Chemical Safety Part 1 : What you don What you don’t know can hurt you

Introduction 1

Chemicals are all around us. Chemicals are all around us.
• In the food we eat. In the food we eat.
• The clothes we wear. The clothes we wear.
• The vehicles we drive. The vehicles we drive.
• In the products we use everyday. In the products we use everyday.
Chemicals can help us live better lives, but we must Chemicals can help us live better lives, but we must
understand and respect their potential hazards. understand and respect their potential hazards.
Otherwise, they can harm us. Otherwise, they can harm us.

More than 30 million workers are potentially exposed to More than 30 million workers are potentially exposed to
one or more chemical hazards. one or more chemical hazards.
There are an estimated 650,000 existing hazardous There are an estimated 650,000 existing hazardous
chemical products, and hundreds of new ones are being chemical products, and hundreds of new ones are being
introduced annually. introduced annually.
This can pose a potential serious problem for exposed This can pose a potential serious problem for exposed
workers and their employers.

Introduction 3

Are you at risk because you work with chemicals? Are you at risk because you work with chemicals?
The answer is: Yes The answer is: Yes
How much risk? How much risk?
It Depends! It Depends! (Sorry, but it is not a simple answer.) (Sorry, but it is not a simple answer.)
This program will attempt to provide some basic information This program will attempt to provide some basic information
to address your concerns about working with hazardous to address your concerns about working with hazardous
chemicals. Hopefully, it will help you better understand chemicals. Hopefully, it will help you better understand
them so you can use them safely and limit your risks. them so you can use them safely and limit your risks.

Chemical Safety Chemical Safety

Chemical – any element, chemical compound, or mixture of elements and/or compounds.
Safety – being secure from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss.
Hazard – An item or condition which poses potential risk to safety or health.

Chemical Safety – being secure from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss when working with elements, chemical compounds, or mixtures of elements and/or compounds.
Chemical Hazards – elements, chemical compounds, or mixtures of elements and/or compounds which poses potential risk to safety or health.

Regulations

OSHA Hazard Communication Standard OSHA Hazard Communication Standard
29 CFR 1910.1200 29 CFR 1910.1200 – Hazardous Chemicals in the Hazardous Chemicals in the
Workplace Workplace – “Employee Right to Know Employee Right to Know”

OSHA Chemical Hygiene or Lab Standard OSHA Chemical Hygiene or Lab Standard
29 CFR 1910.1450 29 CFR 1910.1450 – Occupational exposure to hazardous Occupational exposure to hazardous
chemicals in laboratories chemicals in laboratories

Also 30 OSHA Substance Specific Standards Also 30 OSHA Substance Specific Standards
Also OSHA Air Contaminants (500+) Also OSHA Air Contaminants (500+)