HAZARD COMMUNICATION TRAINING, OSHA 1910.1200
SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR MESSIAH COLLEGE
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enacted a standard (29 CFR 1910.1200 –
Hazard Communication) for hazardous chemicals in the workplace. The intent is to insure that the
hazards of these chemicals are identified by the manufacture, and communicated to the employees who
use them through chemical labeling, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), workplace procedures and training.
The employer is to document the workplace programs for compliance in a written hazard
communication program. As a minimum, the hazard communication program should describe how the
requirements of this standard will be met.
Messiah College’s Hazard Communication Program: Chemical Safety Manual is available on the
College’s MC-Square portal under the Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) channel. The EHS channel is
on both the Employee and the Student tabs. On the Employee tab it will appear at the center, top of the
screen; on the Student tab is will appear on the left side of the screen, directly under “Need-to-Know.”
On this channel is a link to various EHS documents, including the Hazard Communication Program:
Chemical Safety Manual. It contains information on everything contained in this document and
more...labels…Safety Data Sheets … Inventory Lists… chemical spill procedure…general safety practices
to follow when using chemicals…contractor’s chemicals…etc. (See the Table of Contents, Attachment
1).
WHAT IS A CHEMICAL OR CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE?
Under this OSHA standard, a chemical is anything that during use can emit dusts, vapors, gases, mists or
particulates. Therefore, a piece of wood that is being sanded where dust is generated is a chemical
under this standard. A piece of metal that is being polished where dust is emitted is a chemical under
this standard. This makes sense because both wood dust and metal dusts can be hazardous to your
health.
CHEMICAL LABELING
All chemical containers must be labeled by the manufacturer. It is illegal to deface, remove, cover up or
in any way destroy these labels unless the container is empty.
The new Globally Harmonized System (GHS) labeling system is to be used by manufacturers. (For awhile
you may see a combination of old-style and new GHS labels on chemical containers.)
Secondary containers also require labels. A secondary container is any container in which you place the
chemical substance that is not the manufacturer’s container.
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At Messiah College, there are two approved methods for secondary labeling:
1. Copy/photocopy of the manufacturer’s original label applied to the secondary container;
2. The Messiah College secondary label.
HEALTH Hazards
PHYSICAL Hazards
The name of the chemical
substance traceable to the
SDS
The name of the
manufacturer
Both Health Hazard & Physical Hazard information should be included on the label by placing an “X” in
the box above the appropriate hazard. This hazard information can be obtained from the
manufacturer’s original label or the SDS for the substance.
Health Hazard information is noted in the blue area. Check all hazards that apply.
If the substance contains 0.1% or more of a carcinogen, the box above Carcinogenic
Toxin should be checked.
The box above Reproductive Toxin should be checked if the substance contains 0.1%
or more of a reproductive toxin.
The box above Acutely Toxic should be checked if the substance is acutely toxic; this
is often denoted by a “Skull and Crossbones” on the manufacturer’s label.
The box above Harmful to Health should be checked if the substance is an irritant or
sensitizer (via skin contact, inhalation) or is harmful (but not acutely toxic) if
ingested. These health effects are often denoted by an Exclamation Mark on a
manufacturers’ label.
However, even if no health hazards are checked, treat the chemical as if it is hazardous as future
testing may result in one of these classifications.
Always handle chemicals with respect!
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Physical Hazard information is noted in the red area. Check all hazards that apply.
If the substance is flammable, then the box above Flammable should be checked;
this is often denoted by flame symbol on a manufacturer’s label.
The box above Oxidizer should be checked if the substance is an oxidizer; this is often
denoted by the symbol with the flame over an O on manufacturers’ labels.
The box above Explosive should be checked if the chemical substance is explosive or
self-reactive or an organic peroxide. This is often noted by the Exploding Bomb
symbol on a manufacturer’s label.
The box above Corrosive should be checked if the substance is a corrosive; this is
often denoted by the corrosive symbol on manufacturers’ labels.
NOTE: Secondary containers of water or other non-hazardous chemicals should be labeled for
identification purposes to avoid confusion. Containers in office areas are not included in this
requirement.
