Updated Hazard Communication Standard

If you work with chemical products, you should be aware of changes to the Hazard Communication Standard that take effect in July.

Hazard Communication aims to reduce exposure to chemical hazards by informing users of data and practices related to safe use and proper handling. This information centers on user-friendly warning labels and the Safety Data Sheet, also known as an “SDS.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has updated the Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200, to align with the Global Harmonization System version seven and part of version eight.  Learn about some of the HCS changes relevant to WAPA below. 

Labels: Chemical manufacturers are required to provide labeling with precautionary statements and a corresponding pictogram, signal word and hazard statement for each class and category. The updated HCS also requires more readable and comprehensive labels on small packages. 

Hazard Classification: The revised HCS includes a more explicit hazard classification process to provide more accurate information on labels and safety data sheets. It incorporates new hazard classes that include two categories of flammable gas. Also, the “Environment” classification that once included “Aquatic Toxicity” has been removed from the standard and its pictograms. There are now eight of these images, as shown at the beginning of this article, instead of nine. In addition, the HCS has updated physical hazard classes to inform users more effectively about the safe handling of explosives, aerosols and chemicals under pressure.

Safety Data Sheet: The standard SDS now has 16 sections compared with the previous 11. The new sections cover ecological information, disposal considerations, transport information, regulatory information and other data such as the dates of the SDS preparation or the latest revision.

Updates also include clarifications regarding exposure limits for individual ingredients or constituents in chemical mixtures. In addition, manufacturers must identify the hazard of a product as it is used, and not just as manufactured. For example, the change in a physical compound when epoxy and resin are mixed together.

Definitions: Changes to the definitions section include removing “pyrophoric gas” from the “Hazardous Chemical” definition and adding it to one of the new flammable gas categories. Also, OSHA has added “desensitized explosive” to the “Physical Hazard” definition. These compounds are chemically treated so they do not massively explode or burn too rapidly.

This lists just a few of the changes to the HCS. In a nutshell, according to the agency, “OSHA is updating the HCS to improve dissemination of information about chemical hazards by improving and streamlining precautionary statements, providing additional clarification of existing regulatory requirements, incorporating new hazard classes and categories, and increasing alignment with other U.S. agencies and international trading partners.”

Some of these changes are easier to understand than others. Fortunately, WAPA has an industrial hygienist on staff, who can explain the changes in more detail. If you have any questions, you can direct them to Lisa Duncan, CIH, CSP at: LDuncan@WAPA.Gov.