Hazardous Communications

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Hazardous Communications

• ICEMS System
• 2005

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Hazard Communication Standard

• Established by the Occupational Safety and Health
  Administration (OSHA)
• Also known as the right to know
• Employees have both a need and a right to know
  the hazards and identities of the chemicals they
  are exposed to when working.
• Employees also need to know what protective
  measures are available to prevent adverse effects
  from occurring.

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Hazard Communication Standard (cont.)

• Knowledge acquired under the standard will help
  employers provide safer workplaces for their
  employees.
• Most products used in healthcare have some hazard
  potential, and thus will be covered by the
  standard.
• This standard is performance-oriented. We have
  the flexibility to adapt the rule to the needs of
  our workplace, rather than having to follow
  specific, rigid requirements

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Relay of information

• Chemical manufacturers and importers are required
  to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they
  produce or import, and in return provide info
  about their products

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What is a hazardous chemical?

• Hazardous chemical means any chemical which is a
  physical hazard or a health hazard.
• Not all chemicals used by Iredell County EMS are
  hazardous. However, EMS does maintain a list of
  those which the standard refers to as
  hazardous.
• A determination of the degree of hazard of some
  chemicals used by ICEMS does not necessarily
  mean an immediate and present danger to the
  safety and health of ICEMS employees.

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Hazardous Chemical or Not?

• If found that the product has the properties of a
  physical hazard (such as flammability) or a
  health hazard (such as irritation, lung damage,
  and cancer) then the product is classified as a
  Hazardous Chemical
• Certain steps must be taken if the product is
  classified as a hazardous chemical

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Physical Hazards

• Explosives
• Flammable
• Combustible
• Reactive

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Health Hazards

• Irritants and Corrosives
• Toxic and Highly Toxic
• Carcinogen

• Sensitizer
• Specified Target Organs

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Exposure

• Exposure or exposed under the standard means
  that an employee is subjected to a hazardous
  chemical in the course of employment through any
  route of entry (inhalation, ingestion,
  absorption, and ocular) and includes potential
  (accidental or possible) exposure

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Exposure The key to harm

• How much exposure?
• How often exposed?
• How sensitive you are to the chemical?
• How the material gets into the body
• i. e., the routes of entry

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Routes of entry

• Inhalation
• Ingestion
• Absorption
• Ocular

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Inhalation

• Occurs when a chemical is breathed in through the
  nose or mouth
• Most common method of getting chemicals into the
  body

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Ingestion

• Through the mouth
• Can occur from ones hands or perhaps a
  contaminated cigarette placed into the mouth or
  applying lipstick
• Important not to eat or smoke in the same area as
  hazardous chemicals in use

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Absorption

• Occurs when the material gets on our skin and
  travels into the bloodstream

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Ocular

• Occurs when the material gets into the eyes and
  travels into the bloodstream

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Material Safety Data Sheets

• Documents which give very detailed hazard
  information for a particular chemical
• Provided by the chemical manufacturer to provide
  additional information concerning safe use of the
  product

• Employers must have an MSDS for each hazardous
  chemical which they use
• Sometimes people think of chemicals as being
  only liquids in containers, but the Haz Com
  Standard covers chemicals in all forms- liquids,
  solids, gases, vapors, fumes, and mists- whether
  they are contained or not.

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Location

• MSDS books are located at each base and updated
  annually
• If they are removed, please return.

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Exclusions

• These regulations do not apply to any substances
  which are foods, drugs, cosmetics, or tobacco
  products intended for personal consumption by the
  employees in the workplace.
• In addition, these regulations do not apply to
  any consumer products and food stuffs packaged
  for distribution (and intended for use by) the
  general public.

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Contents of MSDS

• Section 1- Chemical Product and Company
  Identification
• Section 2- Composition, Information or Hazardous
  Ingredients
• Section 3- Hazard Identification (organized by
  routes of entry)

• Section 4- First Aid Measures (organized by
  routes of entry)
• Section 5- Fire and Explosion Hazard
• Section 6- Accidental Release Measures
• Section 7- Handling and Storage

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Contents (cont)

• Section 8- Exposure Controls and PPE
• Section 9- Physical Chemical characteristics
• Section 10- Reactivity Data
• Section 11- Toxicological Information
• Section 12- Ecological Information

• Section 13- Disposal Considerations
• Section 14- Transport Information
• Section 15- Regulatory Information
• Section 16- Other Information

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Update of MSDS

• Any time a new product is purchased an MSDS sheet
  will be generated if not accompanied by the
  product.
• New MSDS sheets will be kept updated by using a
  standard formthis is done annually in December.
• Required information should be written on the
  form and forwarded to the Safety Officer and they
  will be responsible for updating all books.

