Hazard Communication 1910.1200

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
of a currently effective determination
by the Assistant Secretary of Labor
that such program is compatible with
the requirements of this section. Such
determinations currently are in effect
only in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Kansas, Kentucky,
Florida, Mississippi, New Hampshire,
New York, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington, Maryland, North Dakota,
South Carolina, and Georgia.
[39 FR 23502, June 27, 1974, as amended at 43
FR 49746, Oct. 24, 1978; 43 FR 51759, Nov. 7,
1978; 49 FR 18295, Apr. 30, 1984; 58 FR 35309,
June 30, 1993. Redesignated at 61 FR 31430,
June 20, 1996]

§ 1910.1200 Hazard communication.
(a) Purpose. (1) The purpose of this
section is to ensure that the hazards of
all chemicals produced or imported are
evaluated, and that information concerning their hazards is transmitted to
employers and employees. This transmittal of information is to be accomplished by means of comprehensive
hazard
communication
programs,
which are to include container labeling
and other forms of warning, material
safety data sheets and employee training.
(2) This occupational safety and
health standard is intended to address
comprehensively the issue of evaluating the potential hazards of chemicals, and communicating information
concerning hazards and appropriate
protective measures to employees, and
to preempt any legal requirements of a
state, or political subdivision of a
state, pertaining to this subject. Evaluating the potential hazards of chemicals, and communicating information
concerning hazards and appropriate
protective measures to employees, may
include, for example, but is not limited
to, provisions for: developing and maintaining a written hazard communication program for the workplace, including lists of hazardous chemicals
present; labeling of containers of
chemicals in the workplace, as well as
of containers of chemicals being
shipped to other workplaces; preparation and distribution of material safety
data sheets to employees and downstream employers; and development

§ 1910.1200

and implementation of employee training programs regarding hazards of
chemicals and protective measures.
Under section 18 of the Act, no state or
political subdivision of a state may
adopt or enforce, through any court or
agency, any requirement relating to
the issue addressed by this Federal
standard, except pursuant to a Federally-approved state plan.
(b) Scope and application. (1) This section requires chemical manufacturers
or importers to assess the hazards of
chemicals which they produce or import, and all employers to provide information to their employees about the
hazardous chemicals to which they are
exposed, by means of a hazard communication program, labels and other
forms of warning, material safety data
sheets, and information and training.
In addition, this section requires distributors to transmit the required information to employers. (Employers
who do not produce or import chemicals need only focus on those parts of
this rule that deal with establishing a
workplace
program
and
communicating information to their workers.
Appendix E of this section is a general
guide for such employers to help them
determine their compliance obligations
under the rule.)
(2) This section applies to any chemical which is known to be present in
the workplace in such a manner that
employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency.
(3) This section applies to laboratories only as follows:
(i) Employers shall ensure that labels
on incoming containers of hazardous
chemicals are not removed or defaced;
(ii) Employers shall maintain any
material safety data sheets that are received with incoming shipments of hazardous chemicals, and ensure that they
are readily accessible during each
workshift to laboratory employees
when they are in their work areas;
(iii) Employers shall ensure that laboratory employees are provided information and training in accordance
with paragraph (h) of this section, except for the location and availability of
the written hazard communication program under paragraph (h)(2)(iii) of this
section; and,

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

(iv) Laboratory employers that ship
hazardous chemicals are considered to
be either a chemical manufacturer or a
distributor under this rule, and thus
must ensure that any containers of
hazardous chemicals leaving the laboratory are labeled in accordance with
paragraph (f)(1) of this section, and
that a material safety data sheet is
provided to distributors and other employers in accordance with paragraphs
(g)(6) and (g)(7) of this section.
(4) In work operations where employees only handle chemicals in sealed
containers which are not opened under
normal conditions of use (such as are
found in marine cargo handling,
warehousing, or retail sales), this section applies to these operations only as
follows:
(i) Employers shall ensure that labels
on incoming containers of hazardous
chemicals are not removed or defaced;
(ii) Employers shall maintain copies
of any material safety data sheets that
are received with incoming shipments
of the sealed containers of hazardous
chemicals, shall obtain a material safety data sheet as soon as possible for
sealed containers of hazardous chemicals received without a material safety
data sheet if an employee requests the
material safety data sheet, and shall
ensure that the material safety data
sheets are readily accessible during
each work shift to employees when
they are in their work area(s); and,
(iii) Employers shall ensure that employees are provided with information
and training in accordance with paragraph (h) of this section (except for the
location and availability of the written
hazard communication program under
paragraph (h)(2)(iii) of this section), to
the extent necessary to protect them
in the event of a spill or leak of a hazardous chemical from a sealed container.
(5) This section does not require labeling of the following chemicals:
(i) Any pesticide as such term is defined in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C.
136 et seq.), when subject to the labeling
requirements of that Act and labeling
regulations issued under that Act by
the Environmental Protection Agency;
(ii) Any chemical substance or mixture as such terms are defined in the

Toxic Substances Control Act (15
U.S.C. 2601 et seq.), when subject to the
labeling requirements of that Act and
labeling regulations issued under that
Act by the Environmental Protection
Agency.
(iii) Any food, food additive, color additive, drug, cosmetic, or medical or
veterinary device or product, including
materials intended for use as ingredients in such products (e.g. flavors and
fragrances), as such terms are defined
in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) or the
Virus-Serum-Toxin Act of 1913 (21
U.S.C. 151 et seq.), and regulations
issued under those Acts, when they are
subject to the labeling requirements
under those Acts by either the Food
and Drug Administration or the Department of Agriculture;
(iv) Any distilled spirits (beverage alcohols), wine, or malt beverage intended for nonindustrial use, as such
terms are defined in the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (27 U.S.C. 201 et
seq.) and regulations issued under that
Act, when subject to the labeling requirements of that Act and labeling
regulations issued under that Act by
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms;
(v) Any consumer product or hazardous substance as those terms are defined in the Consumer Product Safety
Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.) and Federal
Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C.
1261 et seq.) respectively, when subject
to a consumer product safety standard
or labeling requirement of those Acts,
or regulations issued under those Acts
by the Consumer Product Safety Commission; and,
(vi) Agricultural or vegetable seed
treated with pesticides and labeled in
accordance with the Federal Seed Act
(7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq.) and the labeling
regulations issued under that Act by
the Department of Agriculture.
(6) This section does not apply to: (i)
Any hazardous waste as such term is
defined by the Solid Waste Disposal
Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.), when
subject to regulations issued under
that Act by the Environmental Protection Agency;

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(ii) Any hazardous substance as such
term is defined by the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability ACT (CERCLA) (42
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) when the hazardous
substance is the focus of remedial or
removal action being conducted under
CERCLA in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency regulations;
(iii) Tobacco or tobacco products;
(iv) Wood or wood products, including
lumber which will not be processed,
where the chemical manufacturer or
importer can establish that the only
hazard they pose to employees is the
potential for flammability or combustibility (wood or wood products which
have been treated with a hazardous
chemical covered by this standard, and
wood which may be subsequently sawed
or cut, generating dust, are not exempted);
(v) Articles (as that term is defined
in paragraph (c) of this section);
(vi) Food or alcoholic beverages
which are sold, used, or prepared in a
retail establishment (such as a grocery
store, restaurant, or drinking place),
and foods intended for personal consumption by employees while in the
workplace;
(vii) Any drug, as that term is defined in the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.),
when it is in solid, final form for direct
administration to the patient (e.g., tablets or pills); drugs which are packaged
by the chemical manufacturer for sale
to consumers in a retail establishment
(e.g., over-the-counter drugs); and
drugs intended for personal consumption by employees while in the workplace (e.g., first aid supplies);
(viii) Cosmetics which are packaged
for sale to consumers in a retail establishment, and cosmetics intended for
personal consumption by employees
while in the workplace;
(ix) Any consumer product or hazardous substance, as those terms are
defined in the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.) and Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15
U.S.C. 1261 et seq.) respectively, where
the employer can show that it is used
in the workplace for the purpose intended by the chemical manufacturer
or importer of the product, and the use
results in a duration and frequency of

§ 1910.1200

exposure which is not greater than the
range of exposures that could reasonably be experienced by consumers when
used for the purpose intended;
(x) Nuisance particulates where the
chemical manufacturer or importer
can establish that they do not pose any
physical or health hazard covered
under this section;
(xi) Ionizing and nonionizing radiation; and,
(xii) Biological hazards.
(c) Definitions.
Article means a manufactured item
other than a fluid or particle: (i) which
is formed to a specific shape or design
during manufacture; (ii) which has end
use function(s) dependent in whole or
in part upon its shape or design during
end use; and (iii) which under normal
conditions of use does not release more
than very small quantities, e.g., minute
or trace amounts of a hazardous chemical (as determined under paragraph (d)
of this section), and does not pose a
physical hazard or health risk to employees.
Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, or designee.
Chemical means any element, chemical compound or mixture of elements
and/or compounds.
Chemical manufacturer means an employer with a workplace where chemical(s) are produced for use or distribution.
Chemical name means the scientific
designation of a chemical in accordance with the nomenclature system developed by the International Union of
Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
or the Chemical Abstracts Service
(CAS) rules of nomenclature, or a name
which will clearly identify the chemical for the purpose of conducting a
hazard evaluation.
Combustible liquid means any liquid
having a flashpoint at or above 100 °F
(37.8 °C), but below 200 °F (93.3 °C), except any mixture having components
with flashpoints of 200 °F (93.3 °C), or
higher, the total volume of which make
up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture.
Commercial account means an arrangement whereby a retail distributor