There are some exceptions to the requirement for secondary labels:
 Pipes and pipelines – however, always consult facilities maintenance if potential exposure to
the contents of plumbing exists
 Portable, intermediary containers – intended only for the use of the employee who performs
the transfer and only during the work shift it is transferred
 Solid materials, storage areas, workshops – may display signs to notify employees of the
potential hazards of exposure
 Substances that are subject to labeling requirements by other federal agencies (ex., hazardous
waste that is governed by EPA)
 Tobacco and tobacco products
 Food or alcoholic beverages
 Drugs as defined by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act
 Cosmetics intended for personal use
 Articles
 Wood and wood products that will NOT be processed
 Ionizing and nonionizing radiation
 Biological hazards
 Any consumer product or hazardous substance where the employer can show that it is used in
the workplace for the purpose intended by the chemical manufacturer or importer of the
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product, and the use results in a duration and frequency of exposure which is not greater than
the range of exposures that could reasonably be experienced by consumers when used for the
purpose intended
Example, White Out used in an office with normal exposure would be exempt; Windex used by campus
events would not be exempt as exposure would be expected to be greater than normal use in a home.
For more information about chemical labeling and pictograms, see the OSHA QuickCards (Attachment 2,
Attachment 3).
SAFETY DATA SHEET ACCESS AND AREA INVENTORY LISTS
3E ONLINE SYSTEM
SAFETY DATA SHEETS
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) (previously referred to as a Material Safety Data Sheet) is a document which
contains information (health and physical hazards) about a chemical substance, manufacturer’s contact
information, physical properties, and more. The SDS is a standard format that is internationally
recognized. It has 16 sections of information which must appear in a specific order. See Attachment 4,
OSHA’s QuickCard on Safety Data Sheets, for a description of each section.
Employers are required to maintain copies of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for all chemical substances
found in their workplace and to have them available for employees during their workshifts. At Messiah
College, we utilize an outside vendor to maintain a database of our SDSs. Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for
chemicals used at Messiah College are found in the 3E Online System.
A link to the 3E Online System is available from the Environmental, Health & Safety channel on MCSquare (on both the Employee and Student tabs).
You can access SDSs 24-7…view them on a computer, print them or email them to yourself.
SDSs are also available via phone. Campus phones should display a sticker with the phone number to
call. This should be primarily for emergency situations when the online system is not available.
However, if for any reason you have difficulty using the online system, this also serves at the backup.
AREA INVENTORY LISTS
OSHA requires a chemical inventory be maintained for all workplaces. The chemical inventories for
areas/departments at Messiah College are maintained electronically on the same 3E Online System.
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REMEMBER…
Detailed instructions on how to use the 3E Online System and additional information about topics
covered in this training can be found in the written Hazard Communication Program: Chemical Safety
Manual.
If you have any questions about the safe use of chemicals in your area, contact your area leadership.
If you still have questions, please feel free to contact the Compliance Coordinator, Donna Fink, at ext.
5038 or [email protected].
Please complete the documentation page (Attachment 5) and send it to Donna Fink, suite 3015 or give
it to your leadership to have him/her send it. OSHA doesn’t recognize training that isn’t documented!
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Attachment 1
Table of Contents for the
Hazard Communication Program: Chemical Safety Manual
Section 1 – Introduction
Section 2 – Definitions
Section 3 – Labels & Other Forms of Warning
Section 4 – Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
Section 5 – Methods to Inform Employees of Hazards of Chemicals
Section 6 – Chemical Hazards
Section 7 – Measures to Protect Against Chemical Exposures and General Worksite Safety Practices
Section 8 – Spill Procedure
Section 9 – Employee Information and Training
Section 10 – Inventory Lists of Hazardous Chemicals
Section 11 – Contractors
Section 12 – NFPA Codes
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Attachment 2
The required GHS label elements include:
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Product Identifier(s)
Supplier/Manufacturer Identification and Contact Information
Precautionary Statements
Hazard Pictograms (for both health and physical hazards)
Hazard Statements
Supplemental Information
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Attachment 3
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Attachment 4, Side 1
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Attachment 4, Side 2
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Attachment 5
Documentation Form for
HAZARD COMMUNICATION TRAINING
This training included information on the Messiah College Hazard Communication Program: Chemical
Safety Manual and how to access it, Safety Data Sheets and the 3E System, and chemical labeling
including the GHS labels and the Messiah College secondary label system.
Name (Print):
Signature:
Job Position:
Date of Training:
Name (Print):
Signature:
Job Position:
Date of Training:
Name (Print):
Signature:
Job Position:
Date of Training:
Name (Print):
Signature:
Job Position:
Date of Training:
Employees - please send completed form to Donna Fink, Suite 3015, for record retention.
Student Employees – please send completed form to Belinda Conrad, Suite 3010 for record retention.
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