Preparing a written hazard communication plan

You must prepare a written hazard communication plan if employees at your workplace use or may be exposed to hazardous chemicals. The plan, which must be specific to your workplace, requires that you:

Develop a list of chemicals that your employees could be exposed to in the workplace.

If a chemical is hazardous and an employee could be exposed to it, put it on the list. Update your list when you receive new chemicals. Make sure there is a safety data sheet for each chemical on the list.

Label containers of hazardous chemicals.

Describe how you will make sure that each container has a label that identifies the chemical and warns of its hazards.

Determine where you will keep safety data sheets.

Keep safety data sheets where they are readily available to all employees. Identify the location if you store them in a paper file. Describe how employees will access them if you store them electronically and indicate who to contact if one is missing or incomplete.

Describe how you will train your employees about the chemicals’ hazards.

Include how employees can protect themselves from hazards, how to read warning labels and safety data sheets, and where employees can review safety data sheets.

Describe how you will inform employees who do nonroutine tasks about the hazardous chemicals they may be exposed to.

Identify the nonroutine tasks (such as the cleaning of reactor vessels) and determine what employees must do to minimize exposure.

Describe how you will inform employees about hazardous substances in pipes and pipes insulated with asbestos-containing material.

Focus on pipes that run through employees’ work areas.

Describe how you will inform contractors’ employees about the hazardous chemicals they may be exposed to.

Include where employees can find safety data sheets and how they can recognize warning labels on hazardous chemicals.