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Kansas State University

Hazard communication program

Click to view a pdf version of the Hazard Communication Program at Kansas State University.

  1. INTRODUCTION

    2. A. The purpose of the Hazard Communication Program is to provide Kansas State University employees 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, employee training, material safety data sheet (MSDS) use, container labeling, spill control, personal protective equipment use, and notification of work on site contractors.

    B. This hazard communication program applies to all chemicals or chemical products that are known to be present in the workplace and which employees may be exposed under normal use conditions or in a foreseeable emergency. The chemicals covered by this program include laboratory chemicals, cleaning agents, floor strippers and waxes, maintenance solvents and oils, bottled gas, printing inks and solvents, photocopy inks and toners, and other chemical products. This standard does not apply to:

    1. Food, drugs, cosmetics or alcoholic beverages packaged for sale to consumers or intended for personal consumption by employees in the workplace.
    2. 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.
    3. Any drug as defined by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that is used in its final form for administration to the patient such as a dispensing pharmacy or hospital.

    C. Employee means any worker, i.e., faculty, staff, or student, who is exposed to chemicals under normal operating conditions or in foreseeable emergencies. Employees such as office workers who encounter hazardous chemicals only in non routine, isolated instances are not covered by this rule.

  2. RESPONSIBILITIES

    3. 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.

    1. Department, for the purposes of this document, is defined as any Division, Department, Section, Unit, or Office.
    2. The President, Provost, Vice Presidents, or Deans may ask their respective Department Heads or Directors to appoint Department Safety Coordinators.
    3. Departments of ten or less employees may be grouped together under one Department Safety Coordinator.
    4. Departments in more than one building should have a Department Safety Coordinator for each building.

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

  3. CHEMICAL CONTROL

    4. A. The Controllers office will notify the Department of Public Safety of all chemical or chemical products purchased by Kansas State University.

    B. 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.

    1. Hazardous chemicals are defined as those chemicals listed on the Environmental Protection Agency's Extremely Hazardous Substances List (40 CFR 355) and subsequent changes.
    2. The inventory will include quantities of 500 grams or more of listed chemicals (except nickel carbonyl which has a limit of 100 grams).
    3. The inventory must be reported to the Department of Public Safety prior to January 30 for each calendar year.
  4. LABELING

    5. 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. The labels shall not be removed or defaced on incoming containers of hazardous chemicals unless the container is immediately marked with the required information.

    C. The labels or other forms of warning must be legible and prominently displayed on the container.

    D. If existing labels already convey the necessary information, new labels need not be added.

    E. The following chemicals do not require additional labeling other than that required under:

    1. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (EPA) pesticides.
    2. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDA) food, food additive, color additive, drug, cosmetic, or medical or veterinary devise, including materials intended for use as ingredients in such products.
    3. Federal Alcohol Administration Act (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) distilled spirits, wine, or malt beverage).
    4. Consumer Product Safety Act and Federal Hazardous Substances Act (Consumer Product Safety Commission) consumer products.

    F. 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.

  5. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS

    6. A. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are a printed description of the chemicals used in the workplace. These sheets provide the employer and employees with the necessary information to use the chemicals safely and how to deal with chemical accidents. Each MSDS contains the following information:

    1. The product identity used on the label.
    2. The chemical and common name(s) of the hazardous chemical(s).
    3. The physical and chemical characteristics of the hazardous chemical(s).
    4. The physical hazards of the hazardous chemical(s), including the potential for fire, explosion, and reactivity.
    5. The health hazards of the hazardous chemical(s), including signs and symptoms of exposure, and any medical conditions which are generally recognized as being aggravated by exposure to the chemical.
    6. The primary route(s) of entry.
    7. The OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL), the ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV), and any other exposure limit or safety recommendation.
    8. Whether the hazardous chemical(s) is a carcinogen or potential carcinogen.
    9. Precautions for safe handling and use including hygienic practices, protective measures, and procedures for clean up of spills and leaks.
    10. Personal control measures including engineering controls, work practices, or personal protective equipment.
    11. First aid and emergency medical procedures.
    12. MSDS date of preparation and subsequent changes.
    13. Name, address, and telephone number of chemical manufacturer, importer, employer or other responsible party preparing or distributing the MSDS.

    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. Any department that manufactures or provides a chemical product must prepare and make available an MSDS for that product. Blank MSDS forms are available from the Department of Public Safety. Storerooms, such as the Chemistry Storeroom and Biology Storeroom, that sell chemicals to the campus must provide MSDS's for the chemicals sold.

    D. Each department must make available to the employees 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.

    1. As a minimum, a set of MSDS's must be kept in a conspicuous place in each department in each building.
    2. Research laboratories that use chemicals must keep a set of MSDS's in a conspicuous place in the laboratory.
    3. The Department of Public Safety understands that there are many very old chemicals found in laboratories across the campus and MSDS's may not exist. These very old chemicals which have been procured and stored in laboratories are exempt from the MSDS requirements.
  6. TRAINING

    7. A. The Department of Public Safety shall provide training on hazardous chemicals to the Department Safety Coordinators. The Department of Public Safety shall also provide introductory information to all new employees hired by Kansas State University except for student help.

    B. The Department Safety Coordinator will provide employees 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.

    C. Employee training shall include:

    1. Methods and observations to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the workplace.
    2. The physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the workplace.
    3. The measures employees can take to protect themselves from the chemical hazards.
    4. The details of the Hazard Communication Program including how employees can obtain, read, and understand the MSDS's.
    5. Every effort must be taken by the Department Safety Coordinator to train employees who cannot read English.

    D. Each department must submit a log of training dates and personnel trained to the Department of Public Safety as proof of each employee's training.