From EHS Today:
In theory, MSDSs provide users with information regarding hazardous substances and recommended safety precautions. While the concept behind these documents is good, my experience suggests that the information often is too vague or limited, making MSDSs amount to nothing more than a tragic hoax. Keep reading →
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From EHS Today:
Oh no! We have a serious problem. The plant office manager ran into my office with a frantic look of panic on her face. The company safety inspectors are here and they want to see an MSDS on the Wite-Out. What will we do?
This scenario, while fictitious, is played out a thousand times every year in facilities all across our nation. We all have learned the OSHA rules of hazard communication, 29CFR1910.1200. The purpose and design of the program is excellent: that any chemicals produced or imported are evaluated for hazards and those hazards are then communicated to the employees and employers who might come in contact with them. Keep reading →
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From Purchasing Magazine:
Supplier relationships, compliance issues take center stage when buying chemicals online.
By Rich Weissman — Purchasing, 4/10/2008
While e-sourcing has found its way into nearly every spend area imaginable today, buying chemicals online requires significantly more attention than most spend areas. A buyer’s need for detailed product specifications and regulatory compliance information often outpaces the need for speed in sourcing chemicals, and further emphasizes the need for strong supplier relationships.
Larry Giunipero, the ISM Professor of Purchasing and Supply Management at Florida State University in Tallahassee sees compliance as the major bottleneck in easily purchasing chemicals online. “There is an element of control in the chemical purchase that may not be so prevalent in other online purchases,” says Giunipero. “Buyers have to be concerned with material safety data sheets (MSDS), hazmat issues, and even DOT regulations for the transportation and storage of chemicals.” Keep reading →
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From Occupational Hazards:
Days after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia dismissed a petition made by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and other industry groups claiming that OSHA amended its Hazard Communication (hazcom) standard without notice or comment, OSHA and the petitioners reached a settlement.
As per the settlement, OSHA will issue a letter of interpretation addressing specific questions NAM and the Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA) presented to OSHA regarding the agency’s new hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]) standard for general industry. The letter will be issued by OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs.
In addition, NAM and SSINA have agreed to file a motion with the court to withdraw their petition for review of the Cr(VI) standard on or before May 24.
OSHA and the two other industry groups involved in the settlement – Public Citizen Health Group (HRG) and the United Steelworkers – have agreed not to oppose any motion NAM and/or SSINA may file to intervene in support of the Cr(VI) standard in the remaining cases. Keep reading →
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From Occupational Hazards:
The challenge today for organizations is to effectively manage their entire chemical inventory so they can stay in compliance and avoid the dangers, fines and fees associated with not doing so.
In the hazmat world today, most large organizations follow a time-honored process for identifying critical compliance needs and spend the money necessary to make it work. It is a process that tilts the compliance board in advantage of the bigger players.
It starts with a sophisticated purchasing or procurement system, usually with a module that enables environmental health and safety (EHS) staff to review and approve all incoming hazardous items. Nothing arrives into a big company unnoticed. Next, the chemical or product is tracked through some type of bar code or RFID-tagged inventory management system, and data on its location and specific usage is recorded.
Material safety data sheets (MSDSs) are obtained and tracked, using a sophisticated document and data management system that is tied into procurement and chemical tracking. At the end of all this, compliance reports required by EPA and local agencies are generated and submitted, usually electronically. At this point, management plans are made or modified, staff are trained or retrained and the company moves forward safely until the next monthly review period. Keep reading →
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From Occupational Hazards:
OSHA’s latest semiannual regulatory agenda, published in the April 30 Federal Register, includes predictable delays for long-awaited standards such as crystalline silica and occupational exposure to beryllium, to name a few.
Crystalline silica – a compound that workers in construction, maritime and general industry are routinely exposed to – has been cited as the cause of silicosis, which is a disabling, if not fatal, disease. The standard has been on OSHA’s regulatory agenda for years, but it has not moved past the pre-rule stage. Previously slated for April, OSHA’s latest agenda indicates that a complete peer review of health effects and risk assessment will be done by September.
