OSHA's hazard communication standard. What it means for U.S. hospitals

Chemical hazards are an important issue for employers, employees, and the organizations that represent them. In the United States, this fact is reflected in the proliferation of state and federal laws designed to provide workers with the means to protect themselves from such hazards. "Right-to-know" legislation, as these laws have become known, are intended to help employees learn about potential chemical hazards in the workplace and how to avoid them. In this article, we focus on the federal right-to-know law--the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's hazard communication standard--discussing in general terms the tasks that U.S. hospitals must perform to comply with the standard. We've simplified these tasks into (1) identifying hazardous agents, (2) developing and implementing a written hazard communication program, and (3) training employees.