Telesource

Hazard Communications
Your “Right to Know”

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
The Four Stages of the
Program
 Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
 Labeling and Marking Systems
 Employee Training
 Written Plan

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
Material Safety Data
Sheets

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
Material Safety Data Sheets
• Company • Reactivity Data
Information • Spill & Leak
• Hazardous Procedures
Ingredients • Special Protection
• Physical Data Information
• Fire and Explosion • Special Precautions
Data
• Health Hazard Data

Environmental Health and Safety

 Material Safety Data Sheets:
Your Rights
1. Your employer must
have an MSDS for every
hazardous substance you
use as part of your job.

Environmental Health and Safety

 Material Safety Data Sheets:
Your Rights

2. These MSDSs must be

available to you the entire
time you are in the
workplace.

Environmental Health and Safety

 Material Safety Data Sheets:
Your Rights
3. If you request to see a
copy of an MSDS for a
product you use, and your
employer cannot provide it;
after one working day, you
may refuse to use that
product or work in an area
where it is being used.
Environmental Health and Safety
 Material Safety Data Sheets:
Your Rights
4. If you request your own
personal copy of an MSDS,
your employer has 15 days
to provide it.

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
Labeling and Marking
Systems

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
Labeling and Marking
Systems
 NFPA Diamonds
 HMIS Labels
 Uniform Laboratory Hazard Signage
System

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking Systems
NFPA Diamonds
 Color coded,
numerical rating
system
 Will be located near
main entrances, fire
alarm panels, or on
outside entrance
doors
 Provide at-a-glance
hazard information

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking Systems
NFPA Diamonds
 Blue = Health
 Red = Flammability
 Yellow = Instability
 White = Special
hazard information

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking
Systems
NFPA Diamonds
 4= Deadly Hazard
 3= Severe Hazard
 2= Moderate Hazard
 1= Slight Hazard
 0= No Hazard

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking Systems
HMIS Labels
 Designed to go on
individual containers
of products that
don’t have
manufacturer’s
labels
 Same color
code/numerical
rating system as the
NFPA diamonds

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking Systems
HMIS Labels
 Blue = Health
 Red = Flammability
 Yellow = Instability
 White = Personal
Protective Equipment or
special protection
information
 Numerical Rating of 0-4

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking Systems
HMIS Labels
 You should never have any
unattended, unlabeled
containers in your workplace!

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking Systems
Uniform Laboratory Signage
 Located on
laboratory and
chemical storage
area doors
 Pictographs depict
worst hazards
present in lab or
area

Environmental Health and Safety

 Labeling and Marking Systems
Uniform Laboratory Signage
 Always check with the
appropriate personnel (lab
manager, chemical hygiene
officer, etc.) before performing
work or maintenance in a
laboratory!

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications

Employee Training

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
Employee Training
 Training is required:
 Within the first 30 days of employment
 Whenever new hazards are introduced
 Annually

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
Employee Training
 The training must cover:
 Requirements of regulations
 Location and availability of MSDSs
 Hazardous chemicals used in the workplace
 Method to detect release
 Physical and health hazards
 Measures for personal protection
 Details and location of the written plan

Environmental Health and Safety

 Oklahoma State University
Hazard Communications

The Written Plan

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
The Written Plan
You have a right to possess your
own copy of OSU’s written
hazard communications plan.

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
The Written Plan
It is available from EHS (ext. 47241)
or online at:
[Link]

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
The Written Plan
Chemical Inventory Lists (CILs)
will also be required from your
department.

Environmental Health and Safety

 Hazard Communications
The Written Plan
If you are exposed to a hazardous
substance at work, you should
report it to your supervisor who
will complete an “Employee
Exposure Report Form”
Environmental Health and Safety
 Hazard Communications

BE SAFE,
NOT SORRY!

Environmental Health and Safety