OSHA HazCom Compliance On Your Terms

No executive in their right mind would laboriously hand write all their external/internal correspondence today -- not when email, word processing, and other labor-saving technology exists. But to meet OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) regulation, OSHA's second most frequently cited standard in 2003, many still resign themselves to tediously, hand writing labels for workplace chemical hazards such as when re-packaging bulk chemicals into smaller units, storing chemicals in unmarked containers, and replacing outdated/unreadable labels.

Too often, those responsible for OSHA compliance find themselves straining to manage archaic systems of handwritten labels; voluminous, technical Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs); and cumbersome, expensive worker training.

Today, however, a rising number of managers in charge of industrial safety and hygiene are implementing advanced new methods of meeting OSHA HCS requirements. Those who have struggled with the required labeling, MSDSs, and training for exposed workers have found a way to streamline hazcom labeling, MSDSs, and employee training that meets established company formats and systems.

One software system gaining advocates, RTKV2 HazCom Chemical Labeling with MSDS management and online database access, allows companies to integrate custom labeling with their existing hazcom program. Using the software, companies are able to create a custom database of chemicals and chemical combinations specific to their needs, while replacing previous time and labor-intensive methods such as handwriting labels, flipping through safety catalogs, and contacting manufacturers one-by-one to obtain current MSDSs.

Developed by Somerset, Wis.-based MaxiSoft, a leader in safety identification software and a subsidiary of K-Sun Corp., the RTKV2 HazCom labeling system is fundamentally simplifying compliance for those responsible for hazcom safety.

Laborious Labeling
Like many industrial safety and hygiene managers, Miguel Fonseca found it burdensome to label all the chemicals in containers used at his company's facilities, in compliance with OSHA Hazard Communication Right-to-Know regulation.

"Hundreds of chemical agents from cleansers and disinfectants onward have to be labeled whenever we put them into smaller containers or combine them," said Fonseca, Corporate Manager of Safety and Accreditation for AmeriPath, a leading national US anatomic pathology lab whose national headquarters is based in Palm Beach Garden, Florida. The information involved can be copious including health hazards, target organs, first aid, personal protective equipment (PPE), and so on."

Fonseca and his fellow AmeriPath compliance officers at company sites across the US usually hand wrote these OSHA-required hazcom labels. When they had time, they'd type the hazcom information onto blank labels or into Word documents, which they trimmed and fastened onto bottles, vials, or containers, along with store/catalog bought pictographs such as NFPA diamonds, color bars, and assorted symbolic information.

"The labeling process was overly time-consuming, as well as a purchasing/inventory hassle to try to get the sizes and formatting right," says Fonseca. "Not only that, but the handwritten aspect of labeling made it hard to standardize, and at times to read, while requiring additional staff training when changes were necessary."

Labeling Without the Labor
After researching his options to simplify OSHA compliance, reduce labor and the need for additional training, Fonseca turned to MaxiSoft's Windows-based RTK HazCom Chemical Labeling software, which allows users to design and print custom or standard adhesive-backed labels using a PC, printer, and appropriate print media.

Fonseca created a database of the chemicals and compounds specifically used by his company, with step-by-step guidance and free tech support offered by the program's manufacturer. Entering company-specific chemical data into the database, he took advantage of the program's ability to add, remove, or freely move label sections -- such as first aid, emergency response, and personal protective equipment -- as well as add a variety of pictograph symbols for instant recognition even in multi-lingual settings.

When Fonseca shared his custom database with other AmeriPath compliance officers at other locations, they appreciated having the company's chemical and chemical compound data at their fingertips. Because he integrated the labeling software into AmeriPath's existing hazcom program, with custom formats available to fit existing label designs, there has been essentially no need to retrain staff, and the results have been more than satisfactory.

"We've cut our time spent on hazcom labeling in half because we've been able to create and print OSHA-compliant labels 'on the fly' in whatever size and format we need using the program," says Fonseca. "Compliance as well as label purchase and inventorying is tremendously simplified. And since the labels are easier to recognize and standardize with all the information in one place, OSHA and state inspections have not only gone much smoother, but also we've lessened the training burden."

Companies which share their chemical and compound-specific information via a central database using RTKV2 labeling software can particularly benefit by standardizing their OSHA hazcom compliance, which could otherwise become incomplete or vary from site to site.

For accurate chemical data, updated via the Internet for better compliance, companies can also take advantage of the software's optional accompanying database of the 1,300 most commonly used industrial chemicals, searchable not only by chemical name and synonym but also by UN, CAS, DOT, CHRIS, and STCC numbers for quick retrieval. The data is automatically sized, formatted, editable by mouse-click, and applied to Right-to-Know labels.

Making MSDSs Manageable
Though printing RTK labels and signs of the appropriate size and content is critical in complying with OSHA HCS regulation, doing so is often made much more difficult when having to update hundreds or perhaps thousands of MSDSs, often four to eight pages each, filled with obscure technical data, from which relevant labeling data may have to be distilled.

Traditionally, MSDS updating has been a tedious process, requiring contacting individual manufacturers by phone and fax, followed by reading, sorting, and updating pertinent information by hand.

"Getting MSDSs updated company-by-company can be a difficult, detail-oriented chore," says Fonseca. "This is especially true and can be particularly time-consuming, when phone tag with technical service reps is involved."

Instead of weeding through volumes of MSDSs to decide which have to be updated and manually tracking down the necessary data, however, new advanced methods such as MaxiSoft's RTKV2 software offer a much simpler, accurate, and low-maintenance approach by providing online access to 160,000 MSDS records. Downloadable by computer for 24-hour access, and available by subscription, these MSDSs are continuously updated by the chemical manufacturers themselves to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Moreover, companies using the RTKV2 software can work with MaxiSoft to extract the most relevant information for use in custom applications such as one-page, quick reference sheets for employees, available to them in the field with department-specific focus. Extracting the most important information such as first aid, personal protective equipment, spill containment, and reactivity with other chemicals into an easy-to read format can significantly increase its use by employees in the field to help prevent and limit chemical-related workplace injuries as well as reduce potential claims and workers comp.

For a free demo CD of MaxiSoft's RTKV2 HazCom Chemical Labeling Software, call 800-522-2755, e-mail info@ksun.com or visit www.ksun.com on the Internet.