Safe Workplace and Safety News

A proposed rule to align the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with provisions of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) was published in yesterday's Federal Register.

The current HCS requires chemical manufacturers and importers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import and provide information to subsequent users. The current standard requires all employers to have a hazard communication program for workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. The program includes materials such as container labels, safety data sheets, and employee training.

A number of countries, including the United States, international organizations and stakeholders participated in developing the GHS to address inconsistencies in hazard classification and communications. The GHS was developed to provide a single, harmonized system to classify chemicals, labels and safety data sheets with the primary benefit of increasing the quality and consistency of information provided to workers, employers and chemical users. Under the GHS, labels would include signal words, pictograms, and hazard and precautionary statements. Additionally, information on safety data sheets would be presented in a designated order.

"The proposal to align the hazard communication standard with the GHS will improve the consistency and effectiveness of hazard communications and reduce chemical-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Following the GHS approach will increase workplace safety, facilitate international trade in chemicals, and generate cost savings from production efficiencies for firms that manufacture and use hazardous chemicals."

Labels: global hazmat classification, hazard identifcation, hazardous materials, rtk labels

This morning's Daily Item reports from Lynn, Massachusetts that the Lynn Chamber of Commerce reported that "two men recently tried to scam the organization by insisting the government workplace safety posters they were selling for $30 each were mandatory for businesses.

JoAnn Power, the chamber's communications director, said the pair were selling state and federal labor law compliance posters from a company called Compliance4Less and warned that businesses failing to purchase the items could be fined up to $17,000 by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)."

This type of misleading sales of OSHA posters has been going on for a long time. The following is an OSHA press release from 2001:

WORKPLACE POSTERS ARE AVAILABLE FREE - DESPITE MISLEADING ADVERTISING

Advertisements suggesting that OSHA workplace posters must be purchased from private companies to avoid fines may be misleading employers. OSHA reminds employers that its official posters are available free for the asking.

The official OSHA poster was redesigned last year to make it easier to read and understand. The new poster, called "It's the Law!" is available in English and Spanish. Employers need not replace older posters with the new ones, if they prefer to use them. Employers are required to display one of the two posters in a prominent location.

The OSHA poster informs workers of their rights to a safe and healthful workplace, how to file a complaint, report an emergency, and seek OSHA advice, and advises them of their right to confidentiality. It also lists the toll free number for OSHA, 800-321-OSHA, as well as phone numbers for regional OSHA offices around the country.

For a copy of OSHA's poster, visit OSHA's website at http://www.osha-slc.gov/Publications/poster.html. For the Spanish version, see http://www.osha-slc.gov/Publications/poster2.html. Employers can order multiple copies online by visiting www.osha.gov, then Newsroom, then Publications. Complete the order form online, and fax your request to Publications at (202) 693-2498. You can also call (202) 698-1888 or write to: U.S. Department of Labor/OSHA, OSHA Publications, P.O. Box 37535 Washington, D.C. 20013-7535.

Labels: OSHA, rtk labels, safety regulations, safety signs

Graphic Products has started shipping their new DuraLabel PRO 300 label and sign printer. This is a high resolution, 300 dpi, high speed industrial printer. It is suitable for printing self-adhesive safety and informational signs and labels such as: arc flash labels, RTK labels, OSHA safety signs, pipe markers, tamper evident labels and more.

The unique feature of this new label printer is that it combines high resolution printing with high speed printing. In the past high resolution label printing was slow. But, by incorporating high speeding digital processing the DuraLabel PRO 300 gets labels to start coming out of the printer sooner, resulting in faster printing.

The DuraLabel PRO 300 uses the continually growing line of DuraLabel PRO supplies. From continuous vinyl in over 30 colors, to specialty supplies such as oily surface labels and low temperature tapes. They are six types of die-cut RTK labels and a unique two-color continuous vinyl tape is only available for DuraLabel PRO printers. Supplies are available for making everything from reflective parking lot signs to small shrink tube labels for wires.

The DuraLabel PRO 300 is the industrial label printer that gets the job done... and gets it done right. Visit the DuraLabel PRO 300 web site for more information www.DuraLabelPRO.com

Labels: Arc Flash, rtk labels, safety labels, safety signs

ILPI provides a free online seven part MSDS quiz accompanied by a short tutorial. In each section you will read some background material about OSHA-required MSDS content, consult an MSDS sheet, and then answer a few questions.

