This month we are covering Material Safety Data Sheets as our Safety Training Plan topic. This is required training for all employees who will be handling, processing, manufacturing, storing or applying materials; found on the Directors List of Hazardous Substances or Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances. You should review these lists as many substances have been identified as 'hazardous'.

Data Sheets must be current and accessible to all employees exposed. Material Safety Data Sheets are your primary information source to identify, protect against or provide emergency response for hazardous materials. All employees are required to have access to them and be:

1. trained on how to read them,
2. alerted about the hazards of materials contacted at work
3. warned about chemical changes in formulations or hazards, or when new or replacement products are introduced.

Pesticides and Consumer products are exempt, unless quantities used or exposures are greater than ordinary home consumer quantities or exposures.

Material Safety Data Sheets: Contractor
Material Safety Data Sheets: Fixed Site

We are also covering Labeling, because it is a related topic to the Material Safety Data Sheets. Labels are another form of warning about the hazards of the substance(s) they are using; to your employees. Cal/OSHA requires every container of hazardous substances be labeled with four pieces of information:

Labels are required on all materials. If the manufacturer’s label is destroyed, separated from the container, the ink fades or is unreadable for some other reason; you are responsible to replace immediately.  Certain carcinogens and above ground pipes that transport hazardous substances require proper labeling.

Labeling: Contractor
Labeling: Fixed Site

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