Every chemical container is supposed to tell the same story twice — once on the label, once on the Safety Data Sheet — using a system the whole world agreed to use the same way. What OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard actually requires, and how to read a GHS label.
Every chemical container on a shop floor is supposed to
tell the same story twice — once on its label, once on its Safety Data
Sheet — using a system the whole world agreed to use the same way. That
system is the Globally Harmonized System, and OSHA’s Hazard
Communication Standard is what makes following it mandatory in the
United States.
OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, requires any
workplace where hazardous chemicals are present to maintain a written
hazard communication program, keep a Safety Data Sheet on file for every
hazardous chemical, label containers correctly, and train employees on
the hazards they’re actually exposed to. The 2012 update aligned OSHA’s
rule with the UN’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and
Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), replacing the old, inconsistent MSDS
formats and label styles that used to vary by manufacturer.
| Element | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Pictogram | Red diamond symbol showing the hazard class (flame, corrosion, health hazard, and others) |
| Signal word | “Danger” for more severe hazards, “Warning” for less severe ones |
| Hazard statement | Standardized phrase describing the nature of the hazard, e.g. “Causes skin irritation” |
| Precautionary statement | What to do to minimize or prevent exposure |
GHS standardized Safety Data Sheets into a fixed 16-section format,
replacing the old MSDS layouts that put critical information in
different places depending on the manufacturer. Sections cover
identification, hazard identification, composition, first-aid measures,
firefighting measures, handling and storage, exposure controls and
personal protective equipment, and more, always in the same order — so
an employee who learns to navigate one SDS can navigate any of them.
Employees need HazCom training when they’re initially assigned to a
job involving hazardous chemicals, and again whenever a new chemical
hazard is introduced into their work area. Training has to cover the
standard itself, the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in
the work area, the labeling system, how to read an SDS, and the specific
protective measures the facility has in place — not just a generic
video that never mentions what’s actually on site.
HazCom fits inside the broader safety training work covered in
SCMEP’s Safety training catalog. As a
NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership affiliate
serving South Carolina manufacturers since 1989, our focus is
helping teams build a hazard communication program around the actual
chemicals on their floor, not a generic template borrowed from another
facility.
If your team needs to update a written HazCom program or refresh
label and SDS training, you can browse the Safety
training catalog or email the training team.
29 CFR 1910.1200 requires workplaces with hazardous chemicals to maintain a written hazard communication program, keep Safety Data Sheets on file, label containers according to the Globally Harmonized System, and train employees on the chemical hazards they’re exposed to.
A GHS-compliant label includes a pictogram showing the hazard class, a signal word (“Danger” or “Warning”), a hazard statement describing the nature of the hazard, and precautionary statements explaining how to minimize exposure.
GHS standardized Safety Data Sheets into a fixed 16-section format covering identification, hazards, composition, first-aid measures, handling and storage, exposure controls, and other required information, always presented in the same order.
Employees need training when initially assigned to work involving hazardous chemicals and again whenever a new chemical hazard is introduced into their work area, covering the specific chemicals and protective measures at that facility.
