AGI Safety Tips
Issue 9
Tips:
The first rule of
Hazard
Communications
is to read the
label!
Ÿ Don’t mix
Chemicals!
Did you know
that mixing
bleach and
ammonia will
make Chlorine
Gas?
That’s the same
deadly chemical
that was used as
a warfare agent
in World War I.
March, 2007
Hazard Communication
If an OSHA inspector were to walk up to you now and ask you if you knew
where the Material Safety Data Sheets are kept, would you know the
answer? Year after year, Hazard Communication reaches OSHA’s top ten
list of the most cited violations. Employers are required to relate
information to their employees about the chemicals used in the workplace.
Right to Know
The Right to Know Act of 1970 is the law that sets the standards for
employers to provide chemical information to employees.
Under this law employers must:
• Train their employees about chemical safety
• Provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) when specified
• Have Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available for all chemicals
that are deemed hazardous
MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheets are product information sheets that provide
in-depth chemical information. These sheets are to be read by employees
before they begin working with chemicals they are not familiar with.
Each sheet contains:
• Identity – The product name
• Manufacturer – Their name, address, emergency phone number,
and date prepared
• Hazardous ingredients – The specific chemical identities and
common names
• Physical chemical characteristics – The odor and appearance
of the product, its boiling point and evaporation rate
• Fire & Explosion Hazard – Covering the chemical’s physical
hazards and fire safety information
• Reactivity Data – The stability of the chemical and what
situations to avoid negative reactions
• Health Hazard Data – What health hazards the product could
cause and what the first aid procedures would be if exposed to the
chemicals
• Precautions for Safe Handling & Use – How to handle spills &
leaks, proper disposal and how to store the product
• Control Measures – Measures to reduce exposure, including
ventilation and personal protective equipment
AGI Safety Tips
Issue 9
Page 2
March, 2007
Tips:
MSDS sheets give you all the information you need to use chemicals
safely.
Ÿ If you have
questions and
concerns about
poisons call the
American
Association of
Poison Control
Center or visit the
website: www.1800-222-1222.info
All Affinity Group locations maintain MSDS notebooks.
In the Denver office, MSDS Notebooks are maintained in the janitorial
closets located throughout the building as well as by the legal postings in
the hallway directly outside the lunchroom. In Ventura the MSDS
notebooks are by the time clock, in the lunchroom & in H/R.
If you are not certain where the MSDS notebooks are located, please
contact your location’s facility manager.
Even
•
•
•
•
if you don’t work with chemicals regularly, it’s important that you:
Read product labels first before using any chemical in the building
Consult the MSDS notebook, if you need more information
Always follow chemical instructions and use PPE as indicated
When in doubt, see your supervisor or office manager before use
Where applicable, AGI locations register their hazardous materials with the
local EPA offices, along with a written materials business plan.
Remember: Hazard communication can protect you only if you read labels
and MSDS and follow warning instructions.
Safety Sudoku
In this mini Sudoku puzzle you must
complete the grid so that every row and
column contains the letters that are in the
word “safety” –not necessarily in spelling
order. A letter is never repeated in a row or
column. In addition, every rectangle
(outlined with a heavier line) must contain
only one of the six letters. Good luck!
Visit the AGI Safety web site. There you
can read past Safety Tips newsletters and
use links to other safety related sites.
http://agisafety