1. OSHA (OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION)
HAZARD COMMUNICATIONS
More about OSHA than you ever
wanted to know!
2. OSHA TRAINING
In 1983, the federal government established the OSHA
hazard communication standard. This standard is
designed to protect employees who use hazardous
materials on the job.
The Hazard Communication Standard states that
companies which produce or use hazardous materials
must provide their employees with information and
training on the proper handling and use of these
materials.
3. OSHA
You, as an employee, have a right to know about the hazardous materials used in
your work area and the potential effects of these materials upon your health and
safety.
Hazardous Materials - Any substance which has been determined to be either a
health hazard or a physical hazard.
Theoretically, anything that is not in tablet form is hazardous.
Practically speaking, OSHA has stated that any material that is used in the same
manner as it would commonly be used around the household is not considered
hazardous.
Terrorist threats – not officially OSHA concern – OSHA has released
guidelines, and has released risk categories for facilities based on
usage, purpose, etc. IUSO is rated under the “green zone”; an unlikely terrorist
target.
4. WHERE TO FIND THE INFORMATION YOU NEED
Your most immediate source for information
can be found on labels attached to containers
which hold various hazardous materials.
Your second source of information is Materials
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Material Safety
Data Sheets will be discussed in the next
section.
5. OSHA REQUIRES THAT THE FOLLOWING
INFORMATION BE INCLUDED ON ALL LABELS:
The product name
A warning statement, message or symbol
On commercial labels, manufacturers of
hazardous materials must include their name
and address. Many manufacturers also include
a statement describing safe handling
procedures.
6. HAZARD LABEL
Each colored bar or small
diamond represents a different
class of hazard. The hazard
classes found on labels include
Health, Flammability, Reactivity,
and in some cases, Special
Hazards
Each hazard class uses a
different color and a rating scale
from 0 - 4.
7. HEALTH HAZARDS
The first hazard class is Health Hazards.
This hazard class is colored BLUE.
The rating scale for Health Hazards is listed
below:
0 - No Hazard
1 - Slight Hazard
2 - Dangerous
3 - Extreme Danger
4 - Deadly
8. FLAMMABILITY HAZARDS
The second hazard class is Flammability
Hazards. This hazard class is colored RED.
The rating scale for flammability hazards is
based on the flash point of the material. The
flash point is the temperature at which the
material gives off enough vapors to sustain
ignition.
10. REACTIVE MATERIAL
The third hazard class is for reactive material. This hazard class is
colored YELLOW.
The rating scale for Reactivity is listed below:
0 – Stable
1 - Normally Stable
2 – Unstable
3 – Explosive
4 - May Detonate
11. SPECIAL HAZARDS
The fourth hazard class is called Special Hazards. This hazard class is
colored WHITE.
These special hazards are represented by the following symbols:
W – Water Reactive
OX - Oxidizer
- Radioactive
COR - Corrosive
ACD - Acid
ALK – Alkali
12. MSDS (MATERIAL DATA SAFETY SHEETS)
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) provides detailed information about a
specific hazardous material. An MSDS contains the following Information:
Identity (name of substance) Physical Hazards (target organ)
Health Hazards Routes of Body Entry
Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL) Carcinogenic Factors
Safe-Handling Procedures Data of Sheet Preparation
Control Measures Emergency First Aid Procedures
(personal protective equipment) (emergency telephone
number)
Contact Information Special Instructions
(for the manufacturer)
13. WHERE TO FIND MSDS
INFORMATION
All the computers in the
Health Center will have a
link to MSDS information
on the bottom right corner
of the monitor.
14. MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheets are
available for ALL of the hazardous
materials present in the work
area.
15. WHEN DO YOU USE AN MSDS?
You should use an MSDS whenever you need
additional information about a hazardous
material that is not included on the product
label.
For example, you have spilled nitric acid on the
floor, and you need to know how to clean it up
safely. You need only refer to the "Safe-
Handling Procedures" section of the nitric acid
MSDS.
16. MSDS – BE PREPARED
Some chemicals, such as sodium
hydroxide, are very dangerous. If you have an
accident, you may not have time to look up the
information you need in an MSDS.
You should read the MSDS for the hazardous
materials present in your work area before you
work with them.
17. HOW TO FIND AN MSDS
Located on the bottom right corner of the desk
top on all Health Center computers.
Take time to read the MSDS which describe the
hazardous materials present in your work area.
Remember, knowing where MSDS are located
and how to use them is your responsibility; it is
part of your job.
18. PHYSICAL HAZARDS
Physical Hazards are one of two major classes of
hazardous materials covered by the OSHA
Communication Standard.
Physical hazards are those substances which
threaten your physical safety. The most common
types of physical hazards are:
Fire
Explosion
Chemical Reactivity
19. MATERIALS USING THE FIRE SYMBOL
Flammables can be gases, liquids
or solids. Flammables ignite easily
and burn rapidly. Liquid
flammables have a flashpoint
under 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combustibles are similar to
flammables, but they do not ignite
as easily. Liquid combustibles
have a flash point above 100
degrees Fahrenheit.
Pyrophoric, or spontaneous
combustion materials, burst into
flames "on their own" at
temperatures below 130 degrees
Fahrenheit.
20. MATERIALS USING THE EXPLOSIVE SYMBOL
Explosives are materials which
release a tremendous amount of
energy in the form of heat, light and
expanding pressure within a very
short period of time.
Water Reactives react with water and
may explode, or they may release a
gas which is flammable.
Unstable Reactives are chemicals
that can react or can become self-
reactive when subjected to
shock, pressure or temperature.
21. MATERIALS USING THE FLAMING “O”
SYMBOL
Oxidizers cause other
substances to burn more
easily through a chemical
reaction or change.
