When is hazard communication training and retraining required?

Employers must provide employee training on the hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of the worker’s initial assignment to that area, and whenever a new physical or health hazard that the worker has not been trained on is about to be introduced into the work area. Unlike some OSHA regulations, the Hazard Communication standard does not set requirements for specific refresher training.

Training serves to explain and reinforce the information presented through labels and Safety Data Sheets. Workers using hazardous chemicals will only be protected when workers understand the information presented and are aware of the actions to be taken to avoid or minimize exposure. Always take into consideration the education and technical background of the trainees to ensure that they completely understand the information being given to them.