Take the mystery out!

On occasion, you may find chemicals without proper labeling hidden throughout your facility. You shouldn’t have any question about the identity or the hazards of chemicals you come in contact with when walking through your facility. That’s why every hazardous chemical in your facility must:

• Be properly labeled;
• Have up-to-date SDSs. The shipment should be accompanied by an SDS or should already have an SDS in your system from a prior shipment;
• Appear on the list of hazardous chemicals in your plan; and
• Arrive in an appropriate container that is free from damage and leaks.

Shipping and receiving

If you work in shipping or receiving, you may stumble upon unmarked boxes of hazardous chemicals or materials (hopefully, you don’t). Your employer must ensure that:

• Labels on incoming containers of hazardous chemicals are clearly marked.
• Any SDSs with incoming shipments of sealed containers are readily accessible to all employees when they aren’t in their work area.
• You have received information and training to the extent necessary to protect yourself in the event of a spill or leak of a hazardous chemical from a sealed container.

Keep yourself safe

Remember, your mission is to make it home safe to your family. If you find a mystery chemical and can’t identify it, contact your supervisor right away . Don’t attempt to handle it or leave it for another employee to find. Reporting it right away keeps you and fellow employees out of harm’s way.