Organic Peroxides
contain oxygen and act as
powerful oxidizers.
22. MATERIALS USING THE CYLINDER
SYMBOL
Many gases such as
nitrogen, oxygen, and
acetylene are used in the
manufacturing process. In
order to transport, store and
use these gases, they are
"bottled" under great
pressure in tanks called gas
cylinders.
23. HEALTH HAZARDS
Health hazards are the
other major class of
hazardous materials
covered by the OSHA
Communication
Standard.
24. HAZARD POTENTIAL
Hazard potential is the likelihood that
a specific chemical or substance
(toxic material) will cause an ill effect
at a given dose.
25. HIGH TOXICITY – LOW DOSE
Acetone is a highly toxic chemical. But you
could work safely with it, if you were outside or
in a well ventilated room where your dose
would be very low.
26. LOW TOXICITY - HIGH DOSE
Nitrogen gas has a low toxic rating. However, if
you were in a confined space that had only
nitrogen gas in it (a very high dose), you would
soon die because of the lack of oxygen.
27. SAFE EXPOSURE LIMITS
Safe exposure limits are based upon a
Time Weighted Average, or TWA. TWAs
have been established for all the
chemicals you work with and limit the
average amount of a chemical you can be
exposed to over an eight hour day.
29. INHALATION
Inhalation is the most common route of
exposure for most health hazards. This
includes breathing in dust, fumes, oil
mist, and vapors from solvents and
various gases.
30. SKIN CONTACT
Some chemicals are absorbed into the body
through skin contact. If a chemical is readily
absorbed into the skin, then the notation "skin"
will appear along with the occupational
exposure limits on the MSDS.
Wearing aprons, gloves, eye protection, and
other protective clothing is important when
working with some chemicals.
31. WEARING GLOVES
Select gloves that fit.
Remove any rings, watches, or bracelets that might cut or tear
your gloves.
Wash your hands before and after wearing your gloves.
Inspect your gloves before you use them. Look for holes and
cracks that might leak.
After working with chemicals, hold your gloved hands under
running water to rinse away any chemicals or dirt before
removing the gloves.
32. CLEANING AND DISPOSING OF
CONTAMINATED MATERIALS
Bodily fluid spill
Contact appropriate personnel
Dispose materials in biohazard container
Location?
Sharps disposal
Sharps container
Location?
33. EYEWASH STATIONS
If you accidentally get something in your eyes, go
directly to the eyewash station and flush your eyes
with water for 15 minutes.
Be sure to hold your eyes open with your fingers
and "look" directly into the water streams.
DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES! Rubbing your eyes may
scratch or embed particles into your eyes.
Once you have flushed your eyes with water for 15
minutes, seek medical attention immediately.
34. INGESTION
Only eat in designated “break” or non-work
areas.
If even a remote possibility of contamination
exists (from bodily fluids or chemicals), food
and drink is prohibited in work areas.
Wash your hands and face with soap and
water after working with chemicals before you
eat, drink, or smoke.
35. MAIN TYPES OF HEALTH HAZARDS
Corrosives - cause tissue damage and burns on contact with the
skin and eyes.
Primary Irritants - cause intense redness or swelling of the skin or
eyes on contact, but with no permanent tissue damage.
Sensitizers - cause an allergic skin or lung reaction.
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.
36. HEALTH HAZARD SYMBOLS
The Medical symbol
is a general symbol
used to identify
materials which are
health hazards.
37. HEALTH HAZARD SYMBOLS
The Skull and
Crossbones is used
to identify hazardous
materials which are
poisonous.
38. HEALTH HAZARD SYMBOLS
This symbol is used
to identify materials
which are
Corrosives.
Corrosives cause
tissue damage and
burns on contact with
skin or eyes.
41. TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION
Knowing how to work safely with chemicals that
pose a hazard is an important activity. This is the
reason for this training, safety meetings, MSDS,
and various bulletins. You have a right to know,
but you also have a responsibility to use the
knowledge and skills to work safely.
42. PERSONAL MONITORING
Monitor yourself and others. Be on the lookout
for any physical symptoms which would indicate
that you or your coworkers have been
overexposed to any hazardous chemical.
Symptoms, such as skin rashes, dizziness, eye
or throat irritations or strong odors, should be
reported to your supervisor.
43. EMERGENCY EVACUATION
PROCEDURES
Must have plan in place to deal with
emergencies (fire, earthquake, flood, bomb
threat, terrorism)
Personnel evacuation
Floor plan maps: Located in every room of the
Health Center. Standard location is next to
door frame.
44. FIRE PREVENTION
Smoke alarms, sprinklers
If fire extinguishers available, must be
identified, trained personnel to operate them
Don’t overload electrical circuits!
45. BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS
Purpose: Protect workers from exposure to
human bloodborne pathogens (Hepatitis B, C,
HIV)
Human blood, blood products or blood
components are OSHA concerns
46. BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS
Exposure Control Plan
Education on symptoms and transmission of Hep. B, Hep. C and
HIV
Information on free Hep. B vaccine
PPE
Work Practice Controls (single-handed recapping, hand washing,
prohibit eating/drinking in designated work areas)
Housekeeping
Containment and disposal of infectious waste
47. ERGONOMICS - REPETITIVE MOTION
INJURIES
Some jobs require that you repeat the same hand
motion over and over again.
These kind of jobs may cause what is known as
repetitive motion injuries.
Early symptoms include numbness and tingling in
the fingers and hand.
If the problem persists, talk with your supervisor or
safety manager.
48. OSHA
Find more information at the OSHA web
site: http://www.osha.gov/
The Indiana Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (IOSHA) web site:
http://www.in.gov/dol/iosha.htm