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

sells hazardous chemicals to an employer, generally in large quantities
over time and/or at costs that are
below the regular retail price.
Common name means any designation
or identification such as code name,
code number, trade name, brand name
or generic name used to identify a
chemical other than by its chemical
name.
Compressed gas means:
(i) A gas or mixture of gases having,
in a container, an absolute pressure exceeding 40 psi at 70 °F (21.1 °C); or
(ii) A gas or mixture of gases having,
in a container, an absolute pressure exceeding 104 psi at 130 °F (54.4 °C) regardless of the pressure at 70 °F (21.1 °C); or
(iii) A liquid having a vapor pressure
exceeding 40 psi at 100 °F (37.8 °C) as determined by ASTM D–323–72.
Container means any bag, barrel, bottle, box, can, cylinder, drum, reaction
vessel, storage tank, or the like that
contains a hazardous chemical. For
purposes of this section, pipes or piping
systems, and engines, fuel tanks, or
other operating systems in a vehicle,
are not considered to be containers.
Designated representative means any
individual or organization to whom an
employee gives written authorization
to exercise such employee’s rights
under this section. A recognized or certified collective bargaining agent shall
be treated automatically as a designated representative without regard
to written employee authorization.
Director means the Director, National
Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, or designee.
Distributor means a business, other
than a chemical manufacturer or importer,
which
supplies
hazardous
chemicals to other distributors or to
employers.
Employee means a worker who may be
exposed to hazardous chemicals under
normal operating conditions or in foreseeable emergencies. Workers such as
office workers or bank tellers who encounter hazardous chemicals only in
non-routine, isolated instances are not
covered.
Employer means a person engaged in a
business where chemicals are either
used, distributed, or are produced for

use or distribution, including a contractor or subcontractor.
Explosive means a chemical that
causes a sudden, almost instantaneous
release of pressure, gas, and heat when
subjected to sudden shock, pressure, or
high temperature.
Exposure or exposed means that an
employee is subjected in the course of
employment to a chemical that is a
physical or health hazard, and includes
potential (e.g. accidental or possible)
exposure. ‘‘Subjected’’ in terms of
health hazards includes any route of
entry (e.g. inhalation, ingestion, skin
contact or absorption.)
Flammable means a chemical that
falls into one of the following categories:
(i) Aerosol, flammable means an aerosol that, when tested by the method
described in 16 CFR 1500.45, yields a
flame projection exceeding 18 inches at
full valve opening, or a flashback (a
flame extending back to the valve) at
any degree of valve opening;
(ii) Gas, flammable means: (A) A gas
that, at ambient temperature and pressure, forms a flammable mixture with
air at a concentration of thirteen (13)
percent by volume or less; or
(B) A gas that, at ambient temperature and pressure, forms a range of
flammable mixtures with air wider
than twelve (12) percent by volume, regardless of the lower limit;
(iii) Liquid, flammable means any liquid having a flashpoint below 100 °F
(37.8 °C), except any mixture having
components with flashpoints of 100 °F
(37.8 °C) or higher, the total of which
make up 99 percent or more of the total
volume of the mixture.
(iv) Solid, flammable means a solid,
other than a blasting agent or explosive as defined in § 1910.109(a), that is
liable to cause fire through friction,
absorption of moisture, spontaneous
chemical change, or retained heat from
manufacturing or processing, or which
can be ignited readily and when ignited
burns so vigorously and persistently as
to create a serious hazard. A chemical
shall be considered to be a flammable
solid if, when tested by the method described in 16 CFR 1500.44, it ignites and
burns with a self-sustained flame at a
rate greater than one-tenth of an inch
per second along its major axis.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
Flashpoint means the minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off a
vapor in sufficient concentration to ignite when tested as follows:
(i) Tagliabue Closed Tester (See
American National Standard Method of
Test for Flash Point by Tag Closed
Tester, Z11.24–1979 (ASTM D 56–79)) for
liquids with a viscosity of less than 45
Saybolt Universal Seconds (SUS) at 100
°F (37.8 °C), that do not contain suspended solids and do not have a tendency to form a surface film under test;
or
(ii) Pensky-Martens Closed Tester
(see American National Standard
Method of Test for Flash Point by
Pensky-Martens Closed Tester, Z11.7–
1979 (ASTM D 93–79)) for liquids with a
viscosity equal to or greater than 45
SUS at 100 °F (37.8 °C), or that contain
suspended solids, or that have a tendency to form a surface film under test;
or
(iii) Setaflash Closed Tester (see
American National Standard Method of
Test for Flash Point by Setaflash
Closed Tester (ASTM D 3278–78)).
Organic peroxides, which undergo
autoaccelerating thermal decomposition, are excluded from any of the
flashpoint
determination
methods
specified above.
Foreseeable emergency means any potential occurrence such as, but not limited to, equipment failure, rupture of
containers, or failure of control equipment which could result in an uncontrolled release of a hazardous chemical
into the workplace.
Hazardous chemical means any chemical which is a physical hazard or a
health hazard.
Hazard warning means any words,
pictures, symbols, or combination
thereof appearing on a label or other
appropriate form of warning which convey the specific physical and health
hazard(s), including target organ effects, of the chemical(s) in the container(s). (See the definitions for
‘‘physical hazard’’ and ‘‘health hazard’’
to determine the hazards which must
be covered.)
Health hazard means a chemical for
which there is statistically significant
evidence based on at least one study
conducted in accordance with established scientific principles that acute

§ 1910.1200

or chronic health effects may occur in
exposed employees. The term ‘‘health
hazard’’ includes chemicals which are
carcinogens, toxic or highly toxic
agents, reproductive toxins, irritants,
corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins,
nephrotoxins,
neurotoxins,
agents
which act on the hematopoietic system, and agents which damage the
lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. Appendix A provides further
definitions and explanations of the
scope of health hazards covered by this
section, and Appendix B describes the
criteria to be used to determine whether or not a chemical is to be considered
hazardous for purposes of this standard.
Identity means any chemical or common name which is indicated on the
material safety data sheet (MSDS) for
the chemical. The identity used shall
permit cross-references to be made
among the required list of hazardous
chemicals, the label and the MSDS.
Immediate use means that the hazardous chemical will be under the control of and used only by the person who
transfers it from a labeled container
and only within the work shift in
which it is transferred.
Importer means the first business
with employees within the Customs
Territory of the United States which
receives hazardous chemicals produced
in other countries for the purpose of
supplying them to distributors or employers within the United States.
Label means any written, printed, or
graphic material displayed on or affixed to containers of hazardous chemicals.
Material safety data sheet (MSDS)
means written or printed material concerning a hazardous chemical which is
prepared in accordance with paragraph
(g) of this section.
Mixture means any combination of
two or more chemicals if the combination is not, in whole or in part, the result of a chemical reaction.
Organic peroxide means an organic
compound that contains the bivalent
-O-O-structure and which may be considered to be a structural derivative of
hydrogen peroxide where one or both of
the hydrogen atoms has been replaced
by an organic radical.

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

Oxidizer means a chemical other than
a blasting agent or explosive as defined
in § 1910.109(a), that initiates or promotes combustion in other materials,
thereby causing fire either of itself or
through the release of oxygen or other
gases.
Physical hazard means a chemical for
which there is scientifically valid evidence that it is a combustible liquid, a
compressed gas, explosive, flammable,
an organic peroxide, an oxidizer,
pyrophoric, unstable (reactive) or
water-reactive.
Produce means to manufacture, process, formulate, blend, extract, generate, emit, or repackage.
Pyrophoric means a chemical that
will ignite spontaneously in air at a
temperature of 130 °F (54.4 °C) or below.
Responsible party means someone who
can provide additional information on
the hazardous chemical and appropriate emergency procedures, if necessary.
Specific chemical identity means the
chemical name, Chemical Abstracts
Service (CAS) Registry Number, or any
other information that reveals the precise chemical designation of the substance.
Trade secret means any confidential
formula, pattern, process, device, information or compilation of information
that is used in an employer’s business,
and that gives the employer an opportunity to obtain an advantage over
competitors who do not know or use it.
Appendix D sets out the criteria to be
used in evaluating trade secrets.
Unstable (reactive) means a chemical
which in the pure state, or as produced
or transported, will vigorously polymerize, decompose, condense, or will become self-reactive under conditions of
shocks, pressure or temperature.
Use means to package, handle, react,
emit, extract, generate as a byproduct,
or transfer.
Water-reactive means a chemical that
reacts with water to release a gas that
is either flammable or presents a
health hazard.
Work area means a room or defined
space in a workplace where hazardous
chemicals are produced or used, and
where employees are present.
Workplace means an establishment,
job site, or project, at one geographical

location containing one or more work
areas.
(d) Hazard determination. (1) Chemical
manufacturers and importers shall
evaluate chemicals produced in their
workplaces or imported by them to determine if they are hazardous. Employers are not required to evaluate chemicals unless they choose not to rely on
the evaluation performed by the chemical manufacturer or importer for the
chemical to satisfy this requirement.
(2) Chemical manufacturers, importers or employers evaluating chemicals
shall identify and consider the available scientific evidence concerning
such hazards. For health hazards, evidence which is statistically significant
and which is based on at least one positive study conducted in accordance
with established scientific principles is
considered to be sufficient to establish
a hazardous effect if the results of the
study meet the definitions of health
hazards in this section. Appendix A
shall be consulted for the scope of
health hazards covered, and Appendix
B shall be consulted for the criteria to
be followed with respect to the completeness of the evaluation, and the
data to be reported.
(3) The chemical manufacturer, importer or employer evaluating chemicals shall treat the following sources as
establishing that the chemicals listed
in them are hazardous:
(i) 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Z, Toxic
and Hazardous Substances, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); or,
(ii) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents in
the Work Environment, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) (latest edition). The
chemical manufacturer, importer, or
employer is still responsible for evaluating the hazards associated with the
chemicals in these source lists in accordance with the requirements of this
standard.
(4) Chemical manufacturers, importers and employers evaluating chemicals shall treat the following sources as
establishing that a chemical is a carcinogen or potential carcinogen for
hazard communication purposes:

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(i) National Toxicology Program
(NTP), Annual Report on Carcinogens
(latest edition);
(ii) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs
(latest editions); or
(iii) 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Z,
Toxic and Hazardous Substances, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
NOTE: The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
indicates whether a chemical has been found
by NTP or IARC to be a potential carcinogen.

