Chemical Hazard Communication (HazCom)

The UW is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees, students and visitors. Individuals who work with or near hazardous substances need to be aware of the identity, potential physical and health hazards, and the safe work practices that can minimize exposure. To assure individual health and safety, and meet regulatory requirements, the UW developed the Chemical Hazard Communication (HazCom) Program to address how to classify chemical hazards, and communicate the hazards and safeguards required to protect individuals from exposure to those hazards.

The HazCom program describes the responsibilities of department managers, supervisors, principal investigators (PIs), employees, students, contractors, visitors and EH&S. Protection from hazards provided by the program is meant to be consistent, whether in a chemical laboratory or in non-laboratory workplaces such as shops, custodial and maintenance services and transportation facilities.

Supervisors and PIs, regardless of where they work, are required to train their employees on the hazards of the chemicals used in the workplace. Chemical hazard information for all workplaces is covered under the Chemical Hazard Communication Program written guide.

UW personnel who work in laboratories should refer to the Laboratory Safety Manual for hazard communication and additional requirements specific for laboratory chemical use.

The major components of the HazCom Program are to:

Assign program responsibilities.
Identify hazardous chemicals in work areas.
Maintain a chemical inventory in the online MyChem database system for each work area.
Ensure employees have ready access to safety data sheets (SDSs) for each chemical in the inventory.
Label chemical containers.
Assess chemical hazards and develop safe use procedures.
Train employees in work task hazards and safe work practices.
Document chemical hazard assessments, safe use procedures and training.

Hazardous chemicals include, but are not limited to, chemicals, paints, adhesives, cleaning products, disinfecting agents, compressed gases, art supplies and pesticides.

Some examples of non-laboratory work areas where hazardous chemicals may be used, transported or stored include:

Facilities/maintenance shops and supply rooms	Art, ceramics, metal and glass studios
Paint spray booths	Teaching areas
Vehicle maintenance and garages	Welding areas
Custodial operations Clinics for patient care	Pesticide use areas indoors or outdoors
Research areas that are not laboratories (field work, animal care areas, chemical prep rooms)

The HazCom Program applies to all University employees, students and visitors at all University locations including the Seattle campus, UW Bothell and UW Tacoma, UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, and all other University-owned property, University-leased space, and field locations under the control of University operations and staff where chemicals are used, transported, stored or manufactured.

Specific hazard communication regulations also apply to chemical manufacturers, distributors and importers. The University must comply with these regulations when its researchers or others develop a new chemical or chemical product, including the development of safety data sheets (SDSs) and chemical labeling.

What you need to know about HazCom

Classifying and assessing department chemicals and use
Ensuring a chemical inventory is entered into the online MyChem chemical inventory system and that SDSs are attached for each chemical in the inventory
Ensuring staff have ready access to SDSs in the work area, either through the online MyChem system or printed copies
Reviewing the inventory and hazards of each chemical with employees
Determining proper engineering and administrative controls, work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE) to implement when employees work with specific chemicals
Ensuring proper labeling of all chemical containers, storage cabinets and work areas as needed
Ensuring development of SDS and labels for any chemical manufactured and distributed by UW personnel
Providing training to employees and affected individuals in HazCom elements, including chemicals used in the area and their potential hazards and SDS
Conducting job hazard analysis (JHA) and/or develop standard operating procedures (SOP) for processes and chemical use in the area that describes the hazards and safeguards
Providing personal protective equipment PPE for employees and other individuals, where applicable
Retraining employees and other individuals when new chemicals or procedures are introduced to the work area
Informing contractors of chemicals and potential hazards they may encounter in their work; ensuring proper procedures are followed
Informing contractors that they must provide UW with chemical information and SDS about chemicals they are bringing onsite to complete their work
Reporting any accidents or injuries using the Online Accident Reporting System (OARS)
Asking EH&S for help if needed

Knowing what chemicals you are working with and the potential hazards; reading safety data sheets (SDSs)
Taking Hazard Communication training and obtaining chemical-specific training from your supervisor
Knowing how to use the online MyChem chemical database system and how to access the chemical inventories and safety data sheets for chemical-specific hazard information
Following a standard operating procedure (SOP) and/or a job hazard analysis (JHA) developed for operations in your work area that describe hazards and safeguards
Following safe use practices when working with chemicals, including engineering controls, administrative controls, good work practices and use of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) as required
Helping you supervisor ensure all chemical containers are labeled
Knowing what to do if a chemical spills
Asking questions if you are unsure about any procedures or chemical hazards
Reporting any accidents or injuries immediately to your supervisor; reporting to EH&S using the Online Accident Reporting System (OARS)

Maintaining the HazCom program, auditing it annually and updating it as needed.
Maintaining the online MyChem chemical inventory system and centralized library of safety data sheets.
Providing advice on chemical assessments, developing standard operating procedures and/or job hazard analyses that describe hazards and safeguards, safe use practices when working with chemicals, and personal protective equipment selection and use
Providing training on basic HazCom; advising on area-specific HazCom training
Conducting air and other monitoring for workplace chemicals to determine potential for exposures; if chemical concentrations exceed regulated limits, working with areas to make corrective actions and maintain exposure records

Providing UW with chemical information and safety data sheets about chemicals they are bringing onsite to complete their work.
Asking about chemicals and potential hazards they may encounter in the work area where they will work or visit.
Following proper procedures of the work area and wearing personal protective equipment as needed.
Refer to the Contractors and Hazard Communication Focus Sheet for more information.

