Hazard Communication and Personal Protective Equipment
HazCom (1910.1200)
Employers must maintain a written hazard communication program, a chemical inventory, safety data sheets accessible to employees in their work area on each shift, labeled containers, and training at initial assignment and whenever a new hazard is introduced. Under the GHS-aligned rule, chemical manufacturers and importers classify hazards; employers receiving chemicals may rely on that classification.
Six required label elements on shipped containers: product identifier, signal word, hazard statement(s), pictogram(s), precautionary statement(s), and the name, address, and phone number of the manufacturer, importer, or responsible party. Signal words are "Danger" (more severe) and "Warning." OSHA requires eight of the nine GHS pictograms (the environmental pictogram is not an OSHA requirement). SDSs have 16 sections; section 4 is first aid and section 8 is exposure controls. Labels must be in English, though other languages may be added.
Trap: secondary containers. A label is not required when an employee transfers a chemical into a portable container for his or her own immediate use during the same shift.
PPE (1910.132–.138)
The employer performs a written hazard assessment and certifies it, selects PPE, trains employees (including demonstrating understanding), and retrains when needed. Defective or damaged PPE is not used. Eye/face protection must meet Z87.1, head protection Z89.1. PPE is generally provided at no cost, with narrow exceptions (non-specialty safety-toe shoes, prescription safety eyewear, and items the employee chooses to wear). Respirators require a written program, medical evaluation, annual fit testing, and annual training.
Worked example
A solvent is poured into an unlabeled spray bottle for a single task by the same employee that shift - no label needed. The bottle is left for the next shift - the container is now a secondary container requiring a label with the product identifier and hazard information.