Posted On: September 28, 2026
Many hazardous chemicals used in workplaces are covered by OSHA's Hazard Communication standard and require a Safety Data Sheet. The SDS contains information about physical hazards, health hazards, proper handling, storage requirements, exposure limits, first aid procedures, and what to do when something goes wrong.
Most of that information may sit in a binder on a shelf, in a folder on a shared drive that nobody can find, or on the side of a container that gets only a quick glance before the cap comes off.
OSHA's Hazard Communication standard, HazCom, 29 CFR 1910.1200, addresses how chemical hazards are communicated in the workplace. Having chemicals labeled is only part of the process. Workers also need to understand what those labels are telling them.
A label is only useful when workers understand the safety information it provides.
In 2012, OSHA aligned its Hazard Communication standard with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, known as GHS. Covered hazardous chemical containers in U.S. workplaces use a standardized label format that communicates hazard information through signal words, pictograms, hazard statements, and precautionary statements.
The signal word tells you the level of the hazard. Danger is used for more severe hazards, while Warning is used for less severe hazards.
The pictograms show the type of hazard at a glance. A flame means the chemical is flammable. A skull and crossbones indicates acute toxicity. An exclamation mark can indicate an irritant, harmful effects, or a hazard to the ozone layer. The health hazard pictogram shows a human silhouette with a starburst in the chest and can indicate hazards such as carcinogenicity, respiratory sensitization, reproductive toxicity, or certain types of organ damage.
The hazard statements describe the specific hazard. “Causes serious eye damage” is a hazard statement. “May cause cancer” is a hazard statement. “Flammable liquid and vapor” is a hazard statement.
The precautionary statements tell workers what to do to avoid or reduce exposure to the hazard. Wear gloves. Do not breathe vapors. Store in a well ventilated place. Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
A worker who understands GHS can read and use this information in a short amount of time. A worker who has never been trained on GHS may see a container covered with symbols and words without understanding what they mean.
A Safety Data Sheet is a standardized document that provides detailed information about a hazardous chemical. Every chemical manufacturer is required to produce one. Every employer is required to have one available for every hazardous chemical in their workplace. Every worker has the right to access them.
The sixteen sections of an SDS cover the chemical identity, hazard identification, composition, first aid measures, fire-fighting measures, accidental release measures, handling and storage requirements, exposure controls and personal protective equipment, physical and chemical properties, stability and reactivity, toxicological information, ecological information, disposal considerations, transport information, regulatory information, and other relevant data.
Section 8 tells workers exactly what PPE is required when working with the chemical. Section 4 tells them what to do if someone is exposed. Section 7 tells them how to handle and store it safely.
A worker who knows where to find the SDS and how to read it has access to every piece of information they need to work with that chemical safely. A worker who has never seen one has none of it.
Every employer must maintain an updated list of all hazardous chemicals in the workplace, have a Safety Data Sheet for each one accessible to workers during every shift, make sure every container is properly labeled, and train workers on how to read labels and SDS documents before they work with or near hazardous chemicals for the first time.
The training must cover the requirements of the HazCom standard, the location and availability of the written hazard communication program and SDSs, how to interpret the information on GHS labels, and the specific chemical hazards present in each worker's work area.
This is not a one-time orientation checkbox. When a new chemical is introduced to the workplace, workers who will work with or near it must be trained on its specific hazards before exposure begins.
Workers may mix chemicals that should never be combined because they were not told about the hazards or chemical incompatibilities. A worker may handle solvents without gloves because they were not aware that the chemical can be absorbed through the skin. Someone cleaning up a spill may skip respiratory protection because they did not know the chemical can produce harmful vapors at room temperature.
Chemical exposure does not always cause an immediate injury. Skin sensitization can happen after repeated contact. Breathing problems can occur after long-term exposure to certain vapors. Some types of organ damage can build up over years of repeated exposure. By the time a health problem is identified, the worker may have already been exposed many times.
HazCom training does not remove chemical hazards from the workplace. It gives workers the information they need to understand those hazards and take the right precautions when working with or near hazardous chemicals.
HazCom Training Online teaches workers how to understand chemical hazard information and use it in the workplace. Training covers how to read GHS labels, how to find and use Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), how to understand chemical hazards, and what workers need to know under the Hazard Communication Standard.
The training is available online in English and Spanish and can be completed at the worker's own pace. It gives workers knowledge they can use when handling or working near hazardous chemicals.
Trusted by thousands of workers & supervisors