(5) The chemical manufacturer, importer or employer shall determine the
hazards of mixtures of chemicals as follows:
(i) If a mixture has been tested as a
whole to determine its hazards, the results of such testing shall be used to
determine whether the mixture is hazardous;
(ii) If a mixture has not been tested
as a whole to determine whether the
mixture is a health hazard, the mixture
shall be assumed to present the same
health hazards as do the components
which comprise one percent (by weight
or volume) or greater of the mixture,
except that the mixture shall be assumed to present a carcinogenic hazard
if it contains a component in concentrations of 0.1 percent or greater
which is considered to be a carcinogen
under paragraph (d)(4) of this section;
(iii) If a mixture has not been tested
as a whole to determine whether the
mixture is a physical hazard, the chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer may use whatever scientifically
valid data is available to evaluate the
physical hazard potential of the mixture; and,
(iv) If the chemical manufacturer,
importer, or employer has evidence to
indicate that a component present in
the mixture in concentrations of less
than one percent (or in the case of carcinogens, less than 0.1 percent) could
be released in concentrations which
would exceed an established OSHA permissible exposure limit or ACGIH
Threshold Limit Value, or could
present a health risk to employees in
those concentrations, the mixture shall
be assumed to present the same hazard.

§ 1910.1200

(6) Chemical manufacturers, importers, or employers evaluating chemicals
shall describe in writing the procedures
they use to determine the hazards of
the chemical they evaluate. The written procedures are to be made available, upon request, to employees, their
designated representatives, the Assistant Secretary and the Director. The
written description may be incorporated into the written hazard communication program required under
paragraph (e) of this section.
(e) Written hazard communication program. (1) Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication
program which at least describes how
the criteria specified in paragraphs (f),
(g), and (h) of this section for labels
and other forms of warning, material
safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and
which also includes the following:
(i) A list of the hazardous chemicals
known to be present using an identity
that is referenced on the appropriate
material safety data sheet (the list
may be compiled for the workplace as a
whole or for individual work areas);
and,
(ii) The methods the employer will
use to inform employees of the hazards
of non-routine tasks (for example, the
cleaning of reactor vessels), and the
hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work
areas.
(2) Multi-employer workplaces. Employers who produce, use, or store hazardous chemicals at a workplace in
such a way that the employees of other
employer(s) may be exposed (for example, employees of a construction contractor working on-site) shall additionally ensure that the hazard communication programs developed and implemented under this paragraph (e) include the following:
(i) The methods the employer will
use to provide the other employer(s)
on-site access to material safety data
sheets for each hazardous chemical the
other employer(s)’ employees may be
exposed to while working;
(ii) The methods the employer will
use to inform the other employer(s) of
any precautionary measures that need

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

to be taken to protect employees during the workplace’s normal operating
conditions and in foreseeable emergencies; and,
(iii) The methods the employer will
use to inform the other employer(s) of
the labeling system used in the workplace.
(3) The employer may rely on an existing hazard communication program
to comply with these requirements,
provided that it meets the criteria established in this paragraph (e).
(4) The employer shall make the
written hazard communication program available, upon request, to employees, their designated representatives, the Assistant Secretary and the
Director, in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.20 (e).
(5) Where employees must travel between workplaces during a workshift,
i.e., their work is carried out at more
than one geographical location, the
written hazard communication program may be kept at the primary
workplace facility.
(f) Labels and other forms of warning.
(1) The chemical manufacturer, importer, or distributor shall ensure that
each container of hazardous chemicals
leaving the workplace is labeled,
tagged or marked with the following
information:
(i) Identity of the hazardous chemical(s);
(ii) Appropriate hazard warnings; and
(iii) Name and address of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other
responsible party.
(2)(i) For solid metal (such as a steel
beam or a metal casting), solid wood,
or plastic items that are not exempted
as articles due to their downstream
use, or shipments of whole grain, the
required label may be transmitted to
the customer at the time of the initial
shipment, and need not be included
with subsequent shipments to the same
employer unless the information on the
label changes;
(ii) The label may be transmitted
with the initial shipment itself, or with
the material safety data sheet that is
to be provided prior to or at the time of
the first shipment; and,
(iii) This exception to requiring labels on every container of hazardous
chemicals is only for the solid material

itself, and does not apply to hazardous
chemicals used in conjunction with, or
known to be present with, the material
and to which employees handling the
items in transit may be exposed (for
example, cutting fluids or pesticides in
grains).
(3) Chemical manufacturers, importers, or distributors shall ensure that
each container of hazardous chemicals
leaving the workplace is labeled,
tagged, or marked in accordance with
this section in a manner which does
not conflict with the requirements of
the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and
regulations issued under that Act by
the Department of Transportation.
(4) If the hazardous chemical is regulated by OSHA in a substance-specific
health standard, the chemical manufacturer, importer, distributor or employer shall ensure that the labels or
other forms of warning used are in accordance with the requirements of that
standard.
(5) Except as provided in paragraphs
(f)(6) and (f)(7) of this section, the employer shall ensure that each container
of hazardous chemicals in the workplace is labeled, tagged or marked with
the following information:
(i) Identity of the hazardous chemical(s) contained therein; and,
(ii) Appropriate hazard warnings, or
alternatively, words, pictures, symbols,
or combination thereof, which provide
at least general information regarding
the hazards of the chemicals, and
which, in conjunction with the other
information immediately available to
employees under the hazard communication program, will provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical.
(6) The employer may use signs, placards, process sheets, batch tickets, operating procedures, or other such written materials in lieu of affixing labels
to individual stationary process containers, as long as the alternative
method identifies the containers to
which it is applicable and conveys the
information required by paragraph
(f)(5) of this section to be on a label.
The written materials shall be readily
accessible to the employees in their
work area throughout each work shift.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(7) The employer is not required to
label portable containers into which
hazardous chemicals are transferred
from labeled containers, and which are
intended only for the immediate use of
the employee who performs the transfer. For purposes of this section, drugs
which are dispensed by a pharmacy to
a health care provider for direct administration to a patient are exempted
from labeling.
(8) The employer shall not remove or
deface existing labels on incoming containers of hazardous chemicals, unless
the container is immediately marked
with the required information.
(9) The employer shall ensure that labels or other forms of warning are legible, in English, and prominently displayed on the container, or readily
available in the work area throughout
each work shift. Employers having employees who speak other languages
may add the information in their language to the material presented, as
long as the information is presented in
English as well.
(10) The chemical manufacturer, importer, distributor or employer need
not affix new labels to comply with
this section if existing labels already
convey the required information.
(11) Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors, or employers who become newly aware of any significant
information regarding the hazards of a
chemical shall revise the labels for the
chemical within three months of becoming aware of the new information.
Labels on containers of hazardous
chemicals shipped after that time shall
contain the new information. If the
chemical is not currently produced or
imported, the chemical manufacturer,
importers, distributor, or employer
shall add the information to the label
before the chemical is shipped or introduced into the workplace again.
(g) Material safety data sheets. (1)
Chemical manufacturers and importers
shall obtain or develop a material safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Employers
shall have a material safety data sheet
in the workplace for each hazardous
chemical which they use.
(2) Each material safety data sheet
shall be in English (although the employer may maintain copies in other

§ 1910.1200

languages as well), and shall contain at
least the following information:
(i) The identity used on the label,
and, except as provided for in paragraph (i) of this section on trade secrets:
(A) If the hazardous chemical is a
single substance, its chemical and common name(s);
(B) If the hazardous chemical is a
mixture which has been tested as a
whole to determine its hazards, the
chemical and common name(s) of the
ingredients which contribute to these
known hazards, and the common
name(s) of the mixture itself; or,
(C) If the hazardous chemical is a
mixture which has not been tested as a
whole:
(1) The chemical and common
name(s) of all ingredients which have
been determined to be health hazards,
and which comprise 1% or greater of
the composition, except that chemicals
identified as carcinogens under paragraph (d) of this section shall be listed
if the concentrations are 0.1% or greater; and,
(2) The chemical and common
name(s) of all ingredients which have
been determined to be health hazards,
and which comprise less than 1% (0.1%
for carcinogens) of the mixture, if
there is evidence that the ingredient(s)
could be released from the mixture in
concentrations which would exceed an
established OSHA permissible exposure
limit or ACGIH Threshold Limit Value,
or could present a health risk to employees; and,
(3) The chemical and common
name(s) of all ingredients which have
been determined to present a physical
hazard when present in the mixture;
(ii) Physical and chemical characteristics of the hazardous chemical (such
as vapor pressure, flash point);
(iii) The physical hazards of the hazardous chemical, including the potential for fire, explosion, and reactivity;
(iv) The health hazards of the hazardous chemical, including signs and
symptoms of exposure, and any medical conditions which are generally recognized as being aggravated by exposure to the chemical;
(v) The primary route(s) of entry;
(vi) The OSHA permissible exposure
limit, ACGIH Threshold Limit Value,

