AHCES Blog

  This FAQ Friday is focused on questions about hazardous chemical definitions. If you have any hazard communication questions or safety questions about common chemicals, ask in the comments below or send an email to contact@ariadne-hces.com.  What is the Difference Between a Hazardous Chemical and a Hazardous Material? Both Hazardous Chemical and Hazardous Material have technical definitions within government regulations. Hazardous chemical means any chemical which is classified as a physical hazard or a health hazard, a simple asphyxiant, combustible dust, pyrophoric gas, or hazard not otherwise classified. 29 CFR 1910.1200(c) “Hazardous chemical” Hazardous material means a substance or material that the Secretary of Transportation has determined is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce, and has designated as hazardous under section 5103 of Federal hazardous materials transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5103). The ter...

  This FAQ Friday is focused on questions about PPE. If you have any hazard communication questions or safety questions about common chemicals, ask in the comments below or send an email to contact@ariadne-hces.com.  What is PPE? PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. This encompasses a wide variety of items ranging from disposable gloves and earplugs to safety goggles and flame-resistant clothing. PPE is designed to protect the wearer from injury or illness caused by hazardous materials or situations. What PPE do I need for Handling Hazardous Chemicals? The type of PPE needed will vary by the type and severity of the hazards associated with a given hazardous chemical. The Safety Data Sheet (PPE) for a chemical will include PPE recommendations.   Common types of PPE needed for hazardous chemical handling include: Gloves Long-Sleeves Safety Goggles Respirators The AHCES Safety Guide Series  contains PPE recommendations for a variety of common hazardous chemical...

This FAQ Friday is focused on questions about OSHA Chemical Labels. If you have any hazard communication questions or safety questions about common chemicals, ask in the comments below or send an email to contact@ariadne-hces.com.  What does OSHA require on a chemical label? The following are the required label elements. Product Identifier , matching the identifier used on the safety data sheet Signal Word , either Warning or Danger Hazard Statements , indicating the hazardous properties of the chemical Pictograms , visual indications of the general type of hazard Precautionary Statements , indicating what precautionary measures need to be taken for the safe handling and storage of the chemical Name, Address, and Telephone Number of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other responsible party How many pictograms can a chemical label have? A chemical label will have as many pictograms as hazard categories the chemical products belong to. There are nine differen...

This FAQ Friday is focused on questions about OSHA. If you have any hazard communication questions or safety questions about common chemicals, ask in the comments below or send an email to contact@ariadne-hces.com. Do I have to follow OSHA if I only have a few employees? Do I have to follow OSHA if I have less than 15 employees? Once you have an employee, if it is just one person, OSHA regulations begin to apply. There are a few exceptions to specific rules, including  a partial exemption   for employers with 10 or fewer employees when it comes to some of the record-keeping requirements. It is best to review what OSHA regulations may apply to your business when in the planning stages, as the regulations do vary somewhat by industry and specialization. It is also important when expanding or shifting the focus of your business, to check if there are any new OSHA regulations to consider. Where can I find OSHA Regulations and Resources? How do I figure out OSHA as a small business...