Program: Hazard Communication

Lead: Jim Gilson
Phone: (510) 643-9575
E-mail: j_gilson@berkeley.edu

Team: Health & Safety
Assistant Manager, Safety: Jim Gilson
Associate Director: Brandon DeFrancisci

Description

The EH&S Hazard Communication program seeks to help campus departments fulfill the requirements of Cal/OSHA Section 5194, also known as the "Employee Right-to-Know" law. The law requires employers to provide information on physical and health hazards of the materials employees use or come into contact with as part of their work. There are three basic components of the Hazard Communication standard:

• Adequate labeling of all hazardous substances in the workplace
  
• Providing information such as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) for each hazardous chemical in the department
  
• Training employees on the chemical hazards of their workplace

Each laboratory using hazardous materials needs to have a completed "Chemical Hygiene Plan" signed by each laboratory employee in order to meet Hazard Communication requirements.

Shops and other production or service areas using hazardous materials need to have a completed "Hazard Communication" signed by each employee using the facilitiy to assist in meeting the training requirements.

Resources

Hazard Communication Plan Flip Chart (Download PDF file - 568K)

Cal/OSHA Hazard Communication Standard