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

and any other exposure limit used or
recommended by the chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer preparing the material safety data sheet,
where available;
(vii) Whether the hazardous chemical
is listed in the National Toxicology
Program (NTP) Annual Report on Carcinogens (latest edition) or has been
found to be a potential carcinogen in
the International Agency for Research
on Cancer (IARC) Monographs (latest
editions), or by OSHA;
(viii) Any generally applicable precautions for safe handling and use
which are known to the chemical manufacturer, importer or employer preparing the material safety data sheet,
including appropriate hygienic practices, protective measures during repair and maintenance of contaminated
equipment, and procedures for clean-up
of spills and leaks;
(ix) Any generally applicable control
measures which are known to the
chemical manufacturer, importer or
employer preparing the material safety
data sheet, such as appropriate engineering controls, work practices, or
personal protective equipment;
(x) Emergency and first aid procedures;
(xi) The date of preparation of the
material safety data sheet or the last
change to it; and,
(xii) The name, address and telephone
number of the chemical manufacturer,
importer, employer or other responsible party preparing or distributing
the material safety data sheet, who can
provide additional information on the
hazardous chemical and appropriate
emergency procedures, if necessary.
(3) If no relevant information is
found for any given category on the
material safety data sheet, the chemical manufacturer, importer or employer preparing the material safety
data sheet shall mark it to indicate
that no applicable information was
found.
(4) Where complex mixtures have
similar hazards and contents (i.e. the
chemical ingredients are essentially
the same, but the specific composition
varies from mixture to mixture), the
chemical manufacturer, importer or
employer may prepare one material

safety data sheet to apply to all of
these similar mixtures.
(5) The chemical manufacturer, importer or employer preparing the material safety data sheet shall ensure that
the information recorded accurately
reflects the scientific evidence used in
making the hazard determination. If
the chemical manufacturer, importer
or employer preparing the material
safety data sheet becomes newly aware
of any significant information regarding the hazards of a chemical, or ways
to protect against the hazards, this
new information shall be added to the
material safety data sheet within three
months. If the chemical is not currently being produced or imported the
chemical manufacturer or importer
shall add the information to the material safety data sheet before the chemical is introduced into the workplace
again.
(6)(i) Chemical manufacturers or importers shall ensure that distributors
and employers are provided an appropriate material safety data sheet with
their initial shipment, and with the
first shipment after a material safety
data sheet is updated;
(ii) The chemical manufacturer or
importer shall either provide material
safety data sheets with the shipped
containers or send them to the distributor or employer prior to or at the
time of the shipment;
(iii) If the material safety data sheet
is not provided with a shipment that
has been labeled as a hazardous chemical, the distributor or employer shall
obtain one from the chemical manufacturer or importer as soon as possible;
and,
(iv) The chemical manufacturer or
importer shall also provide distributors
or employers with a material safety
data sheet upon request.
(7)(i) Distributors shall ensure that
material safety data sheets, and updated information, are provided to
other distributors and employers with
their initial shipment and with the
first shipment after a material safety
data sheet is updated;
(ii) The distributor shall either provide material safety data sheets with
the shipped containers, or send them to
the other distributor or employer prior
to or at the time of the shipment;

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(iii) Retail distributors selling hazardous chemicals to employers having
a commercial account shall provide a
material safety data sheet to such employers upon request, and shall post a
sign or otherwise inform them that a
material safety data sheet is available;
(iv) Wholesale distributors selling
hazardous chemicals to employers
over-the-counter may also provide material safety data sheets upon the request of the employer at the time of
the over-the-counter purchase, and
shall post a sign or otherwise inform
such employers that a material safety
data sheet is available;
(v) If an employer without a commercial account purchases a hazardous
chemical from a retail distributor not
required to have material safety data
sheets on file (i.e., the retail distributor does not have commercial accounts and does not use the materials),
the retail distributor shall provide the
employer, upon request, with the
name, address, and telephone number
of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or distributor from which a material safety data sheet can be obtained;
(vi) Wholesale distributors shall also
provide material safety data sheets to
employers or other distributors upon
request; and,
(vii) Chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors need not provide material safety data sheets to retail distributors that have informed
them that the retail distributor does
not sell the product to commercial accounts or open the sealed container to
use it in their own workplaces.
(8) The employer shall maintain in
the workplace copies of the required
material safety data sheets for each
hazardous chemical, and shall ensure
that they are readily accessible during
each work shift to employees when
they are in their work area(s). (Electronic access, microfiche, and other alternatives to maintaining paper copies
of the material safety data sheets are
permitted as long as no barriers to immediate employee access in each workplace are created by such options.)
(9) Where employees must travel between workplaces during a workshift,
i.e., their work is carried out at more
than one geographical location, the

§ 1910.1200

material safety data sheets may be
kept at the primary workplace facility.
In this situation, the employer shall
ensure that employees can immediately obtain the required information
in an emergency.
(10) Material safety data sheets may
be kept in any form, including operating procedures, and may be designed
to cover groups of hazardous chemicals
in a work area where it may be more
appropriate to address the hazards of a
process rather than individual hazardous chemicals. However, the employer shall ensure that in all cases the
required information is provided for
each hazardous chemical, and is readily
accessible during each work shift to
employees when they are in in their
work area(s).
(11) Material safety data sheets shall
also be made readily available, upon
request, to designated representatives
and to the Assistant Secretary, in accordance with the requirements of 29
CFR 1910.20(e). The Director shall also
be given access to material safety data
sheets in the same manner.
(h) Employee information and training.
(1) Employers shall provide employees
with effective information and training
on hazardous chemicals in their work
area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new physical or
health hazard the employees have not
previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to
cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific
chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through
labels and material safety data sheets.
(2) Information. Employees shall be
informed of:
(i) The requirements of this section;
(ii) Any operations in their work area
where hazardous chemicals are present;
and,
(iii) The location and availability of
the written hazard communication program, including the required list(s) of
hazardous chemicals, and material
safety data sheets required by this section.
(3) Training. Employee training shall
include at least:
(i) Methods and observations that
may be used to detect the presence or

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

release of a hazardous chemical in the
work area (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, continuous
monitoring devices, visual appearance
or odor of hazardous chemicals when
being released, etc.);
(ii) The physical and health hazards
of the chemicals in the work area;
(iii) The measures employees can
take to protect themselves from these
hazards, including specific procedures
the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate
work practices, emergency procedures,
and personal protective equipment to
be used; and,
(iv) The details of the hazard communication program developed by the employer, including an explanation of the
labeling system and the material safety data sheet, and how employees can
obtain and use the appropriate hazard
information.
(i) Trade secrets. (1) The chemical
manufacturer, importer, or employer
may withhold the specific chemical
identity, including the chemical name
and other specific identification of a
hazardous chemical, from the material
safety data sheet, provided that:
(i) The claim that the information
withheld is a trade secret can be supported;
(ii) Information contained in the material safety data sheet concerning the
properties and effects of the hazardous
chemical is disclosed;
(iii) The material safety data sheet
indicates that the specific chemical
identity is being withheld as a trade secret; and,
(iv) The specific chemical identity is
made available to health professionals,
employees, and designated representatives in accordance with the applicable
provisions of this paragraph.
(2) Where a treating physician or
nurse determines that a medical emergency exists and the specific chemical
identity of a hazardous chemical is
necessary for emergency or first-aid
treatment, the chemical manufacturer,
importer, or employer shall immediately disclose the specific chemical
identity of a trade secret chemical to
that treating physician or nurse, regardless of the existence of a written
statement of need or a confidentiality

agreement. The chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer may require a written statement of need and
confidentiality agreement, in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs
(i) (3) and (4) of this section, as soon as
circumstances permit.
(3) In non-emergency situations, a
chemical manufacturer, importer, or
employer shall, upon request, disclose
a specific chemical identity, otherwise
permitted to be withheld under paragraph (i)(1) of this section, to a health
professional (i.e. physician, industrial
hygienist, toxicologist, epidemiologist,
or occupational health nurse) providing
medical or other occupational health
services to exposed employee(s), and to
employees or designated representatives, if:
(i) The request is in writing;
(ii) The request describes with reasonable detail one or more of the following occupational health needs for
the information:
(A) To assess the hazards of the
chemicals to which employees will be
exposed;
(B) To conduct or assess sampling of
the workplace atmosphere to determine employee exposure levels;
(C) To conduct pre-assignment or
periodic medical surveillance of exposed employees;
(D) To provide medical treatment to
exposed employees;
(E) To select or assess appropriate
personal protective equipment for exposed employees;
(F) To design or assess engineering
controls or other protective measures
for exposed employees; and,
(G) To conduct studies to determine
the health effects of exposure.
(iii) The request explains in detail
why the disclosure of the specific
chemical identity is essential and that,
in lieu thereof, the disclosure of the
following information to the health
professional, employee, or designated
representative, would not satisfy the
purposes
described
in
paragraph
(i)(3)(ii) of this section:
(A) The properties and effects of the
chemical;
(B) Measures for controlling workers’
exposure to the chemical;

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(C) Methods of monitoring and analyzing worker exposure to the chemical; and,
(D) Methods of diagnosing and treating harmful exposures to the chemical;
(iv) The request includes a description of the procedures to be used to
maintain the confidentiality of the disclosed information; and,
(v) The health professional, and the
employer or contractor of the services
of the health professional (i.e. downstream employer, labor organization,
or individual employee), employee, or
designated representative, agree in a
written confidentiality agreement that
the health professional, employee, or
designated representative, will not use
the trade secret information for any
purpose other than the health need(s)
asserted and agree not to release the
information under any circumstances
other than to OSHA, as provided in
paragraph (i)(6) of this section, except
as authorized by the terms of the
agreement or by the chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer.
(4) The confidentiality agreement authorized by paragraph (i)(3)(iv) of this
section:
(i) May restrict the use of the information to the health purposes indicated in the written statement of need;
(ii) May provide for appropriate legal
remedies in the event of a breach of the
agreement, including stipulation of a
reasonable pre-estimate of likely damages; and,
(iii) May not include requirements
for the posting of a penalty bond.
(5) Nothing in this standard is meant
to preclude the parties from pursuing
non-contractual remedies to the extent
permitted by law.
(6) If the health professional, employee, or designated representative receiving the trade secret information
decides that there is a need to disclose
it to OSHA, the chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer who provided the information shall be informed by the health professional, employee, or designated representative
prior to, or at the same time as, such
disclosure.
(7) If the chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer denies a written request for disclosure of a specific chemical identity, the denial must:

§ 1910.1200

(i) Be provided to the health professional, employee, or designated representative, within thirty days of the
request;
(ii) Be in writing;
(iii) Include evidence to support the
claim that the specific chemical identity is a trade secret;
(iv) State the specific reasons why
the request is being denied; and,
(v) Explain in detail how alternative
information may satisfy the specific
medical or occupational health need
without revealing the specific chemical
identity.
(8) The health professional, employee, or designated representative
whose request for information is denied
under paragraph (i)(3) of this section
may refer the request and the written
denial of the request to OSHA for consideration.
(9) When a health professional, employee, or designated representative refers the denial to OSHA under paragraph (i)(8) of this section, OSHA shall
consider the evidence to determine if:
(i) The chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer has supported the
claim that the specific chemical identity is a trade secret;
(ii) The health professional, employee, or designated representative
has supported the claim that there is a
medical or occupational health need
for the information; and,
(iii) The health professional, employee or designated representative has
demonstrated adequate means to protect the confidentiality.
(10)(i) If OSHA determines that the
specific chemical identity requested
under paragraph (i)(3) of this section is
not a bona fide trade secret, or that it
is a trade secret, but the requesting
health professional, employee, or designated representative has a legitimate
medical or occupational health need
for the information, has executed a
written confidentiality agreement, and
has shown adequate means to protect
the confidentiality of the information,
the chemical manufacturer, importer,
or employer will be subject to citation
by OSHA.
(ii) If a chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer demonstrates to
OSHA that the execution of a confidentiality agreement would not provide

