Major HazCom Components
The Chemical Hazard Communication (HazCom) program is mandated by various laws that provide for workers to be informed of their chemical hazards. The
University of Washington program complies with this mandate in Administrative Policy Statement (APS) 12.5, Chemical Hazard Communication Program and these
web pages, which serve as a guidance document. The main components of the program which need to be implemented per the APS and this guidance document are:
- Identifying hazardous chemicals and maintaining a list in the UW MyChem database system,
- Making use of Material Safety Data Sheets / Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs/SDSs) and labels to provide hazard information,
- Informing and training employees as to work task chemical hazards and the precautions for working with chemicals in a safe manner, and
- Maintaining documentation.
This document is the official written UW HazCom program. If you change these instructions, the changes need to be coordinated with and approved by
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S, 206-543-7388, uwcho@uw.edu). If you want to print out a hard copy of these web
pages, a printer-friendly version is available here (pdf). Otherwise, please refer to the following web pages for specific
details.
Guideline Web Pages
| Responsibilities |
Describes compliance with the UW HazCom program, by work area directors / managers / supervisors / employees, by EH&S, and by the UW Chemical Hazards
Advisory Committee. This page assigns the different program areas to the members of the UW community in order to achieve an effective HazCom program. A
compliance checklist is also available here (pdf).
|
| Identifying Hazardous Chemicals |
Defines which chemicals and processes need to be included by work area supervisors in the HazCom program.
|
| Tracking Chemicals |
Gives advice as to adding chemicals to the work area's MyChem inventory, or instructions if a work area tracks chemicals through a different process.
|
| Handling Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) |
Provides options for making MSDSs and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) available to your workers and provides other information about optimizing the use of MSDSs
/ SDSs at the UW.
|
| Container Labeling |
Provides guidance for labeling the variety of hazardous chemicals found throughout the University including unusual or difficult-to-label situations.
|
| Documenting Safe Procedures |
Provides guidance for assessing chemical hazards in a variety of work situations, and for documenting the safety requirements.
|
| HazCom Training |
Describes the chemical safety training that must be done and provides advice for documenting that training. It includes information about training if you
receive containers labeled per the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).
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| Providing an MSDS/SDS and Label for a UW Synthesized Chemical |
Provides advice for generating an MSDS (or SDS) and label if you ship chemicals to non-UW recipients.
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| HazCom Involving Contractors |
Provides important information for ensuring communications are appropriate if you have dealings with contractors.
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| HazCom Regulatory Information |
Provides some background information about regulations affecting the UW HazCom program and UW compliance.
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Please refer any questions about implementing the HazCom program to EH&S at 206-543-7388 or ehsdept@uw.edu.
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