| The Home page of ILPI's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Resource, the leader in SDS information since 1995! | |
| The history and philosophy behind this resource. | |
| A curated collection of books and reference materials concerning Safety Data Sheets and closely related topics. | |
| Paste your plain text SDS into the SDS-Demystifier, and it will be converted into a hypertext-enriched document with links to detailed explanations of each key term. | |
| An extensive list of frequently asked questions about Safety Data Sheets including regulations, content, compliance, and more. | |
| A humorous take on Safety Data Sheet jargon. Fill in the blanks on our entry form to generate a personalized Unsafety Data Sheet to share with your coworkers. | |
| Since 1995, we've maintained this massive curated list of the best places to find Safety Data Sheets on the Internet. | |
| Way more than a glossary, this hypertext-enhanced resource covers hundreds of SDS-related terms and expert knowledge. Each entry includes both the SDS relevance and links to additional authoritative resources. | |
| Archived results of Safety Data Sheet related polls taken by some of our millions of site visitors | |
| You are here! The OSHA regulations behind SDS regulations, including the inspection guidelines and over 400 official interpretations letters under the Hazard Communication Standard | |
| Commercial suppliers of SDS authoring and management software as well as cloud compliance services. | |
| Commercial companies that will create SDS's for your specific needs as well as SDS translation companies. |
Interactive Learning Paradigms, Incorporated
Safety signs, banners, and scoreboards? Get yours at Safety Emporium!
| Title: 03/31/1994 - Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requirements. | |
| Record Type: Interpretation | Standard Number: 1910.1200 |
March 31, 1994
The Honorable Bob Goodlatte
U.S. House of Representatives
640 Crestar Plaza
10 Franklin Road, S.E.
Roanoke, Virginia 24011
Dear Congressman Goodlatte:
Thank you for your letter of February 25, concerning the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requirements. Your constituent, Dr. William F. Ball, feels that his compliance with this standard is "entirely too burdensome, unnecessary and of little benefit given the trouble and expenditure it requires."
|
We believe the HCS is a common sense regulation. It applies only to hazardous chemicals which are known to be present in the workplace in such a manner that employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency. In terms of the notebooks of information mentioned by Dr. Ball, it appears that he is referring to the requirement for material safety data sheet (MSDS). The standard requires that for each hazardous chemical in the workplace, the employer is required to maintain a copy of the MSDS. The HCS exempts several product categories, some of which would be pertinent to a physician employer. These exemptions include: any consumer product where the individual employer can show that it is used for the purpose intended by the manufacturer, and that the duration and frequency of exposure is no greater than the range of exposures experienced by consumers; drugs which are in solid, final form for direct administration to the patient (i.e., tablets or pills); drugs which are packaged by the manufacturer for sale to consumers and which employees do not administer to patients (e.g., over-the-counter medicines); and medicines which are intended for personal consumption by employees. However, non-solid, hazardous drugs are covered by the standard, and the physician employer would need to maintain a copy of the MSDS for such drugs, and include these products in the workplace hazard communication program. | (sponsored information) 400,000 MSDS's in your shirt pocket... |
OSHA'S HCS provides workers exposed to hazardous chemicals with information as well as training about the identities and hazards of those chemicals, as well as protective measures. OSHA believes that when workers have such information, they are better able to take steps to protect themselves from experiencing adverse effects from exposure. In addition, providing such information to employers helps them to design better protective programs for exposed employees.
OSHA believes that significant benefits are associated with the implementation of the HCS in the workplace. Employers may use the information, for example, to select personal protective equipment, design engineering controls, and substitute less hazardous chemicals. These actions will improve protection of workers. In addition, the written information may be used to train workers to properly handle the chemical.
For further references we have enclosed copies of the booklet designed to assist employers in complying with the HCS, entitled "Chemical Hazardous Communication." We have also enclosed a copy of the current rule, which was updated in a February 9, 1994 Federal Register notice. The requirements of the HCS have been clarified, but not substantially changed, in this rulemaking notice.
We hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions please contact us at (202) 219-8036.
Sincerely,
H. Berrien Zettler, Deputy Director
Directorate of Compliance Programs
The original official public domain version of this document is available from OSHA at XXXOSHAURL.