As part of an ongoing campaign to help small employers comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), OSHA recently published Hazard Communication: Small Entity Compliance Guide for Employers That Use Hazardous Chemicals to specifically address employer responsibilities under the HCS.  Since many of the provisions of the HCS apply only to chemical manufacturers, importers, or distributors, this guide focuses on assisting employers that use rather than produce chemicals in order to identify the parts of the rule that apply to their facilities and help them develop and implement an effective hazard communication program.

Employers that use hazardous chemicals in their workplaces are required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), 29 CFR 1910.1200, to implement a written hazard communication program, outlining procedures for labeling of hazardous chemical containers, use of safety data sheets (SDSs) for hazardous chemicals, and appropriate hazard communication training to all workers who handle hazardous chemicals.

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Staffing Agencies and Host Employers Share Joint Responsibility for the Safety of Temporary Workers

When temporary workers are assigned by a staffing agency to a client (host employer), the agency and the client become joint employers, with shared responsibility for the conditions of employment as well as compliance with applicable laws.  In this joint employment structure the temporary staffing agency and the host employer are both responsible for the health and safety of temporary workers.

In order to ensure that there is a clear understanding of each employer's role in protecting temporary workers, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration recommends that the staffing agency and the host employer clearly identify and agree upon their respective responsibilities for compliance with applicable OSHA standards in their employment contract.

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OSHA Training Center Assistant Director Application Deadline: September 1, 2014

The OSHA Training Center at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District has launched a search for an Assistant Director to spearhead the expansion of its workplace safety and health programs.  In this high profile management position the Assistant Director performs a variety of program oversight and project management activities.

The annual salary range for the Assistant Director of the OSHA Training Center is $90,853 - $107,899, depending on qualifications.  Application package required for the position must be received no later than September 1, 2014, with a projected start date of November 1, 2014.

For a complete job description and information on the application process, visit the CLPCCD Employment Opportunities Site and click on the View Positions tab in the left column.