HAZARD COMMUNICATION PROGRAM GUIDE Developed by: Hortica Loss Control Department Revised 10/2004
Instructions for completing the Hazard Communication Program Guide. Replace the words COMPANY NAME with the name of your company. Replace JOHN DOE with the name of the individual responsible for those specific duties described. Replace capitalized job titles with the appropriate titles of those designated to perform the specific duties described. This Hazard Communication Program Guide was created by the Hortica Loss Control Department to assist our customers in establishing their own Hazard Communication Program. This program guide was developed using Federal Standards and may not include all of the requirements of some state funded Occupational Safety and Health Administrations.
COMPANY NAME HAZARD COMMUNICATION PROGRAM
PURPOSE To ensure that our employees know the hazards associated with the chemicals they are working with and the proper protective measures needed to prevent their adverse effects. To identify hazardous substances present in the workplace and make sure they are properly marked and labeled. To allow COMPANY NAME to provide a safe workplace free from hazards. I. HAZARD DETERMINATION and IDENIFICATION COMPANY NAME will rely on appropriate hazard determination by manufacturers, importers and distributors for the substances they manufacture or sell. II. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE INVENTORY 1) SAFETY COORDINATOR, JOHN DOE, will maintain a list of all hazardous substances used and generated in the facility, and update the list as necessary. The hazardous substance list will be updated upon receipt or generation of new hazardous substances at the facility. The master list will be maintained at the COMPANY NAME main office. The hazardous substances will be listed alphabetically by common name. The material safety data sheets (MSDS) will also be organized alphabetically by common name. As new products are acquired, they will be inserted alphabetically into the existing list. The substances which are not in containers will also be included on the inventory list. Ex. Welding fumes, dusts, etc. 2) All department supervisors will maintain a current list of all hazardous substances used in their departments. These lists will be located within the department and will be made available to employees. 3) Department supervisors are responsible for reporting to the Safety Coordinator, any chemicals coming in to their departments which do not appear on the chemical inventory. The Safety Coordinator will then determine if the chemical is hazardous, and will ensure that the purchasing department requests MSDS s and labeling. 4) The RECEIVING FOREMAN is responsible for sending all new MSDS information received to the COMPANY NAME SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
III. LABELS JOHN DOE is responsible to ensure that all hazardous substances in the facility are properly labeled. Labels should list at least the chemical identity, appropriate hazard warnings and the name and address of the manufacturer. Immediate use containers (small quantity containers into which materials are drained for use by a single employee, for a single shift) do not require labeling. All other in-house containers must meet above label requirements, referring to label information supplied by the manufacturer. If the label provided by the manufacturer is not appropriate, JOHN DOE will notify the Safety Coordinator, who will then notify the manufacturer of the discrepancies in labeling. JOHN DOE will check on a regular basis to ensure that all containers in the facility are labeled and that the labels are up-to-date. Each department supervisor is responsible for seeing that all containers used in their departments are labeled properly and remain legible. Defacing labels or using them improperly is prohibited. IV. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS The SAFETY COORDINATOR, JOHN DOE, will be responsible for maintaining a MSDS library on each hazardous chemical in the workplace. The MSDS s will consist of a completed OSHA 174 form or its equivalent. The purchasers of new substances will request a MSDS on all orders of new products. Upon receipt, a copy of the MSDS will be given to the Safety Coordinator for the master MSDS list. If MSDS s are not received with the initial shipment, the purchaser should contact the vendor and request the MSDS. If the MSDS is not received within 30 days, the Safety Coordinator should be notified and a decision made regarding alternate suppliers and/or discontinuation of the chemical s use. The Safety Coordinator is responsible for providing interim hazard information for all chemicals that do not have a MSDS. The department supervisors will maintain a file of MSDS s for all of the hazardous substances used in their departments. The exact file location will be communicated to the employees. It is the department supervisor s responsibility to update that job site s inventory list as they are provided by the Safety Coordinator. Each job site will be provided with a compilation of MSDS s for chemicals used at that site.
Employees will have access to information from the MSDS s during all work hours. The MSDS s are written in English. JOHN DOE OR BILINGUAL SUPERVISORS are available to translate the information verbally to our Spanish-speaking employees. Copies of MSDS s will be kept in the following areas: Main office Maintenance Shop West Wall Chemical Room Outer Wall In Greenhouse Range #1 Break Room V. EMPLOYEE TRAINING 1) Before starting work with hazardous substances, each employee will attend a hazard communication training session where they will receive information on: a) Policies and procedures related to the Hazard Communication Standard which includes information on accessing the standard. b) How to read, interpret and locate a MSDS. c) Physical and health hazards of hazardous substances in their work area. d) Procedures and observations to identify the presence of a release. e) Work practices that may result in exposure. f) How to prevent or reduce exposure. g) Procedures to follow if exposure occurs. 2) The Safety Coordinator will present hazard communication training to all employees. This training will be conducted prior to the employee working with or near any known hazardous chemical or substance. 3) The format of the training session will be in video format and lecture. 4) Each employee will sign a form documenting that they have received the training. 5) The Safety Coordinator will monitor and maintain records of employee training and schedule additional training whenever a new hazard is introduced into the workplace. VI. RECORD KEEPING 1) All MSDS s will be kept for a period of 30 years after the use of the substance has been discontinued. 2) The inventory lists will be kept for 30 years. (The OSHA Standard 1910.20 Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records requires that exposure records on an employee be kept for a period of 30 years beyond the duration of employment.) If the MSDS is then the only exposure information available, these become exposure records.