Tag
HazCom
52 OSHA and HazCom articles tagged "HazCom" — practical, CFR-cited guidance verified against primary sources.
Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200, adopted for construction by 1926.59) is OSHA's chemical right-to-know rule and its #2 most-cited standard. A compliant program needs a written plan, a chemical inventory, GHS labels, readily accessible Safety Data Sheets, and trained workers. These articles break down each duty and the HCS 2024 / GHS Rev 7 deadlines.
HazCom on the Jobsite: What OSHA Actually Cited in FY2025 Construction Inspections
On a construction site, OSHA writes the general industry number: 698 HazCom citations under 1910.1200 in FY2025 against 14 under 1926.59, and 356 respirator citations under 1910.134 against none under 1926.103. The paragraph cited most wasn't a missing label. It was the written program.
The Job Ended. Who Can Still Ask for Your SDS?
When a crew demobilizes, the instinct is to shut off access. OSHA's text runs the other way: a safety data sheet is an exposure record, and the people who can ask for it include the ones who no longer work for you.
Does OSHA Require Safety Data Sheets in Spanish?
No for the document, yes for the training. 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(2) requires the SDS in English and only permits other languages; the same standard, OSHA's 2010 policy statement and the 2026 HazCom directive require training in a language the worker understands. Which one an inspector cites, and what a defensible bilingual program looks like.
Does OSHA Require You to Separate Incompatible Chemicals?
Mostly no — and knowing exactly where the 'no' ends is what keeps you off a citation. The Hazard Communication Standard imposes no storage segregation rule. The explicit federal separation sentences are rare and narrow. The segregation charts your crew follows come from fire code. And OSHA can still cite the pile of oxidizers next to the solvents, through the General Duty Clause.
HCS 2024 Deadlines by State Plan: Why November 20, 2026 Is the Wrong Date in Most of Them
We read twenty-two state plans instead of assuming they match federal. Washington's substances deadline was July 20, 2026, already past, and on the face of their own rules Michigan and Minnesota land on that same date, not November 20. California has not adopted HCS 2024 at all. What each rule actually says, and how to check yours in ten minutes.
Do SDSs Expire? How Often to Update Your SDS Binder
OSHA sets no expiration date on a Safety Data Sheet and no interval for reviewing your library — which is exactly why binders go stale. Here is who actually owes the update, what your compliance really turns on, a trigger-based review calendar, and what OSHA says to do with the sheet you're replacing.
Does Every Chemical Need an SDS? The OSHA Exemptions, Explained
Not everything on your jobsite needs a Safety Data Sheet. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard exempts articles, consumer products used like a consumer would, food, drugs, and more — but every exemption is narrower than it sounds. Here is the full decision tree, with the gray-area calls spelled out.
Missing an SDS: How to Triage the Gaps in Your Library
The chemical is already on site, in use, and there's no Safety Data Sheet for it. This is the other missing-SDS problem — not a shipment that arrived empty-handed, but a hole you discover in a library you thought was complete. This guide shows how to find the gaps, decide which to close first, and handle the moment an inspector asks.
NFPA 704 & HMIS vs GHS Labels: Can You Use the Fire Diamond?
Can the NFPA fire diamond or an HMIS bar label be your workplace container label? Yes, with conditions. What OSHA allows, and the reversed 0-4 vs 1-4 rating trap that confuses everyone.