What you can do to stay safe

Employees, students:

Always follow proper procedures when working with chemicals.
Always use designated controls, safe work practices and proper personal protective equipment when working with chemicals
Ask if unsure about a chemical’s identity, hazard or procedure
Report spills or accidents immediately to supervisor
Know accident and spill procedures and when to call for help
Suggest corrective actions if you see potentially hazardous conditions or procedures

Services available

EH&S provides the following services:

Advice on communicating chemical hazard information
Consultations on engineering and administrative controls, and safe work practices
Recommendations on PPE when working with chemicals
Advice on specific HazCom training for specific areas
Help with updating chemical inventories in MyChem system so all employees and students have ready access to current SDSs

Frequently asked questions

SDSs may arrive in a chemical delivery, or EH&S may receive them directly. Employees need immediate access to the updated SDSs as soon as they are received. The easiest method to ensure people have access to the current SDS is to use MyChem. Attach an electronic copy of the updated SDS to your chemical inventory entry. EH&S is notified when this occurs and pulls the document into our system library. In the meantime, employees still have access to the attached SDS via your MyChem inventory.

You may not need to print SDSs and maintain SDS binders. It’s hard to keep binders updated. If you keep the MyChem inventory updated and attach updated SDSs when you receive them, this will simplify compliance. If you are concerned with staff finding an SDS quickly in MyChem, consider printing the inventory, and then train staff to use it in SDS searches. Each chemical in inventory has a chemical ID. Anyone with a UW NetID has immediate access to search MyChem for SDSs. Inventory access is not necessary for an SDS search.

Glossary

Any element, chemical compound, or mixture of elements and/or compounds. Exposure to chemicals can be in a variety of forms such as: solids, liquids, gases, vapors, dusts, mists or fumes.

Any chemical that is classified as a physical hazard, or a health hazard, a simple asphyxiant, combustible dust, pyrophoric gas or HNOC. For example, compressed gas is considered a physical hazard and wood dust is considered a health hazard.

A chemical for which there is statistically significant evidence that acute or chronic health effects may occur.

"Hazards Not Otherwise Classified" or HNOC is an adverse physical or health effect that does not fit in any defined hazard class in the Hazard Communication Standard.

A workplace where relatively small amounts of hazardous substances are used on a nonproduction basis.

A chemical that is classified as posing one of the following hazardous effects: explosive; flammable (gases, aerosols, liquids, or solids); oxidizer (liquid, solid or gas); self-reactive; pyrophoric (liquid or solid); self-heating; organic peroxide; corrosive to metal; gas under pressure; or in contact with water emits flammable gas.

SDS (formerly MSDS or Material Safety Data Sheet) is a document developed by a chemical manufacturer, distributor or importer that contains hazard information for the chemical user. The information includes: product identification, use restrictions, hazards identification, chemical ingredients, first-aid measures, fire-fighting measures, accidental release measures, handling & storage information, physical & chemical properties, stability and reactivity information, and toxicological information. SDSs are in a standardized, 16-section format and found online in the UW MyChem inventory system, and can also be obtained on the internet from chemical suppliers.

Contact

Occupational Safety and Health Contact

(206) 543-7388

ehsdept@uw.edu

Reference Files

Chemical Hazard Communication Program Manual

797.17KB (.pdf)

GHS Pictogram and Hazards

576.40KB (.pdf)

Job Hazard Analysis Template

109.43KB (.docx)

Contractors and Hazard Communication Focus Sheet

85.12KB (.pdf)

Reference Links

MyChem

Chemical Hazard Communication (HazCom)

What you need to know about HazCom

Department managers, supervisors and PIs are responsible for:

Employees, students are responsible for:

EH&S is responsible for:

Contractors, visitors are responsible for:

What you can do to stay safe

Services available

Frequently asked questions

What are the GHS pictograms?

What is the current practice for updating SDS binders and MyChem inventories with new SDSs?

Do we need to keep SDSs for chemicals no longer being used?

Glossary

Chemical

Hazardous Chemical

Health Hazard

HNOC

Laboratory

Physical Hazard

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Contact

Occupational Safety and Health Contact