Search

Question of the Week: Communicating Unknown Hazards

Posted on 2/1/2011 by James Griffin

Q. When an employer discovers that a chemical product has a hazard that is NOT indicated on the manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), what should he or she do?

A. The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS: 29 CFR 1910.1200(h)) requires chemical manufacturers to assess the hazards of their products and prepare the MSDS accordingly. The MSDS must report all physical and health hazards that may appear during normal use and forseeable emergency situations.

When an employer discovers that an MSDS is inadequate or incomplete, he or she is not responsible for rewriting the MSDS. However, employers must inform their employees of the new hazard and provide them appropriate training and protective equipment.

Employers are encouraged to contact chemical manufacturers about hazards that are not accurately reflected on the MSDS. Chemical manufacturers are required to update their MSDSs when new information comes to their attention (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(5)).

OSHA has policies in place that explain how to address an inaccurate MSDS. See OSHA Directive 02-00-038 “Inspection Procedures for the Hazard Communication Standard”.

Sources: OSHA letter of interpretation [December 22, 2008]

Tags: HazCom, osha, Safety Data Sheets

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

The instructor had knowledge of regulations and understanding of real-world situations. The presentation style was engaging and fostered a positive atmosphere for information sharing.

Linda Arlen

Safety & Environmental Compliance Officer

This is a very informative training compared to others. It covers everything I expect to learn and even a lot of new things.

Quatama Jackson

Waste Management Professional

Excellent class, super instructor, very easy to follow. No rushing through material. Would like to take his class again.

Lawrence Patterson

EH&S Facility Maintenance & Security Manager

You blew the doors off the competition!

Stephen Bieschke

Facilities Manager

Very witty instructor, made the long times sitting bearable. One of the few training courses I can say I actually enjoyed.

John Hutchinson

Senior EHS Engineer

I like Lion's workshops the best because they really dig into the information you need to have when you leave the workshop.

Tom Bush, Jr.

EHS Manager

This was the 1st instructor that has made the topic actually enjoyable and easy to follow and understand. Far better than the "other" training providers our company has attended!

Lori Hardy

Process & Resource Administrator

This training broke down the regulations in an easy-to-understand manner and made them less overwhelming. I now feel I have the knowledge to make more informed decisions.

Amanda Oswald

Shipping Professional

Lion does a great job summarizing and communicating complicated EH&S-related regulations.

Michele Irmen

Sr. Environmental Engineer

Lion was very extensive. There was a lot of things that were covered that were actually pertaining to what I do and work with. Great Job. I will be coming back in three years!

Tony Petrik

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Shipping papers are a crucial part of safely shipping hazardous materials. See the top 5 mistakes shippers make on shipping papers, and how to avoid them.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.