You'll find the quiz and tutorial at: http://www.ilpi.com/msds/quiz/part1.html

Labels: rtk labels, Safety Training

An article in the December issue of Concrete Products Magazine compares and discusses the various standards for labeling hazardous materials with the new global requirements. Four labeling system are compared: GHS SDS, ISO MSDS, ANSI MSDS and OSHA MSDS.

The article points out that adopting global standards would be advantageous because it would eliminate the multiple standards in use within the U.S. The article states: "While a few changes would be in order to comply with the proposed standard, DOT labeling requirements for hazardous materials transportation are nearly identical to those of GHS. Since OSHA is not harmonized with current DOT standards, changing HCS to incorporate GHS criteria would ensure consistency of DOT and OSHA requirements."

Labels: global hazmat classification, hazard identifcation, rtk labels, safety labeling

The switch to a global hazmat classification system is moving forward. One of the problems, as reported by The Society for Protective Coatings, is that:

"The proposed switch to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) will reverse the hazard rankings currently used by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the proprietary Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) developed by the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA). In the two current U.S. systems, chemicals with higher assigned numbers pose greater chemical hazards, while in the GHS higher numbers indicate less of a hazard." (Read the complete report.)

OSHA has published A Guide toThe Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) that is available at:

http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html

This page provides a lot of information about the harmonization of hazardous chemical labeling, including tables that provide a comparison of MSDS elements for the following:

• Globally Harmonized System
• ISO Safety Data Sheet for Chemical Products 11014-1: 2003 DRAFT
• NSI MSDS Preparation Z400.1- 2004
• OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 29#CFR#1910.1200

Labels: global hazmat classification, hazard identifcation, OSHA, rtk labels

OSHA's responds to letters asking for clarification and interpretation of rules, codes and standards. OSHA then publishes those responses on their web site. The College of American Pathologists asked several interesting questions about labeling requirements which OSHA answered here.

Their questions include:

Is it necessary to label each bottle of reagent even if it will be used in a timely manner?

Are coding systems acceptable in place of writing precautionary information on secondary containers?

Does this requirement apply only to hazardous chemicals or to all chemicals used by a laboratory?

Labels: hazard identifcation, osha information, rtk labels, workplace safety

Volks Constructors has been cited by OSHA for, among other safety violations, not having proper RTK labeling and for lack of energy control procedures (Lockout/Tagout procedures). The following is the press release from OSHA:

Press Release - Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006

U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA Cites Volks Constructors in Baton Rouge for Job Safety and Health Violations

BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Baton Rouge, La., industrial vessel, pipe and steel fabrication company's alleged failure to maintain accurate injury and illness records and protect employees from occupational hazards has resulted in proposed penalties totaling $47,600 from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

AKM, LLC, doing business as Volks Constructors, was cited for the alleged violations following an inspection that began May 10, under a national emphasis program by OSHA aimed at preventing work-related amputations. Volks Constructors employs approximately 350 workers.

"Worker injury and illness records are vital for identifying injury trends," said Greg Honaker, OSHA's area director in Baton Rouge.

Sixteen serious citations were issued for potential atmospheric hazards in confined spaces, lack of energy control procedures to protect against electrical and amputation hazards, no eye wash station available while working with corrosives, no machine guarding to protect against amputation hazards and lack of guarding for chains, sprockets, belts and pulleys. A serious citation is issued for violations that could cause death or serious physical harm to employees due to hazards about which the employer knew or should have known.

Seventeen other-than-serious citations were issued for failing to complete "OSHA 301 Logs" used for a first report of injury; failing to record 102 injuries and illness on the "OSHA 300 Logs"; company executives certifying OSHA 300 Logs that were neither correct nor complete; and failing to provide the OSHA 300 and 301 Logs upon request. Additional violations included lack of rating capacity for alloy steel chains/synthetic web slings, restricted work space in front of electrical equipment, use of hazardous chemicals from unmarked containers and lack of material safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals. An other-than-serious violation is a condition that would probably not cause death or serious physical harm but would have a direct and immediate relationship to the safety or health of the employees.

The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with the Baton Rouge area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

Labels: LOTO, OSHA Citations, OSHA Fines, rtk labels, safety labeling