If you’ve recently hired a new employee who will be working with hazardous materials, or a current employee has agreed to work with additional hazardous materials, they’ll need to complete HAZCOM training. HAZCOM stands for hazardous communications, and training for it is required by OSHA. Barclay Brand Ferdon provides HAZCOM training for businesses in New Jersey and New York. Here, we take a closer look at what you need to know about HAZCOM training.
The Importance of HAZCOM Training
OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) mandates that all hazardous materials that are made or sold in the United States need to be manufactured as specified in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification Labeling Chemicals (GHS). HAZCOM training is designed to familiarize you with all of these precedents so that your employees can move forward in the workplace with confidence and certainty when handling hazardous materials. If your facility has hazardous materials, you’ll also have a material safety data sheet (MSDS) to manage, which HAZCOM training covers as well.
The Timing of Certification and Additional Training
If you have new employees at a facility or a current employee has agreed to work with a new hazardous material, they’ll need to undergo HAZCOM training. HAZCOM training is unique to the facility you’re working for. In this case, as well as an update to your facility’s MSDS, your employees will need to complete additional HAZCOM training as reflected in the updated MSDS as per OSHA 1910.1200(h)(1):
“Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area.”
OSHA hasn’t specified how frequently HAZCOM training needs to be undergone again after the initial training session. It’s up to the discretion of the employer to provide refresher training courses when they deem it necessary to do so.
Who Provides HAZCOM Training?
HAZCOM certification is to be provided through your facility and because each facility handles a unique combination of hazardous materials, the training will cover different materials in accordance with their MSDS. Training can be done through your business, or with the help of a company like Barclay Brand Ferdon. We offer a four-hour HAZCOM training course in keeping with OSHA standards that cover the following topics:
- Common chemical hazards
- Correct labeling of hazardous materials
- Establishing an internal HAZCOM program
- Familiarity and understanding of the MSDS
- HAZCOM compliance with the GHS
- Individual training requirements for your employees
Schedule Training Courses for Your Employees Today
HAZCOM training is both necessary and required by OSHA to give your employees the knowledge they need when working with hazardous materials. Barclay Brand Ferdon offers safety training to those operating anywhere from Middlesex and Ocean Counties in New Jersey to select areas of New York. Contact us today to schedule training for your employees.
