The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule from its Occupational Safety and Health Administration that will update the current Hazard Communication Standard to better protect workers by improving the amount and quality of information on labels and safety data sheets. The new standard will also allow workers and first responders to react faster in an emergency.
The updates took effect July 19, 2024, in the federal OSHA system and on August 23, 2024, in South Carolina.
The updated hazard communication program has revised the hazard classification for aerosols, desensitized explosives, flammable gasses, and chemicals under pressure with the aerosol class being in a newly created category.
There is also a new labeling allowance for the requirements used for small container manufacturers of chemicals and small containers of 100 milliliters or less. These can now use the abbreviated shipped container label information on the immediate container. Manufacturers of very small containers of three milliliters or less can put only the product identifier on the immediate container if a label would interfere with use. The outer packaging must have the full shipped-container-label information, and the label must instruct users to keep small or very small containers in the outer packaging when not in use. There are also labeling provisions for containers released for shipment. The manufacturer’s importers or distributors who become aware of new significant hazard information do not need to relabel chemical products already released for shipment. These new provisions ensure that trade secrets do not obstruct hazard information from workers and first responders.
The updated criteria for classifying chemicals now require chemical manufacturers to consider intrinsic properties, including hazards due to downstream uses, when classifying their products.
The changes also included updated information for safety data sheets, including adding particle characteristics to Section 9 and clarification that Section 1 must contain domestic contact information. Updated instructions for chemical manufacturers should also be included in Section 2.
Those in charge of their employers’ hazard communication program should request a new safety data sheet for all chemicals from each facility at the municipality.
In addition, workers should refrain from transferring chemicals into secondary containers, except for cases such as changing the oil in a vehicle where they are transferring the oil from a 55-gallon tote to a smaller, more accessible container.
Changes that affect municipalities are minimal. However, a side-by-side comparison from the old standard to the new standard changes can be seen on OSHA’s website.
For more information, contact loss control consultant, John Ciesielski at jciesielski@masc.sc or 803.354.4752.