Hazard Communication

1. Hazard Communication Your Right to Know

2. What is Hazard Communication • OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 – “Right to Know” went into effect in November 1985 • The purpose of Haz-Com is to communicate hazards associated with the workplace to employees. • Employees have a Right to Know about the hazards in their work area and the potential effects of these hazards upon health and safety

3. Material Safety Data Sheets Hazardous Communications

4. MSDS Sections: • Identification of chemical • Hazardous Ingredients • Physical Data • Fire and Explosion Data • Health Hazard Data • Reactivity Data • Personal Protection Equipment • Spill & Leak Procedures • Handling & Storage

5. Information included in MSDS sections • Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL), Threshold Limit Value (TLV), other exposure limits • Whether a chemical in a carcinogen • Precautions to take for safe handling/use • Recommended engineering controls. • Emergency first aid procedures • Date of preparation • Name, address, phone number of manufacturer, importer, responsible party

6. MSDS Requirements • Mohave Community College must have a MSDS for every hazardous substance an employee uses as part of the job. • MSDSs must be available to an employee the entire time they are in the workplace.

7. MSDS Requirements • If an employee requests a copy of an MSDS for a product he/she uses, and MCC cannot provide it after one working day, the employee may refuse to use that product or work in an area where the product is being used. • If an employee requests a personal copy of an MSDS, MCC has 15 days to provide it.

8. Labeling & Marking Systems Hazardous Communications

9. Labeling & Marking Systems • The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires that ALL hazardous materials be labeled. Labels must appear either on the container itself, the batch ticket, placard or the process sheets. • Hazardous chemicals in portable containers which are for the immediate use of the employee who performs the transfer is the exception to this rule.

10. Labeling and Marking Systems Types of Labels • NFPA Diamonds • HMIS Labels • Uniform Laboratory Hazard Signage System • Labels warn of potential dangers • Labels are not intended to be the sole source of information • Labels serve as an immediate warning

11. NFPA Diamonds • Color coded, numerical system • Will be located near main entrances, fire alarm panels, or on outside entrance doors • Provides at-a-glance hazard information

12. NFPA Diamonds • Blue = Health • Red = Flammability • Yellow = Instability • White = Special hazard information

13. NFPA Diamonds • 4 = Deadly Hazard • 3 = Severe Hazard • 2 = Moderate Hazard • 1 = Slight Hazard • 0 = No Hazard

14. HMIS Label • Designed to go on individual containers of products that don’t have the manufacturer’s labels • Same color code/ numerical rating system as the NFPA diamonds

15. HMIS Label • Blue = Health • Red = Flammability • Yellow = Instability • White = Personal protective equipment or special protection information • Numerical Rating of 0-4

16. Uniform Laboratory Signage • Located on laboratory and chemical storage area doors • Pictographs depict worst hazards present in lab or area

17. Remember! • You should never have any unattended, unlabeled containers in your workplace! • Always check with the appropriate personnel (lab manager, etc) before performing any work on maintenance in a laboratory!

18. Health Hazards Hazard Communications

19. Health Hazards include… Any chemical that may be harmful to your health is called a health hazard. Health hazards include: • Corrosives – cause tissue damage and burns on contact with skin and eyes • Primary Irritants – cause intense redness or swelling of the skin or eyes on contact, but with no permanent damage • Sensitizers – cause an allergic skin or lung reaction

20. Health Hazards include… • Acutely Toxic Materials – cause an adverse effect even at a very low dose • Carcinogens – may cause cancer • Teratogens – may cause birth defects • Organ Specific Hazards – may cause damage to specific organ systems, such as the blood, liver, lungs, or reproductive system

21. Routes of Exposure • Absorption – skin & eyes • Ingestion – direct & indirect • Inhalation • Injection

22. Physical Hazards Hazard Communications

23. Physical Hazards • Physical hazards are those hazards which threaten your physical safety

24. Physical hazards include any chemical that is: • Combustible liquid • Compressed gas • Explosive • Flammable • Organic peroxide • Oxidizer • Unstable (reactive)

25. Physical hazards also include… • Heat stress • Cold stress • Lasers • Hand-arm vibrations • Ionizing Radiation • Noise • Radio Waves • Ultraviolet radiation

26. Protective Measures Hazard Communications

27. Protective Measures • Engineering Controls – well designed work areas minimize exposure to materials which are hazardous (ie exhaust systems and wetting systems to control dust) • Work Practices – Safe work practices will insure that chemicals are used correctly and safely • Product Substitution – Because many chemicals do similar jobs, it is important to select chemicals that do a good job, while being less toxic • Personal Protective Equipment – Respirators, eye protection, gloves, aprons, and other protective equipment and clothing are designed to protect employees while working – USE THEM!

28. What now? Hazard Communications

29. What now? • Know the location and availability of hazard communication program, chemical and physical hazard inventory and MSDS files. • Know what protective measures (PPE) you will need when dealing with hazards • Speak with your supervisor about chemical specific and site specific Haz-Com training

30. What now? • Knowing how to work safely with chemicals and other physical hazards is an important activity. This is the reason for the online training, site specific training, materials inventory and MSDS • You have a right to know, but you also have a responsibility to use the knowledge and skills to work safely!

31. Thank You!