Haz Com is the short term for the HAZARD COMMUNICATION STANDARD. This standard was developed to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals produced or imported are evaluated, and that the information gathered about their hazards is transmitted to employers and employees. Neither workers nor employers are exempt from this standard.
You may think that there are no hazardous chemicals on your job. What about gasoline, diesel fuel, oxygen, acetylene, curing compound, and even WD40? Any chemical container brought on site that has warning labels on it like hazardous, caution, danger, flammable, or corrosive is covered by the Standard. Think about the chemicals you use during your daily activities. Look in the tool trailer. Check your tool box. Check what's carried in the back of your job pick-up.
Requirements in the Standard cover five separate areas: identifying hazardous chemicals, product warning labels, safety data sheets (SDS), a written program, and employee training.
When you IDENTIFY CHEMICAL HAZARDS look for physical hazards which can produce a dangerous situation outside the body and for health hazards which can cause health damage. Next, look for the PRODUCT WARNING LABEL which should alert you that the chemical is dangerous.
Each chemical used in your work area should have a SDS. They come in many different forms; anywhere from one to many pages in length. Each will give the common name, address, and phone number of the manufacturer, first aid information, what to do in case of fire and other special handling requirements.
Each employer must have a comprehensive WRITTEN PROGRAM including a list of chemicals in the work place, where SDS are kept, how employees will get information on unlabeled containers, etc.
EMPLOYEE TRAINING. Each employer is required to train all their employees to use hazardous chemicals safely. Remember - this is a Standard that we can live with!