HazCom

OSHA's standard requiring that chemical hazards be classified, labelled, documented and communicated to workers.

The Hazard Communication Standard, at 29 CFR 1910.1200, requires employers to identify the hazardous chemicals in the workplace, keep a safety data sheet for each, label containers, and train employees on the hazards.

Sheets must be readily accessible to employees during each work shift. The standard does not require paper, so an electronic library satisfies it provided access is genuinely immediate and does not depend on a system that might be down.

HazCom is often called the employee right-to-know standard, distinguishing it from EPCRA's community right-to-know.

Related terms

• GHSThe UN system that standardises how chemical hazards are classified, labelled and described on safety data sheets.
• Safety Data SheetThe 16-section document a manufacturer must supply describing a hazardous chemical's hazards, handling and properties.
• Secondary container labelThe label required when a chemical is transferred out of its original manufacturer container.

A plain-English explanation, not legal advice. Figures are the federal baseline; your state may differ, so see the state-by-state requirements.