Chapter 9. Hazard Communication Program

I. The purpose of the Hazard Communication Program is to provide Kansas State University workers with the necessary information to protect their health and well being from chemical hazards. Kansas State University has developed a written hazard communication program that includes chemical inventory, worker training, material safety data sheet (MSDS) use, container labeling, spill control, personal protective equipment use, and notification of workonsite contractors. Agricultural workers are encouraged to review the Hazard Communication Program in its entirety,

II This hazard communication program applies to all chemicals or chemical products that are known to be present in the workplace and which workers may be exposed under normal use conditions or in a foreseeable emergency. This standard does not apply to:

A. Food, drugs, cosmetics or alcoholic beverages.

B. Any consumer product or hazardous substance where it can be demonstrated that it is used in the workplace in the same manner as normal consumer use, and which use results in a duration and frequency of exposure which is not greater than consumer exposure.

III. Workers such as office workers who encounter hazardous chemicals only in nonroutine, isolated instances are not covered by this rule.

IV. Responsibilities.

A. The Department of Public Safety shall have overall responsibility to manage the Hazard Communication Program.

B. Each department shall have a Department Safety Coordinator who will have the responsibility to operate the Hazard Communication Program for the department.

C. The Department Safety Coordinator will coordinate all efforts with the Department of Public Safety.

V. Inventory. Each Department Safety Coordinator will compile an annual inventory of all hazardous chemicals and report this information to the Department of Public Safety. Included in this report will be the storage location of the chemicals.

A. Hazardous chemicals are defined as those chemicals listed on the Environmental Protection Agency's Extremely Hazardous Substances List (40 CFR 355, Appendix A) and subsequent changes.

B. The inventory will include quantities of 500 grams or more of listed chemicals (except nickel carbonyl which has a limit of 100 grams).

C. The inventory must be reported to the Department of Public Safety prior to January 30 for each calendar year.

VI. Labeling.

A. Each container of hazardous chemicals must be labeled, tagged or marked with the identity of the hazardous chemical(s) in the container and the appropriate hazard warnings, such as corrosive, flammable, poison, and/or reactive.

B. Any laboratory chemical which has been procured and stored in laboratories prior to 1988 need not be labeled as described above as long as the original label is applied to the container. Every effort must be made to use up the old chemicals prior to ordering new supplies.

VII. Material Safety Data Sheets.

A. Material Safety Data Sheets are a printed description of the chemicals used in the workplace. These sheets provide the workers with the necessary information to use the chemicals safely and how to deal with chemical accidents.

B. Manufacturers and importers of chemicals or chemical products presently provide MSDS's to distributors and retailers. The MSDS's are sent to all buyers. If the department does not receive the required MSDS, the Department Safety Coordinator must request the MSDS from the manufacturer.

C. Each department must make available to the workers a complete, current set of MSDS's for all chemical(s) used in the department. The Department Safety Coordinator must maintain the set of MSDS's.

VIII. Training.

A. The Department of Public Safety provides training on hazardous chemicals to the Department Safety Coordinators.

B. The Department Safety Coordinator will provide workers with information and training on chemicals at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical is introduced. This includes the location and availability of the MSDS set.