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

sufficient protection against the potential harm from the unauthorized disclosure of a trade secret specific chemical identity, the Assistant Secretary
may issue such orders or impose such
additional limitations or conditions
upon the disclosure of the requested
chemical information as may be appropriate to assure that the occupational
health services are provided without an
undue risk of harm to the chemical
manufacturer, importer, or employer.
(11) If a citation for a failure to release specific chemical identity information is contested by the chemical
manufacturer, importer, or employer,
the matter will be adjudicated before
the Occupational Safety and Health
Review Commission in accordance with
the Act’s enforcement scheme and the
applicable Commission rules of procedure. In accordance with the Commission rules, when a chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer continues
to withhold the information during the
contest, the Administrative Law Judge
may review the citation and supporting
documentation in camera or issue appropriate orders to protect the confidentiality of such matters.
(12) Notwithstanding the existence of
a trade secret claim, a chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer shall,
upon request, disclose to the Assistant
Secretary any information which this
section requires the chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer to make
available. Where there is a trade secret
claim, such claim shall be made no
later than at the time the information
is provided to the Assistant Secretary
so that suitable determinations of
trade secret status can be made and
the necessary protections can be implemented.
(13) Nothing in this paragraph shall
be construed as requiring the disclosure under any circumstances of process or percentage of mixture information which is a trade secret.
(j) Effective dates. Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors, and employers shall be in compliance with all
provisions of this section by March 11,
1994.
NOTE: The effective date of the clarification that the exemption of wood and wood
products from the Hazard Communication
standard in paragraph (b)(6)(iv) only applies
to wood and wood products including lumber

which will not be processed, where the manufacturer or importer can establish that the
only hazard they pose to employees is the
potential for flammability or combustibility,
and that the exemption does not apply to
wood or wood products which have been
treated with a hazardous chemical covered
by this standard, and wood which may be
subsequently sawed or cut generating dust
has been stayed from March 11, 1994 to August 11, 1994.
APPENDIX A TO § 1910.1200—HEALTH HAZARD
DEFINITIONS (MANDATORY)
Although safety hazards related to the
physical characteristics of a chemical can be
objectively defined in terms of testing requirements (e.g. flammability), health hazard definitions are less precise and more subjective. Health hazards may cause measurable changes in the body—such as decreased
pulmonary function. These changes are generally indicated by the occurrence of signs
and symptoms in the exposed employees—
such as shortness of breath, a non-measurable, subjective feeling. Employees exposed
to such hazards must be apprised of both the
change in body function and the signs and
symptoms that may occur to signal that
change.
The determination of occupational health
hazards is complicated by the fact that many
of the effects or signs and symptoms occur
commonly in non-occupationally exposed
populations, so that effects of exposure are
difficult to separate from normally occurring illnesses. Occasionally, a substance
causes an effect that is rarely seen in the
population at large, such as angiosarcomas
caused by vinyl chloride exposure, thus making it easier to ascertain that the occupational exposure was the primary causative
factor. More often, however, the effects are
common, such as lung cancer. The situation
is further complicated by the fact that most
chemicals have not been adequately tested
to determine their health hazard potential,
and data do not exist to substantiate these
effects.
There have been many attempts to categorize effects and to define them in various
ways. Generally, the terms ‘‘acute’’ and
‘‘chronic’’ are used to delineate between effects on the basis of severity or duration.
‘‘Acute’’ effects usually occur rapidly as a
result of short-term exposures, and are of
short duration. ‘‘Chronic’’ effects generally
occur as a result of long-term exposure, and
are of long duration.
The acute effects referred to most frequently are those defined by the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for Precautionary Labeling of Hazardous
Industrial Chemicals (Z129.1–1988)—irritation, corrosivity, sensitization and lethal
dose. Although these are important health
effects, they do not adequately cover the

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
considerable range of acute effects which
may occur as a result of occupational exposure, such as, for example, narcosis.
Similarly, the term chronic effect is often
used
to
cover
only
carcinogenicity,
teratogenicity, and mutagenicity. These effects are obviously a concern in the workplace, but again, do not adequately cover the
area of chronic effects, excluding, for example, blood dyscrasias (such as anemia),
chronic bronchitis and liver atrophy.
The goal of defining precisely, in measurable terms, every possible health effect that
may occur in the workplace as a result of
chemical exposures cannot realistically be
accomplished. This does not negate the need
for employees to be informed of such effects
and protected from them. Appendix B, which
is also mandatory, outlines the principles
and procedures of hazard assessment.
For purposes of this section, any chemicals
which meet any of the following definitions,
as determined by the criteria set forth in Appendix B are health hazards. However, this is
not intended to be an exclusive categorization scheme. If there are available scientific
data that involve other animal species or
test methods, they must also be evaluated to
determine the applicability of the HCS.7
1. Carcinogen: A chemical is considered to
be a carcinogen if:
(a) It has been evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC), and found to be a carcinogen or potential carcinogen; or
(b) It is listed as a carcinogen or potential
carcinogen in the Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology
Program (NTP) (latest edition); or,
(c) It is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen.
2. Corrosive: A chemical that causes visible
destruction of, or irreversible alterations in,
living tissue by chemical action at the site
of contact. For example, a chemical is considered to be corrosive if, when tested on the
intact skin of albino rabbits by the method
described by the U.S. Department of Transportation in appendix A to 49 CFR part 173,
it destroys or changes irreversibly the structure of the tissue at the site of contact following an exposure period of four hours. This
term shall not refer to action on inanimate
surfaces.
3. Highly toxic: A chemical falling within
any of the following categories:
(a) A chemical that has a median lethal
dose (LD50) of 50 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino rats weighing between 200 and
300 grams each.
(b) A chemical that has a median lethal
dose (LD50) of 200 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight when administered by
continuous contact for 24 hours (or less if
death occurs within 24 hours) with the bare

§ 1910.1200

skin of albino rabbits weighing between two
and three kilograms each.
(c) A chemical that has a median lethal
concentration (LC50) in air of 200 parts per
million by volume or less of gas or vapor, or
2 milligrams per liter or less of mist, fume,
or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for one hour (or less if death occurs
within one hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
4. Irritant: A chemical, which is not corrosive, but which causes a reversible inflammatory effect on living tissue by chemical
action at the site of contact. A chemical is a
skin irritant if, when tested on the intact
skin of albino rabbits by the methods of 16
CFR 1500.41 for four hours exposure or by
other appropriate techniques, it results in an
empirical score of five or more. A chemical
is an eye irritant if so determined under the
procedure listed in 16 CFR 1500.42 or other
appropriate techniques.
5. Sensitizer: A chemical that causes a substantial proportion of exposed people or animals to develop an allergic reaction in normal tissue after repeated exposure to the
chemical.
6. Toxic. A chemical falling within any of
the following categories:
(a) A chemical that has a median lethal
dose (LD50) of more than 50 milligrams per
kilogram but not more than 500 milligrams
per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino rats weighing between
200 and 300 grams each.
(b) A chemical that has a median lethal
dose (LD50) of more than 200 milligrams per
kilogram but not more than 1,000 milligrams
per kilogram of body weight when administered by continuous contact for 24 hours (or
less if death occurs within 24 hours) with the
bare skin of albino rabbits weighing between
two and three kilograms each.
(c) A chemical that has a median lethal
concentration (LC50) in air of more than 200
parts per million but not more than 2,000
parts per million by volume of gas or vapor,
or more than two milligrams per liter but
not more than 20 milligrams per liter of
mist, fume, or dust, when administered by
continuous inhalation for one hour (or less if
death occurs within one hour) to albino rats
weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
7. Target organ effects.
The following is a target organ categorization of effects which may occur, including
examples of signs and symptoms and chemicals which have been found to cause such effects. These examples are presented to illustrate the range and diversity of effects and
hazards found in the workplace, and the
broad scope employers must consider in this
area, but are not intended to be all-inclusive.
a. Hepatotoxins: Chemicals which produce
liver damage3
Signs & Symptoms: Jaundice; liver enlargement

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29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

Chemicals:
Carbon
tetrachloride;
nitrosamines
b. Nephrotoxins: Chemicals which produce
kidney damage
Signs & Symptoms: Edema; proteinuria
Chemicals: Halogenated hydrocarbons; uranium
c. Neurotoxins: Chemicals which produce
their primary toxic effects on the nervous system
Signs & Symptoms: Narcosis; behavioral
changes; decrease in motor functions
Chemicals: Mercury; carbon disulfide
d. Agents which act on the blood or hematopoietic system: Decrease hemoglobin
function; deprive the body tissues of oxygen
Signs & Symptoms: Cyanosis; loss of consciousness
Chemicals: Carbon monoxide; cyanides
e. Agents which damage the lung: Chemicals
which irritate or damage pulmonary tissue
Signs & Symptoms: Cough; tightness in
chest; shortness of breath
Chemicals: Silica; asbestos
f. Reproductive toxins: Chemicals which affect the reproductive capabilities including chromosomal damage (mutations)
and effects on fetuses (teratogenesis)
Signs & Symptoms: Birth defects; sterility
Chemicals: Lead; DBCP
g. Cutaneous hazards: Chemicals which affect the dermal layer of the body
Signs & Symptoms: Defatting of the skin;
rashes; irritation
Chemicals: Ketones; chlorinated compounds
h. Eye hazards: Chemicals which affect the
eye or visual capacity
Signs & Symptoms: Conjunctivitis; corneal
damage
Chemicals: Organic solvents; acids
APPENDIX B TO § 1910.1200—HAZARD
DETERMINATION (MANDATORY)
The quality of a hazard communication
program is largely dependent upon the adequacy and accuracy of the hazard determination. The hazard determination requirement
of this standard is performance-oriented.
Chemical manufacturers, importers, and employers evaluating chemicals are not required to follow any specific methods for determining hazards, but they must be able to
demonstrate that they have adequately
ascertained the hazards of the chemicals produced or imported in accordance with the
criteria set forth in this Appendix.
Hazard evaluation is a process which relies
heavily on the professional judgment of the
evaluator, particularly in the area of chronic
hazards. The performance-orientation of the
hazard determination does not diminish the
duty of the chemical manufacturer, importer
or employer to conduct a thorough evaluation, examining all relevant data and pro-