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Requirements

• Product labels
• Chemical Inventory
• Written Program

• Material Safety Data Sheets
• Training

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Product Labels

• Labels must be affixed to each chemical container
  in the workplace
• Must contain name and address of the chemical
  manufacturer, importer, or other responsible
  party
• Labels must remain intact.
• Labels must identify the container contents and
  warn the user of hazards that may exist while
  using the product
• Labels must be legible, in English, and
  prominently displayed.

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Chemical Inventory

• The list will serve as an inventory of everything
  for which an MSDS must be procured and maintained
• Products name and manufacturers name are listed
• A compiled list of chemicals are located at each
  base labeled Material Safety Data Sheets
• Contained in the binder is also the written
  Hazardous Communications Program

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Training

• Each employee who may be exposed to hazardous
  chemicals when working must be provided
  information and trained prior to initial
  assignment to work with a hazardous chemical
• Training is to be done initially, annually, and
  whenever the hazard changes
• Training must occur within 30 days of employment
  for new employees, full time or reserves (done
  during rookie school for ICEMS employees)
• Training and education provided to employees must
  be documented with detailed records of training
  maintained by the department and available for
  review by the Risk Management Team Chair

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Written Program

• All workplaces where employees are exposed to
  hazardous chemicals must have a written plan
  which describes how the standard will be
  implemented in that facility
• The written program and all relative data is
  available upon request to employees and their
  designated representatives, if any also to the
  North Carolina Commissioner of Labor
• Written program will be located in MSDS book

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Protecting Yourself

• Always remember you are 1.
• Protecting yourself is always your first priority
• Keep your work area clean and orderly
• Use the necessary safety equipment (i.e. gloves,
  gowns, goggles)

• Carefully label every container with the identity
  of its contents and warnings.
• Store incompatible chemicals in separate areas
• Provide means of containing the material if
  containers should break or spill the contents
• Obtain and read the MSDS sheets

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Protective Measures

• By now, you should have a better understanding of
  the hazardous properties of chemicals, and how to
  recognize the hazards of the particular chemicals
  with which we work

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Protective Measures (cont)

• Even though chemicals in the workplace may be
  dangerous, there are methods available to ensure
  that the risk is minimized or eliminated

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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Gloves Protect your hands from chemical exposure
• Goggles Should be worn when there is a
  possibility of splashing chemicals in your eyes
• Face shields Protect your face as well as your
  eyes
• Respirators Needed if you have significant
  exposure to vapors, fumes or mists of a hazardous
  material
• Gowns

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Employee Responsibilities

• Know where to obtain info about Hazardous
  chemicals in your work area
• Read and understand labels/MSDS sheets before you
  start working
• Ask questions if you are not sure
• Keep work area clean
• Use required PPE/clothing
• DO NOT eat, drink or smoke around chemicals

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Employee Responsibilities (cont)

• Practice good personal hygiene practices, e.g.
  wash hands before eating, drinking, or smoking
• Learn emergency procedures for your area
• Follow procedures for exposure, disposal and
  spill clean-up

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Employer Responsibilities

• Take steps to reduce exposures by providing safer
  workplaces
• Substitute less hazardous materials

• Establish proper work practices

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Conclusion

• Information is the key
• Your first line of defense in protecting yourself
  against hazardous chemicals is knowledge of the
  chemical itself.
• Make yourself aware of the chemicals around you
  and preventive measures that can be taken
• How well you practice safe and healthful work
  habits will determine your safety and well-being
• You should be able to go home as healthy as when
  you came to work.
• Your job should not cause you your health

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Test Time

• Please go out of this presentation and click on
  the word document labeled Hazardous
  Communicationsplease print off a hard copy, take
  the test and get to the Stacey by 12/15/05