (reactive), or water-reactive.
■ " Health hazard " means a chemical that
may cause acute or chronic health effects
in exposed employees, such as chemicals
that are carcinogens, toxic or highly toxic
agents, reproductive toxins, irritants, corrosives,
sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins,
neurotoxins, agents that act on
the hematopoietic system, and agents that
damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous
membranes.
POWER | May 2011
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POWER May 2011

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