Hazards Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose and scope of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200: the right-to-know principle, which employers and chemicals are covered, the GHS alignment, and why HazCom is one of the most cited OSHA standards.
• Develop and maintain the written hazard communication programme: the required elements (chemical inventory, SDS management, labelling, training, non-routine tasks, pipes), multi-employer worksite provisions (informing other employers of chemical hazards), and the written programme as an auditable document.
• Develop and maintain the chemical inventory: listing every hazardous chemical present in the workplace, matching inventory to SDS collection, and the annual review process that ensures the inventory reflects current chemicals.
• Read and interpret all 16 sections of a Safety Data Sheet: Section 1 (Identification), Section 2 (Hazard Identification — the most critical section for emergency response), Section 3 (Composition), Section 4 (First Aid), Section 5 (Firefighting), Section 6 (Accidental Release), Section 7 (Handling and Storage), Section 8 (Exposure Controls/PPE), Section 9 (Physical/Chemical Properties), Section 10 (Stability/Reactivity), Section 11 (Toxicological), Section 12 (Ecological), Section 13 (Disposal), Section 14 (Transport), Section 15 (Regulatory), Section 16 (Other).
• Interpret GHS label elements: product identifier, pictograms, signal words (Danger for more severe, Warning for less severe), hazard statements (H-statements describing the hazard), precautionary statements (P-statements for prevention, response, storage, disposal), and supplier identification.
• Identify the nine GHS pictograms and the hazard categories each represents: flame (flammable), flame over circle (oxidiser), exploding bomb (explosive/self-reactive), corrosion (corrosive to metals/skin/eyes), skull and crossbones (acute toxicity — fatal/toxic), health hazard (serious health effects: carcinogen, mutagen, reproductive toxin, organ damage), exclamation mark (irritant, sensitiser, narcotic, acute toxicity — harmful), gas cylinder (gas under pressure), and environment (aquatic toxicity).
• Apply the hazard classification system: physical hazards (16 classes including flammable liquids/solids/gases, oxidisers, explosives, pyrophorics), health hazards (10 classes including acute toxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity, organ toxicity), and how hazard categories (Category 1 most severe through Category 4/5 least severe) determine the signal word and pictogram.
• Manage workplace container labelling: shipped container labels (must retain manufacturer GHS label), workplace/secondary container labelling (must include chemical identity and hazard information — alternatives permitted including NFPA, HMIS if employees are trained), and the immediate-use exemption.
• Deliver effective HazCom employee training per §1910.1200(h): the required training content (location and availability of the written programme, chemical inventory, and SDS; physical and health hazards in the work area; protective measures; how to read labels and SDS), when training must occur (initial assignment and when new hazards are introduced), and documentation.
• Manage HazCom for non-routine tasks and unlabelled pipes: informing employees about chemical hazards in non-routine tasks before they perform the work, and labelling or otherwise communicating hazards in pipes and piping systems.

Core Curriculum Topics

• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 Overview: scope, GHS alignment, right-to-know principle
• Written Hazard Communication Programme: required elements, multi-employer provisions
• Chemical Inventory: listing, SDS matching, annual review
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS): all 16 sections, reading and interpretation, accessibility
• GHS Label Elements: pictograms, signal words, H-statements, P-statements, supplier ID
• Nine GHS Pictograms: each pictogram and the hazard categories it represents
• Hazard Classification: physical hazards (16 classes), health hazards (10 classes), categories
• Workplace Container Labelling: shipped vs secondary, alternatives (NFPA/HMIS), immediate-use
• Employee Training (§1910.1200(h)): required content, timing, documentation
• Non-Routine Tasks and Unlabelled Pipes: communication requirements
• Trade Secrets: provisions for withholding identity while communicating hazards
• Programme Management: auditing, updating, sustaining compliance

• No prior training required
• Universal — applies to every industry
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English; working proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• Safety officers responsible for HazCom programme management and compliance
• Supervisors who must ensure chemical hazards are communicated to their workers
• Chemical coordinators and SDS librarians who manage chemical inventories and SDS collections
• HR managers and training coordinators who deliver or schedule HazCom training
• Workers in any industry who handle, use, or are exposed to hazardous chemicals
• Warehouse and receiving personnel who accept chemical shipments and verify labelling
• Any employer who needs to establish or update their HazCom programme

• Hazard Communication — YOU ARE HERE (OSHA 1910.1200 / GHS specialist course)
• Introduction to Industrial Hygiene (includes HazCom as one topic within IH fundamentals)
• 10-Hour / 30-Hour General Industry (includes HazCom as one required topic)
• CHSO / CSSP (certifications where HazCom is one compliance area)
• International Diploma in Advanced Industrial Hygiene (chemical hazard communication at diploma depth)