What the HazCom Standard Guarantees
OSHA's Hazard Communication standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, requires manufacturers to classify chemical hazards and pass that information down through labels and Safety Data Sheets, and requires employers to keep a written program, maintain SDSs and train employees. Construction applies the same rule through 1926.59.
Training must happen when a worker is first assigned and whenever a new chemical hazard is introduced to the work area. This course covers the general system; your employer adds the specifics of the products in your shop or on your site.
The label system is built on the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), so the same pictograms and signal words appear on products from different suppliers. Once you can read one label, you can read them all — a skill that carries from the shop into chemical safety, PPE selection and every new product a crew brings onto the job.
SDS Sections You'll Use Most
An SDS always has 16 sections in the same order. The course shows how to jump to the ones that matter in the moment.
| Section | Tells you | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| 2 — Hazard identification | Classification, signal word, pictograms | Before first use |
| 4 — First-aid measures | Treatment for each route of exposure | Right after an exposure |
| 6 — Accidental release measures | Spill containment and cleanup | During a leak or spill |
| 7 — Handling and storage | Safe use and incompatibilities | Setting up storage |
| 8 — Exposure controls / PPE | Exposure limits, ventilation, PPE | Choosing gloves, eyewear or respirators |
By the End You'll Be Able To
Read GHS labels: pictograms, signal words and hazard and precautionary statements
Find hazards, PPE and first aid on a Safety Data Sheet quickly
Understand secondary container labeling and in-house label systems
Describe your rights and your employer's HazCom program duties
HazCom in a Crane Shop
Lubricants and fluids
Wire rope dressing, gear oil and hydraulic fluid all come with SDSs — and often end up in unlabeled squeeze bottles.
Secondary containers
Transfer a product to a spray bottle or bucket and it still needs workplace labeling unless it's for your immediate use.
SDS access on the road
Service trucks and field crews need a way to reach SDSs on site, not only in the office.
Who Needs HazCom
- Anyone exposed to hazardous chemicals at work
- Mechanics and lube techs
- Painters and blasters
- Shop and yard crews
- New hires during onboarding
- Supervisors who manage SDS files
Program vs. training
This course supports the training element. Your employer must still maintain the written HazCom program, the chemical inventory and SDS access, and explain the hazards of the specific chemicals in your work area.