ducing a scientifically defensible evaluation.
For purposes of this standard, the following
criteria shall be used in making hazard determinations that meet the requirements of
this standard.
1. Carcinogenicity: As described in paragraph (d)(4) of this section and Appendix A of
this section, a determination by the National Toxicology Program, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or
OSHA that a chemical is a carcinogen or potential carcinogen will be considered conclusive evidence for purposes of this section. In
addition, however, all available scientific
data on carcinogenicity must be evaluated in
accordance with the provisions of this Appendix and the requirements of the rule.
2. Human data: Where available, epidemiological studies and case reports of adverse
health effects shall be considered in the evaluation.
3. Animal data: Human evidence of health
effects in exposed populations is generally
not available for the majority of chemicals
produced or used in the workplace. Therefore, the available results of toxicological
testing in animal populations shall be used
to predict the health effects that may be experienced by exposed workers. In particular,
the definitions of certain acute hazards refer
to specific animal testing results (see Appendix A).
4. Adequacy and reporting of data. The results of any studies which are designed and
conducted according to established scientific
principles, and which report statistically significant conclusions regarding the health effects of a chemical, shall be a sufficient basis
for a hazard determination and reported on
any material safety data sheet. In vitro studies alone generally do not form the basis for
a definitive finding of hazard under the HCS
since they have a positive or negative result
rather than a statistically significant finding.
The chemical manufacturer, importer, or
employer may also report the results of
other scientifically valid studies which tend
to refute the findings of hazard.
APPENDIX C TO § 1910.1200 [RESERVED]
APPENDIX D TO § 1910.1200—DEFINITION OF
‘‘TRADE SECRET’’ (MANDATORY)
The following is a reprint of the Restatement of Torts section 757, comment b (1939):
b. Definition of trade secret. A trade secret
may consist of any formula, pattern, device
or compilation of information which is used
in one’s business, and which gives him an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not know or use it. It may be
a formula for a chemical compound, a process of manufacturing, treating or preserving
materials, a pattern for a machine or other
device, or a list of customers. It differs from
other secret information in a business (see

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
s759 of the Restatement of Torts which is not
included in this Appendix) in that it is not
simply information as to single or ephemeral
events in the conduct of the business, as, for
example, the amount or other terms of a secret bid for a contract or the salary of certain employees, or the security investments
made or contemplated, or the date fixed for
the announcement of a new policy or for
bringing out a new model or the like. A trade
secret is a process or device for continuous
use in the operations of the business. Generally it relates to the production of goods,
as, for example, a machine or formula for the
production of an article. It may, however, relate to the sale of goods or to other operations in the business, such as a code for determining discounts, rebates or other concessions in a price list or catalogue, or a list of
specialized customers, or a method of bookkeeping or other office management.
Secrecy. The subject matter of a trade secret must be secret. Matters of public knowledge or of general knowledge in an industry
cannot be appropriated by one as his secret.
Matters which are completely disclosed by
the goods which one markets cannot be his
secret. Substantially, a trade secret is
known only in the particular business in
which it is used. It is not requisite that only
the proprietor of the business know it. He
may, without losing his protection, communicate it to employees involved in its use. He
may likewise communicate it to others
pledged to secrecy. Others may also know of
it independently, as, for example, when they
have discovered the process or formula by
independent invention and are keeping it secret. Nevertheless, a substantial element of
secrecy must exist, so that, except by the
use of improper means, there would be difficulty in acquiring the information. An
exact definition of a trade secret is not possible. Some factors to be considered in determining whether given information is one’s
trade secret are: (1) The extent to which the
information is known outside of his business;
(2) the extent to which it is known by employees and others involved in his business;
(3) the extent of measures taken by him to
guard the secrecy of the information; (4) the
value of the information to him and his competitors; (5) the amount of effort or money
expended by him in developing the information; (6) the ease or difficulty with which the
information could be properly acquired or
duplicated by others.
Novelty and prior art. A trade secret may be
a device or process which is patentable; but
it need not be that. It may be a device or
process which is clearly anticipated in the
prior art or one which is merely a mechanical improvement that a good mechanic can
make. Novelty and invention are not requisite for a trade secret as they are for patentability. These requirements are essential
to patentability because a patent protects

§ 1910.1200

against unlicensed use of the patented device
or process even by one who discovers it properly through independent research. The patent monopoly is a reward to the inventor.
But such is not the case with a trade secret.
Its protection is not based on a policy of rewarding or otherwise encouraging the development of secret processes or devices. The
protection is merely against breach of faith
and reprehensible means of learning another’s secret. For this limited protection it
is not appropriate to require also the kind of
novelty and invention which is a requisite of
patentability. The nature of the secret is,
however, an important factor in determining
the kind of relief that is appropriate against
one who is subject to liability under the rule
stated in this Section. Thus, if the secret
consists of a device or process which is a
novel invention, one who acquires the secret
wrongfully is ordinarily enjoined from further use of it and is required to account for
the profits derived from his past use. If, on
the other hand, the secret consists of mechanical improvements that a good mechanic can make without resort to the secret, the wrongdoer’s liability may be limited to damages, and an injunction against
future use of the improvements made with
the aid of the secret may be inappropriate.
APPENDIX E TO § 1910.1200—(ADVISORY)—
GUIDELINES FOR EMPLOYER COMPLIANCE
The Hazard Communication Standard
(HCS) is based on a simple concept—that employees have both a need and a right to know
the hazards and identities of the chemicals
they are exposed to when working. They also
need to know what protective measures are
available to prevent adverse effects from occurring. The HCS is designed to provide employees with the information they need.
Knowledge acquired under the HCS will
help employers provide safer workplaces for
their employees. When employers have information about the chemicals being used, they
can take steps to reduce exposures, substitute less hazardous materials, and establish proper work practices. These efforts will
help prevent the occurrence of work-related
illnesses and injuries caused by chemicals.
The HCS addresses the issues of evaluating
and communicating hazards to workers.
Evaluation of chemical hazards involves a
number of technical concepts, and is a process that requires the professional judgment
of experienced experts. That’s why the HCS
is designed so that employers who simply use
chemicals, rather than produce or import
them, are not required to evaluate the hazards of those chemicals. Hazard determination is the responsibility of the producers
and importers of the materials. Producers
and importers of chemicals are then required
to provide the hazard information to employers that purchase their products.

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

Employers that don’t produce or import
chemicals need only focus on those parts of
the rule that deal with establishing a workplace program and communicating information to their workers. This appendix is a general guide for such employers to help them
determine what’s required under the rule. It
does not supplant or substitute for the regulatory provisions, but rather provides a simplified outline of the steps an average employer would follow to meet those requirements.
1. Becoming Familiar With The Rule.
OSHA has provided a simple summary of
the HCS in a pamphlet entitled ‘‘Chemical
Hazard Communication,’’ OSHA Publication
Number 3084. Some employers prefer to begin
to become familiar with the rule’s requirements by reading this pamphlet. A copy may
be obtained from your local OSHA Area Office, or by contacting the OSHA Publications
Office at (202) 523–9667.
The standard is long, and some parts of it
are technical, but the basic concepts are
simple. In fact, the requirements reflect
what many employers have been doing for
years. You may find that you are already
largely in compliance with many of the provisions, and will simply have to modify your
existing programs somewhat. If you are operating in an OSHA-approved State Plan
State, you must comply with the State’s requirements, which may be different than
those of the Federal rule. Many of the State
Plan States had hazard communication or
‘‘right-to-know’’ laws prior to promulgation
of the Federal rule. Employers in State Plan
States should contact their State OSHA offices for more information regarding applicable requirements.
The HCS requires information to be prepared and transmitted regarding all hazardous chemicals. The HCS covers both physical hazards (such as flammability), and
health hazards (such as irritation, lung damage, and cancer). Most chemicals used in the
workplace have some hazard potential, and
thus will be covered by the rule.
One difference between this rule and many
others adopted by OSHA is that this one is
performance-oriented. That means that you
have the flexibility to adapt the rule to the
needs of your workplace, rather than having
to follow specific, rigid requirements. It also
means that you have to exercise more judgment to implement an appropriate and effective program.
The standard’s design is simple. Chemical
manufacturers and importers must evaluate
the hazards of the chemicals they produce or
import. Using that information, they must
then prepare labels for containers, and more
detailed technical bulletins called material
safety data sheets (MSDS).
Chemical manufacturers, importers, and
distributors of hazardous chemicals are all

required to provide the appropriate labels
and material safety data sheets to the employers to which they ship the chemicals.
The information is to be provided automatically. Every container of hazardous chemicals you receive must be labeled, tagged, or
marked with the required information. Your
suppliers must also send you a properly completed material safety data sheet (MSDS) at
the time of the first shipment of the chemical, and with the next shipment after the
MSDS is updated with new and significant
information about the hazards.
You can rely on the information received
from your suppliers. You have no independent duty to analyze the chemical or
evaluate the hazards of it.
Employers that ‘‘use’’ hazardous chemicals
must have a program to ensure the information is provided to exposed employees. ‘‘Use’’
means to package, handle, react, or transfer.
This is an intentionally broad scope, and includes any situation where a chemical is
present in such a way that employees may be
exposed under normal conditions of use or in
a foreseeable emergency.
The requirements of the rule that deal specifically with the hazard communication
program are found in this section in paragraphs (e), written hazard communication
program; (f), labels and other forms of warning; (g), material safety data sheets; and (h),
employee information and training. The requirements of these paragraphs should be the
focus of your attention. Concentrate on becoming familiar with them, using paragraphs
(b), scope and application, and (c), definitions, as references when needed to help explain the provisions.
There are two types of work operations
where the coverage of the rule is limited.
These are laboratories and operations where
chemicals are only handled in sealed containers (e.g., a warehouse). The limited provisions for these workplaces can be found in
paragraph (b) of this section, scope and application. Basically, employers having these
types of work operations need only keep labels on containers as they are received;
maintain material safety data sheets that
are received, and give employees access to
them; and provide information and training
for employees. Employers do not have to
have written hazard communication programs and lists of chemicals for these types
of operations.
The limited coverage of laboratories and
sealed container operations addresses the obligation of an employer to the workers in the
operations involved, and does not affect the
employer’s duties as a distributor of chemicals. For example, a distributor may have
warehouse operations where employees
would be protected under the limited sealed
container provisions. In this situation, requirements for obtaining and maintaining
MSDSs are limited to providing access to

