Who Is Responsible for Hazard Communication?
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By Tyler Doupe
OSHAcademy Training Coordinator
Hazard Communication (HazCom), which is sometimes referred to as the ‘Right-to-Know” rule, is an OSHA requirement put in place to ensure that employees have firsthand knowledge of chemical hazards they may encounter during the course of their regular job duties.
With effective implementation, HazCom has the potential to save lives, whereas ineffective HazCom can easily turn deadly. A tragic example of the latter played out in December of 2008 when Sheharbano “Sheri” Sangji was working with the highly flammable chemical compound tert-butyllithium in a UCLA laboratory. The plunger from a syringe containing tert-butyllithium unexpectedly came dislodged, the chemical ignited, and Sangji died from her injuries in January of 2009.
An investigation into the tragic ordeal uncovered that personal protective equipment (PPE) wasn’t being utilized at the time of the incident. Had her employer provided Sangji with a flame-retardant lab coat, it may have saved her life.
The preventable nature of this incident raises some important questions regarding workplace safety and who is responsible for HazCom. The onus ultimately lies with the employer, but it’s important to note that employees can still contribute to a safe workplace.
Employees can ensure they stay safer on the job by wearing PPE, staying aware of their surroundings, and reporting hazards, but they can only do so when their employer has fulfilled their obligations. You see, effective HazCom starts and stops at the organizational level. The employer’s role in HazCom includes but is not limited to:
- Developing and implementing a written HazCom Program
- Properly labeling all hazardous chemicals
- Making sure that Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are readily accessible
- Providing HazCom training to all employees in language and terminology they can understand
All in all, effective HazCom saves lives. Ineffective HazCom, on the other hand, can result in deadly consequences. While employees should remain informed, cautious, and proactive, the responsibility for HazCom lies with the employer.
Make sure to take OSHAcademy Course 108: Personal Protective Equipment: Basic to learn more about the proper use of PPE and check out Course 705: Hazard Communication Program for more information on the effective implementation of HazCom.
