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OSHA Hazard Communication Website Gets a Facelift

As I get older and more wrinkles, crow’s feet and age spots appear on my face, I consider some sort of plastic surgery like a facelift. According to the dictionary, a facelift is a procedure carried out to improve the appearance of someone or something.  A little nip and tuck, tightening and smoothing could go a long way in removing some of my signs of aging. So, how does my desire to look younger have anything to do with OSHA? To put it simply, OSHA’s website on Hazard Communication got a facelift.

US Department of Labor - OSHA Hazard Communication Website Screenshot
Click to enlarge

OSHA announced the update to the Hazard Communication website in the November 2nd QuickTakes newsletter under the Educational Resources section. To see the full newsletter, click here.

The new look actually makes the site easier to maneuver through as there are now drop-down tabs that can be used for faster searching for needed information. A quick review of each tab is as follows:

  • Safety Data Sheets: This tab includes the Safety Data Sheets QuikCard™ in both HTML and PDF formats along with the OSHA SDS Brief regarding Safety Data Sheets that incorporates Appendix D of the HazCom2012 regulation.
  • Labeling: On this tab the setup is very similar to that of the Safety Data Sheets. An additional link is to a QuickCard™ of a comparison between NFPA and OSHA labels.
  • Pictograms: Here again are the same features as the Safety Data Sheets and Labeling tabs. A nice feature is also the ability to download the pictograms.
  • Interpretations: Finally, a quick way to find a complete list of all the OSHA Letters of Interpretation.
  • Standards: Using this tab will take you directly to the OSHA HazCom2012 standard itself. It includes links to the Regulatory Text, the Preamble, and all of the Appendices.
  • Guidance: The title of this tab explains exactly what can be found under this tab. Once on this section there are links to things such as the Small Entity Compliance Guide and a few PowerPoint presentations.
  • International: The intention of this tab is to provide information on the Regulatory Cooperation Council.
  • FAQ’s: While this page is similar to the Letters of Interpretations tab it houses considerably more questions and answers and is more direct. Some of the questions are from back when HazCom2012 was first adopted but it does contain current information. Of note here is information on the “unknown acute toxicity” statement.
  • Additional Information: This tab has links to the effective dates and the history and background of how the United States matches the United Nations regulation.

All of these tabs make finding information a little more quickly. Use it to make your job easier. As for me, I will pass on the facelift. For each wrinkle, crow’s foot, and age spot I see I can think of a memory that made me who I am today.

Welcome to ICC

Which site would you prefer?