Occupational exposure to beryllium also has been on OSHA’s plate for some time now. Since 2001, OSHA has been in the process of gathering data through an official request for information in order to determine an appropriate course of action for addressing work-related hazards to beryllium. The agency, in its previous regulatory agenda, had indicated that the a SBREFA (Small Business Regulatory Enforcement and Fairness Act) panel would complete its report by March. The standard has been postponed to September.
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From Occupational Hazards -
Implementing a globally harmonized system of classification and labeling of chemicals (GHS) would be the next best step in improving hazard communications systems, according to a web poll sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE).
A March 22 technical audio conference revealed that 98 percent of web poll participants – comprised mostly of safety and health professionals – voted “yes”when asked whether they see hazardous communication systems improving as a result of GHS implementation. In addition, 72 percent of poll voters said that their companies are in the process of preparing for GHS and 88 percent said they thought that GHS would help their companies streamline their hazard communication (HAZCOM) issues.
Among other poll results:
72 percent said that their companies have a HAZCOM program with international issues.
52 percent said that their companies dedicate significant resources to international issues.
61 percent said that they have international safety, health and environmental responsibilities.
According to ASSE, the poll results are indicative of the impact GHS is going to have in the safety and health community.
“Hundreds of safety, health and environmental professionals participated in the GHS call,” said Christopher Gates, assistant administrator of the ASSE Management Practice Specialty. “This clearly illustrates that GHS will be a critical issue for the profession in the near future and has the potential to make a significant impact on workplace safety and health when the system is fully implemented.”
Jennifer Silk, OSHA’s former deputy director of the Directorate of Standards and Guidance, and Mary Frances Lowe of EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs were on the call and discussed how GHS would impact hazard communication for manufacturers, importers, distributors and end users in all industries.
They also discussed how GHS would change material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and company HAZCOM programs and the impact GHS will have on EHS professionals. Keep reading →
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Globalization has made the world a small village where business in one country has an effect on the others. This is more relevant for a developing country like India, which is emerging as a place for sourcing raw materials, finished consumer product or services. MSDS and related activities will certainly play an important role in modifying and influencing the way the business is done in future.
It started in the eighties, when Multinational companies with the manufacturing base in India started demanding MSDSs from the Indian raw material suppliers. Without knowledge of the fundamentals of MSDS compliance, manufacturers provided only technical literature and information on the storage and handling of the raw material supplied. In the nineties, exports became more important as well as the need for more detailed MSDSs for employee safety in the importer’s workplace. Now, with all importers being concerned about the Environment and Safety, even more emphasis is placed on material safety data. Implementation of REACH by the EU makes MSDSs an important and useful source document for Environment, Occupational Health and Safety. Keep reading →
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Impact of REACH on US exporters of manufactured goods to the EU –
EU regulations are more stringent and more numerous than US regulations, and US manufacturers who don’t consider themselves chemical companies will find themselves widely affected by REACH. Dr. Louis Wyness of TSG Europe, a UK-based regulatory services consultancy, explains.
With trepidation from industry a new chemical regulation in the European Union (EU) called REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006) was published late in 2006. The Regulation which comes into force on 01 June 2007 will have a major impact on chemical and associated industries worldwide which manufacture and/or import chemicals, preparations and articles to the EU.
Before REACH the EU legislative framework for chemicals was fragmented with different rules for new and existing chemical substances and the requirements were generally considered by government to be inadequate for protecting human and environmental health. REACH brings together all existing EU legislation and is arguably the most comprehensive and far-reaching system of chemical regulation worldwide.
Basic elements of REACH
In brief, the basic elements of REACH are Registration (by industry), Evaluation (by a new Chemical Agency), Authorisation (and possible restriction) of Chemicals. The extent of the obligations placed on industry varies depending on the chemical tonnage manufactured in, or exported to, Europe and on the hazard properties of the chemical substance. Substances alone, in preparations or in articles are affected.
There are many exemptions from many or all of the provisions of REACH. Some substances being structurally simple and benign are exempted (and listed in the Annexes to the Regulation). Other chemicals or preparations already regulated are exempt from certain provisions such as those in medicinal products or in foods. Keep reading →
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Good Article in Occupational Hazards about the coming year ahead in OSHA Compliance:
OSHAs Forecast for 2007
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