6 Chemical Safety Trends for a Safer Workplace
In short:
- The future of chemical safety involves centering your efforts on Hazard Communication (HazCom)
- Digital access to documents like SDS sits at the core of these efforts
- KHA’s Online-SDS software can help by supporting a centralized SDS system as well as offering inventory and labeling systems
With OSHA’s most recent updates to its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), chemical safety has moved to the forefront of many major businesses. Aligning with these can help you reduce your risk of citation or litigation by improving your workplace chemical safety. So, what are companies doing to help with following these?
Below, we discuss several of the chemical compliance strategies companies are implementing to ensure that they keep up with the future of chemical safety. Read on to learn about these emerging safety trends, as well as how you can leverage them yourself for your business, moving forward.
1. Staying Current With Chemical Safety Trends
With instant access to data on best practices on HazCom and chemical safety trends, it is becoming more common to find information on industrial safety standards shared on blogs and newsletters. As such, you can often find new ways to handle your own documentation systems, such as by using KHA’s Online-SDS offering, and also expand your document digitization efforts.
Upskilling your teams and running scenario-based refresher sessions also allows your whole business to understand how best to stay safe moving forward.
2. Aligning With Updated Hazard Communication Requirements
In 2024, OSHA updated its Hazard Communication Standard to change rules related to:
- Gases and aerosols
- Explosives
- Animal testing
- Labeling
- SDS updates
Now, several businesses are rushing to update their policies as the new rules take effect, to avoid OSHA’s fines.
3. Building a Resilient SDS Program
Ensuring that your electronic SDS system more closely matches the United Nations’ GHS system should be a core goal of your business, ever since OSHA released the 2024 updates. Immediate access to these systems is now mandatory.
You can also ensure that you make it as easy as possible to report your chemical inventory to the EPA. Using a system like KHA’s Online-SDS, you can do this with only a few keypresses once initially set up, so you can save time and invest it elsewhere in your business.
4. Ensuring Your Workforce Knows the Five Rules of Chemical Safety
As new label and sheet rules are introduced, they underscore the need for clear training to ensure workers remain safe on the floor immediately after the updates take effect.
In short, these rules can be summarized as:
- Elimination: Remove any dangerous chemicals from your floor if possible
- Substitution: If removal is not possible, replace it with a safer one
- Controls: Block any chemical from spreading using covers or transfer methods
- Safety: Ensure that any job done is done right each time to limit exposure
- PPE: Use the correct personal protective equipment to avoid harm
5. Training Staff in the Types of Chemical Hazards
The aforementioned new labels and sheets mean that teams are updating their understanding of the different types of chemicals that exist, and your team can better protect itself in the long term. Fortunately, HazCom and training provide clear information on how to spot risks involving these chemicals and act to prevent harm.
The simplest version of this is to put chemicals into three hazard “buckets.”
- Physical hazards can burn or explode
- Health hazards can harm your body in the short or long term
- Environmental hazards can be dangerous to the environment if discarded incorrectly
This list is not exhaustive, and exceptions exist, but your staff must have a basic understanding of this list.
6. Using Mobile Workflows for Proactive Control
SDS and other documents are quickly becoming digital as workforces often need information immediately, and emergency response crews demand access to the same data when accidents happen. Digital SDS accessible via mobile devices allows you to record and retrieve data anywhere, creating an up-to-date source of safety information that is also future-proof.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are Common Pitfalls with Electronic Access to SDS Requirements?
Many companies install digital access to documents without considering who can access tools like safety data sheets or how they access them. As such, make sure to make it as easy as possible for your workers to access them, where possible. For example:
- Avoid password-protecting publicly available documents
- Ensure that your workers can access them even without Internet access
- Offer multilingual support for accessibility
- Train your employees in how to find these SDS as fast as possible
You should also ensure that your SDSs are always up-to-date. When they are digital, this is even easier, and an online SDS system can allow you to do this without struggle, sometimes at the push of a button.
Who Must Report to PFAS and What Is the Reporting Timing Scope?
One of the latest developments in chemical manufacturing is a recent update to the EPA’s stance on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Manufacturers and importers of these chemicals, or objects containing them, between 2011 and 2022 must digitally report their use of these chemicals, as well as several other key points.
You have until October 13, 2026, to fulfill this requirement. In addition, information on the final ruling is available on the U.S. Government’s Federal Register.
How Often Must We Review and Refresh the SDS Library?
Whenever you get new information about a hazard or if a product changes in some way, you should review the SDS library to ensure it remains relevant. Replace any SDS that is older than the manufacturer’s currently published versions, and inform your companies about this change so they can update their training accordingly.
It is also a good idea to regularly audit your company’s SDS documents or other HazCom information, at least monthly, to verify staff can access data and fulfil Hazard Communication requirements.
Stay Safe With KHA
Ensure that you align with the 2024 HazCom rules as soon as possible, keeping your workforce safe and reducing the risk of confusion or receiving fines from OSHA. If chemical safety efforts feel too challenging, you can always trust KHA to make it easier for you.
Our Online-SDS system provides unparalleled access to always-up-to-date documents, enabling you to follow regulations or generate reports with the press of a button. To learn more, get in touch and discover what we offer today.