Assigned responsibilities

• Assign someone to coordinate the implementation of hazard communication.
• Include HazCom in your emergency action plan because these plans will result in fewer and less severe employee injuries and less structural damage during emergencies.

To ensure an effective hazard communication program, and address all the necessary components, responsibility for implementation of hazard communication should be assigned to someone to coordinate. The person designated for overall program coordination should then identify staff to be responsible for particular activities, such as training.

Those people designated as responsible for the different parts of the program should also be current, and those people should be carrying out their responsibilities under the program.

Many companies have found it convenient to include on their purchase orders the name and address of the person designated in their company to receive safety data sheets (SDSs) to help maintain a complete set.

Program coordinators should routinely walk around the workplace to check that containers are labeled as required and that workers are following established work practices to protect themselves from chemical exposure. Proactive monitoring of the workplace is critical to ensuring compliance with the HazCom standard.

Include HazCom in EAP

An emergency action plan (EAP) is a written document required by certain Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards which directs employer and employee actions during workplace emergencies. Well-developed emergency plans and proper employee training (such that employees understand their roles and responsibilities within the plan) will result in fewer and less severe employee injuries and less structural damage to the facility during emergencies.

Portions of the HazCom plan may be included in the EAP, or portions of the EAP may be included in the HazCom training as it relates to workplace emergencies and spills.