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
those received with containers while the substance is in the workplace, and requesting
MSDSs when employees request access for
those not received with the containers. However, as a distributor of hazardous chemicals,
that employer will still have responsibilities
for providing MSDSs to downstream customers at the time of the first shipment and
when the MSDS is updated. Therefore, although they may not be required for the employees in the work operation, the distributor may, nevertheless, have to have
MSDSs to satisfy other requirements of the
rule.
2. Identify Responsible Staff
Hazard communication is going to be a
continuing program in your facility. Compliance with the HCS is not a ‘‘one shot deal.’’
In order to have a successful program, it will
be necessary to assign responsibility for both
the initial and ongoing activities that have
to be undertaken to comply with the rule. In
some cases, these activities may already be
part of current job assignments. For example, site supervisors are frequently responsible for on-the-job training sessions. Early
identification of the responsible employees,
and involvement of them in the development
of your plan of action, will result in a more
effective program design. Evaluation of the
effectiveness of your program will also be enhanced by involvement of affected employees.
For any safety and health program, success depends on commitment at every level
of the organization. This is particularly true
for hazard communication, where success requires a change in behavior. This will only
occur if employers understand the program,
and are committed to its success, and if employees are motivated by the people presenting the information to them.
3. Identify Hazardous Chemicals in the
Workplace.
The standard requires a list of hazardous
chemicals in the workplace as part of the
written hazard communication program. The
list will eventually serve as an inventory of
everything for which an MSDS must be
maintained. At this point, however, preparing the list will help you complete the
rest of the program since it will give you
some idea of the scope of the program required for compliance in your facility.
The best way to prepare a comprehensive
list is to survey the workplace. Purchasing
records may also help, and certainly employers should establish procedures to ensure
that in the future purchasing procedures result in MSDSs being received before a material is used in the workplace.
The broadest possible perspective should
be taken when doing the survey. Sometimes
people think of ‘‘chemicals’’ as being only

§ 1910.1200

liquids in containers. The HCS covers chemicals in all physical forms—liquids, solids,
gases, vapors, fumes, and mists—whether
they are ‘‘contained’’ or not. The hazardous
nature of the chemical and the potential for
exposure are the factors which determine
whether a chemical is covered. If it’s not
hazardous, it’s not covered. If there is no potential for exposure (e.g., the chemical is inextricably bound and cannot be released),
the rule does not cover the chemical.
Look around. Identify chemicals in containers, including pipes, but also think about
chemicals generated in the work operations.
For example, welding fumes, dusts, and exhaust fumes are all sources of chemical exposures. Read labels provided by suppliers for
hazard information. Make a list of all chemicals in the workplace that are potentially
hazardous. For your own information and
planning, you may also want to note on the
list the location(s) of the products within the
workplace, and an indication of the hazards
as found on the label. This will help you as
you prepare the rest of your program.
Paragraph (b) of this section, scope and application, includes exemptions for various
chemicals or workplace situations. After
compiling the complete list of chemicals,
you should review paragraph (b) of this section to determine if any of the items can be
eliminated from the list because they are exempted materials. For example, food, drugs,
and cosmetics brought into the workplace
for employee consumption are exempt. So
rubbing alcohol in the first aid kit would not
be covered.
Once you have compiled as complete a list
as possible of the potentially hazardous
chemicals in the workplace, the next step is
to determine if you have received material
safety data sheets for all of them. Check
your files against the inventory you have
just compiled. If any are missing, contact
your supplier and request one. It is a good
idea to document these requests, either by
copy of a letter or a note regarding telephone conversations. If you have MSDSs for
chemicals that are not on your list, figure
out why. Maybe you don’t use the chemical
anymore. Or maybe you missed it in your
survey. Some suppliers do provide MSDSs for
products that are not hazardous. These do
not have to be maintained by you.
You should not allow employees to use any
chemicals for which you have not received
an MSDS. The MSDS provides information
you need to ensure proper protective measures are implemented prior to exposure.
4. Preparing and Implementing a Hazard
Communication Program
All workplaces where employees are exposed to hazardous chemicals must have a
written plan which describes how the standard will be implemented in that facility.
Preparation of a plan is not just a paper

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29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

exercise—all of the elements must be implemented in the workplace in order to be in
compliance with the rule. See paragraph (e)
of this section for the specific requirements
regarding written hazard communication
programs. The only work operations which
do not have to comply with the written plan
requirements are laboratories and work operations where employees only handle
chemicals in sealed containers. See paragraph (b) of this section, scope and application, for the specific requirements for these
two types of workplaces.
The plan does not have to be lengthy or
complicated. It is intended to be a blueprint
for implementation of your program—an assurance that all aspects of the requirements
have been addressed.
Many trade associations and other professional groups have provided sample programs
and other assistance materials to affected
employers. These have been very helpful to
many employers since they tend to be tailored to the particular industry involved.
You may wish to investigate whether your
industry trade groups have developed such
materials.
Although such general guidance may be
helpful, you must remember that the written
program has to reflect what you are doing in
your workplace. Therefore, if you use a generic program it must be adapted to address
the facility it covers. For example, the written plan must list the chemicals present at
the site, indicate who is to be responsible for
the various aspects of the program in your
facility, and indicate where written materials will be made available to employees.
If OSHA inspects your workplace for compliance with the HCS, the OSHA compliance
officer will ask to see your written plan at
the outset of the inspection. In general, the
following items will be considered in evaluating your program.
The written program must describe how
the requirements for labels and other forms
of warning, material safety data sheets, and
employee information and training, are
going to be met in your facility. The following discussion provides the type of information compliance officers will be looking
for to decide whether these elements of the
hazard communication program have been
properly addressed:
A. Labels and Other Forms of Warning
In-plant containers of hazardous chemicals
must be labeled, tagged, or marked with the
identity of the material and appropriate hazard warnings. Chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors are required to ensure that every container of hazardous
chemicals they ship is appropriately labeled
with such information and with the name
and address of the producer or other responsible party. Employers purchasing chemicals
can rely on the labels provided by their sup-

pliers. If the material is subsequently transferred by the employer from a labeled container to another container, the employer
will have to label that container unless it is
subject to the portable container exemption.
See paragraph (f) of this section for specific
labeling requirements.
The primary information to be obtained
from an OSHA-required label is an identity
for the material, and appropriate hazard
warnings. The identity is any term which appears on the label, the MSDS, and the list of
chemicals, and thus links these three sources
of information. The identity used by the supplier may be a common or trade name
(‘‘Black Magic Formula’’), or a chemical
name (1,1,1,-trichloroethane). The hazard
warning is a brief statement of the hazardous effects of the chemical (‘‘flammable,’’
‘‘causes lung damage’’). Labels frequently
contain other information, such as precautionary measures (‘‘do not use near open
flame’’), but this information is provided
voluntarily and is not required by the rule.
Labels must be legible, and prominently displayed. There are no specific requirements
for size or color, or any specified text.
With these requirements in mind, the compliance officer will be looking for the following types of information to ensure that
labeling will be properly implemented in
your facility:
1. Designation of person(s) responsible for
ensuring labeling of in-plant containers;
2. Designation of person(s) responsible for
ensuring labeling of any shipped containers;
3. Description of labeling system(s) used;
4. Description of written alternatives to labeling of in-plant containers (if used); and,
5. Procedures to review and update label
information when necessary.
Employers that are purchasing and using
hazardous chemicals—rather than producing
or distributing them—will primarily be concerned with ensuring that every purchased
container is labeled. If materials are transferred into other containers, the employer
must ensure that these are labeled as well,
unless they fall under the portable container
exemption (paragraph (f)(7) of this section).
In terms of labeling systems, you can simply
choose to use the labels provided by your
suppliers on the containers. These will generally be verbal text labels, and do not usually include numerical rating systems or
symbols that require special training. The
most important thing to remember is that
this is a continuing duty—all in-plant containers of hazardous chemicals must always
be labeled. Therefore, it is important to designate someone to be responsible for ensuring that the labels are maintained as required on the containers in your facility, and
that newly purchased materials are checked
for labels prior to use.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
B. Material Safety Data Sheets
Chemical manufacturers and importers are
required to obtain or develop a material
safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Distributors are
responsible for ensuring that their customers
are provided a copy of these MSDSs. Employers must have an MSDS for each hazardous
chemical which they use. Employers may
rely on the information received from their
suppliers. The specific requirements for material safety data sheets are in paragraph (g)
of this section.
There is no specified format for the MSDS
under the rule, although there are specific
information requirements. OSHA has developed a non-mandatory format, OSHA Form
174, which may be used by chemical manufacturers and importers to comply with the
rule. The MSDS must be in English. You are
entitled to receive from your supplier a data
sheet which includes all of the information
required under the rule. If you do not receive
one automatically, you should request one.
If you receive one that is obviously inadequate, with, for example, blank spaces that
are not completed, you should request an appropriately completed one. If your request
for a data sheet or for a corrected data sheet
does not produce the information needed,
you should contact your local OSHA Area
Office for assistance in obtaining the MSDS.
The role of MSDSs under the rule is to provide detailed information on each hazardous
chemical, including its potential hazardous
effects, its physical and chemical characteristics, and recommendations for appropriate
protective
measures.
This
information
should be useful to you as the employer responsible for designing protective programs,
as well as to the workers. If you are not familiar with material safety data sheets and
with chemical terminology, you may need to
learn to use them yourself. A glossary of
MSDS terms may be helpful in this regard.
Generally speaking, most employers using
hazardous chemicals will primarily be concerned with MSDS information regarding
hazardous effects and recommended protective measures. Focus on the sections of the
MSDS that are applicable to your situation.
MSDSs must be readily accessible to employees when they are in their work areas
during their workshifts. This may be accomplished in many different ways. You must decide what is appropriate for your particular
workplace. Some employers keep the MSDSs
in a binder in a central location (e.g., in the
pick-up truck on a construction site). Others, particularly in workplaces with large
numbers of chemicals, computerize the information and provide access through terminals. As long as employees can get the information when they need it, any approach may
be used. The employees must have access to
the MSDSs themselves—simply having a sys-

