Page 48 - OHS, June 2024

TRAINING: HAZARD COMMUNICATION
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
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Employees must be trained on the hazardous chemicals in their work area. What do employers need to know to comply with standards and protect their employees?
BY RACHEL KRUBSACK
The potential for accidents, inci- dents, and injuries is always present when people work with, or are in the vicinity of, hazardous chemi-
Physical
• Flammable (gases, aerosols, liquids, or solids) • Oxidizer (liquid, solid, or gas)
• Self-reactive
• Pyrophoric (liquid or solid)
• Self-heating
• Organic peroxide
• Corrosive to metal
• Gas under pressure
• In contact with water emits flammable gas
good news, though, is that Hazard Commu- nication (HazCom) training can help ensure chemical safety in the workplace.
When employees know and understand
Health Hazard
• Acute toxicity (any route of exposure) • Skin corrosion or irritation
• Serious eye damage or eye irritation
• Respiratory or skin sensitization
• Germ cell mutagenicity
• Carcinogenicity
• Reproductive toxicity
• Specific target organ toxicity (single or repeated exposure) • Aspiration hazard
cals. OSHA estimates that 43 million work- ers produce or handle hazardous chemicals in more than five million workplaces across the country. That’s a lot of potential! The
46 Occupational Health & Safety | JUNE 2024
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