OSHA revised its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) in order to align more closely with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System (GHS) in March 2011. The new regulations were published in the Federal Register, 29CFR 1910.1200(g). These changes are going to create a safer work environment for employees and will drive standardization in labeling and Safety Data Sheets.
If you have been around long enough, you may remember that the earlier Hazard Communication Standard (1994) was known as the "Right to Know." But since just knowing is not always enough, the new HazCom 2012 was developed and is being called the "Right to Understand". So, you may be asking, what does this mean to me?
There are two significant changes contained in the revised standard. First, product labels will be changing and will now include more uniform wording and pictograms (more about the labels and pictograms in my next edition of "Technically Speaking"). Second is a standardized format for Safety Data Sheets (SDS), which we have all known for many years as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Even though the information contained in the SDS is largely the same as the MSDS, the SDSs are required to be presented in a consistent 16 section format and there is specific minimum information that must be provided (required sections listed on right).
In addition to the new sections, if the product contains a trade secret, this must be listed as a trade secret, following all the rules and regulations. If the product contains a hazardous chemical, it must be listed if the chemical is greater than 1% (if carcinogen is greater than 0.1%) or if that product may exceed the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) or Threshold limit values(TLM) or if the product presents a health risk to exposed employees in these concentrations.
The new regulations stipulate these changes must be made by the summer of 2015. As for StatLab we plan to get this done by the end of March, 2014.
OSHA has also mandated all employees who handle hazardous chemicals must be trained by December 1, 2013 on how to interpret the new SDSs and safety labels. It is not enough for employees to read the SDS and sign that they understand (as they did in the past), so please check out the OSHA Fact Sheet on Employee Training
(https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3642.pdf). The OSHA web page also has a lot of helpful information. https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom. Don't forget to check the National Society for Histotechnology (http://www.nsh.org) website, teleconferences and annual Symposium/Convention coming up in Providence, Rhode Island for any upcoming workshops on Global Harmony System (GHS) or general safety if you are interested in more information.
OSHA estimates that over 5 million workplaces in the United States would be affected by the revised Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) and that 43 million employees in the United States are regularly exposed to hazardous chemicals. OSHA estimates that the revised HCS will result in the prevention of 43 fatalities and 585 injuries and illnesses (318 non-lost-workday injuries and illnesses, 203 lost-workday injuries and illnesses, and 64 chronic illnesses) annually. The monetized value of this reduction in occupational risks is an estimated $250 million a year on an annualized basis.
We want to thank everyone who has inquired as to when these changes will be in place and we are looking forward to finalizing the project so that our customers and employees know and understand what they need to know in order to work with hazardous chemicals safely. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
--Debbie