§ 1910.1200

tem where the information can be read to
them over the phone is only permitted under
the mobile worksite provision, paragraph
(g)(9) of this section, when employees must
travel between workplaces during the shift.
In this situation, they have access to the
MSDSs prior to leaving the primary worksite, and when they return, so the telephone
system is simply an emergency arrangement.
In order to ensure that you have a current
MSDS for each chemical in the plant as required, and that employee access is provided,
the compliance officers will be looking for
the following types of information in your
written program:
1. Designation of person(s) responsible for
obtaining and maintaining the MSDSs;
2. How such sheets are to be maintained in
the workplace (e.g., in notebooks in the work
area(s) or in a computer with terminal access), and how employees can obtain access
to them when they are in their work area
during the work shift;
3. Procedures to follow when the MSDS is
not received at the time of the first shipment;
4. For producers, procedures to update the
MSDS when new and significant health information is found; and,
5. Description of alternatives to actual
data sheets in the workplace, if used.
For employers using hazardous chemicals,
the most important aspect of the written
program in terms of MSDSs is to ensure that
someone is responsible for obtaining and
maintaining the MSDSs for every hazardous
chemical in the workplace. The list of hazardous chemicals required to be maintained
as part of the written program will serve as
an inventory. As new chemicals are purchased, the list should be updated. Many
companies have found it convenient to include on their purchase orders the name and
address of the person designated in their
company to receive MSDSs.
C. Employee Information and Training
Each employee who may be ‘‘exposed’’ to
hazardous chemicals when working must be
provided information and trained prior to
initial assignment to work with a hazardous
chemical, and whenever the hazard changes.
‘‘Exposure’’ or ‘‘exposed’’ under the rule
means that ‘‘an employee is subjected to a
hazardous chemical in the course of employment through any route of entry (inhalation,
ingestion, skin contact or absorption, etc.)
and includes potential (e.g., accidental or
possible) exposure.’’ See paragraph (h) of this
section for specific requirements. Information and training may be done either by individual chemical, or by categories of hazards
(such as flammability or carcinogenicity). If
there are only a few chemicals in the workplace, then you may want to discuss each
one individually. Where there are large numbers of chemicals, or the chemicals change

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§ 1910.1200

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

frequently, you will probably want to train
generally based on the hazard categories
(e.g., flammable liquids, corrosive materials,
carcinogens). Employees will have access to
the substance-specific information on the labels and MSDSs.
Information and training is a critical part
of the hazard communication program. Information regarding hazards and protective
measures are provided to workers through
written labels and material safety data
sheets. However, through effective information and training, workers will learn to read
and understand such information, determine
how it can be obtained and used in their own
workplaces, and understand the risks of exposure to the chemicals in their workplaces
as well as the ways to protect themselves. A
properly conducted training program will ensure comprehension and understanding. It is
not sufficient to either just read material to
the workers, or simply hand them material
to read. You want to create a climate where
workers feel free to ask questions. This will
help you to ensure that the information is
understood. You must always remember that
the underlying purpose of the HCS is to reduce the incidence of chemical source illnesses and injuries. This will be accomplished by modifying behavior through the
provision of hazard information and information about protective measures. If your program works, you and your workers will better understand the chemical hazards within
the workplace. The procedures you establish
regarding, for example, purchasing, storage,
and handling of these chemicals will improve, and thereby reduce the risks posed to
employees exposed to the chemical hazards
involved. Furthermore, your workers’ comprehension will also be increased, and proper
work practices will be followed in your workplace.
If you are going to do the training yourself, you will have to understand the material and be prepared to motivate the workers
to learn. This is not always an easy task, but
the benefits are worth the effort. More information regarding appropriate training can
be found in OSHA Publication No. 2254 which
contains voluntary training guidelines prepared by OSHA’s Training Institute. A copy
of this document is available from OSHA’s
Publications Office at (202) 219–4667.
In reviewing your written program with regard to information and training, the following items need to be considered:
1. Designation of person(s) responsible for
conducting training;
2. Format of the program to be used
(audiovisuals, classroom instruction, etc.);
3. Elements of the training program
(should be consistent with the elements in
paragraph (h) of this section); and,
4. Procedure to train new employees at the
time of their initial assignment to work with
a hazardous chemical, and to train employ-

ees when a new hazard is introduced into the
workplace.
The written program should provide
enough details about the employer’s plans in
this area to assess whether or not a good
faith effort is being made to train employees. OSHA does not expect that every worker
will be able to recite all of the information
about each chemical in the workplace. In
general, the most important aspects of training under the HCS are to ensure that employees are aware that they are exposed to
hazardous chemicals, that they know how to
read and use labels and material safety data
sheets, and that, as a consequence of learning this information, they are following the
appropriate protective measures established
by the employer. OSHA compliance officers
will be talking to employees to determine if
they have received training, if they know
they are exposed to hazardous chemicals,
and if they know where to obtain substancespecific information on labels and MSDSs.
The rule does not require employers to
maintain records of employee training, but
many employers choose to do so. This may
help you monitor your own program to ensure that all employees are appropriately
trained. If you already have a training program, you may simply have to supplement it
with whatever additional information is required under the HCS. For example, construction employers that are already in compliance with the construction training standard (29 CFR 1926.21) will have little extra
training to do.
An employer can provide employees information and training through whatever
means are found appropriate and protective.
Although there would always have to be
some training on-site (such as informing employees of the location and availability of
the written program and MSDSs), employee
training may be satisfied in part by general
training about the requirements of the HCS
and about chemical hazards on the job which
is provided by, for example, trade associations, unions, colleges, and professional
schools. In addition, previous training, education and experience of a worker may relieve the employer of some of the burdens of
informing and training that worker. Regardless of the method relied upon, however, the
employer is always ultimately responsible
for ensuring that employees are adequately
trained. If the compliance officer finds that
the training is deficient, the employer will
be cited for the deficiency regardless of who
actually provided the training on behalf of
the employer.
D. Other Requirements
In addition to these specific items, compliance officers will also be asking the following questions in assessing the adequacy
of the program:

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
Does a list of the hazardous chemicals
exist in each work area or at a central location?
Are methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine
tasks outlined?
Are employees informed of the hazards associated with chemicals contained in
unlabeled pipes in their work areas?
On multi-employer worksites, has the employer provided other employers with information about labeling systems and precautionary measures where the other employers have employees exposed to the initial employer’s chemicals?
Is the written program made available to
employees and their designated representatives?
If your program adequately addresses the
means of communicating information to employees in your workplace, and provides answers to the basic questions outlined above,
it will be found to be in compliance with the
rule.
5. Checklist for Compliance
The following checklist will help to ensure
you are in compliance with the rule:
Obtained a copy of the rule. llll
Read and understood the requirements.
llll
Assigned responsibility for tasks. llll
Prepared an inventory of chemicals. llll
Ensured containers are labeled. llll
Obtained MSDS for each chemical. llll
Prepared written program. llll
Made MSDSs available to workers. llll
Conducted training of workers. llll
Established procedures to maintain current
program. llll
Established procedures to evaluate effectiveness. llll
6. Further Assistance
If you have a question regarding compliance with the HCS, you should contact your
local OSHA Area Office for assistance. In addition, each OSHA Regional Office has a Hazard Communication Coordinator who can answer your questions. Free consultation services are also available to assist employers,
and information regarding these services can
be obtained through the Area and Regional
offices as well.
The telephone number for the OSHA office
closest to you should be listed in your local
telephone directory. If you are not able to
obtain this information, you may contact
OSHA’s Office of Information and Consumer
Affairs at (202) 219–8151 for further assistance
in identifying the appropriate contacts.
[59 FR 6170, Feb. 9, 1994, as amended at 59 FR
17479, Apr. 13, 1994; 59 FR 65948, Dec. 22, 1994;
61 FR 9245, Mar. 7. 1996]

§ 1910.1450

§1910.1201 Retention of DOT markings, placards and labels.
(a) Any employer who receives a
package of hazardous material which is
required to be marked, labeled or placarded in accordance with the U. S. Department of Transportation’s Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR
Parts 171 through 180) shall retain
those markings, labels and placards on
the package until the packaging is sufficiently cleaned of residue and purged
of vapors to remove any potential hazards.
(b) Any employer who receives a
freight container, rail freight car,
motor vehicle, or transport vehicle
that is required to be marked or placarded in accordance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations shall retain those markings and placards on
the freight container, rail freight car,
motor vehicle or transport vehicle
until the hazardous materials which require the marking or placarding are
sufficiently removed to prevent any potential hazards.
(c) Markings, placards and labels
shall be maintained in a manner that
ensures that they are readily visible.
(d) For non-bulk packages which will
not be reshipped, the provisions of this
section are met if a label or other acceptable marking is affixed in accordance with the Hazard Communication
Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).
(e) For the purposes of this section,
the term ‘‘hazardous material’’ and
any other terms not defined in this section have the same definition as in the
Hazardous Materials Regulations (49
CFR Parts 171 through 180).
[59 FR 36700, July 19, 1994]

§ 1910.1450 Occupational exposure to
hazardous chemicals in laboratories.
(a) Scope and application. (1) This section shall apply to all employers engaged in the laboratory use of hazardous chemicals as defined below.
(2) Where this section applies, it shall
supersede, for laboratories, the requirements of all other OSHA health standards in 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Z, except as follows:

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