The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has renewed its alliance with the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC) for another five years. The two organizations have been working together since 2003 with the aim of reducing and preventing worker exposure to chemical hazards.
As part of their renewed alliance, the partners also intend to raise awareness of the requirements of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) and the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
"American workers use thousands of chemicals every day, and every year tens of thousands of workers are made sick or die from occupational exposures to hazardous chemicals," commented Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. "Our renewed partnership with SCHC will extend our efforts toward ensuring healthier workers and safer workplaces."
OSHA and SCHC said on Monday that they will develop information materials on the health and physical hazards of chemicals, and elements of a GHS-compliant label and Safety Data Sheets based on OSHA requirements. SCHC will also host OSHA training seminars and webinars on hazard communication health and safety issues. Two previous webinars reached more than 28,000 attendees.
SCHC is a professional society which exists to promote the improvement of hazard communication for chemicals. The group has 724 members representing industrial, consumer and specialty chemical companies, pharmaceutical firms, manufacturers, distributors and importers, government agencies, universities and consultants.
