Hazard Communication Standard was published as a final rule on November 25, 1983. The intent of the standard is to provide employees with information about the potential health hazards from exposure to workplace chemicals. The standard includes training to provide employees with information to allow them to make more knowledgeable decisions with respect to the risks of their work and to encourage safe work practices. The standard applies to any chemical known to be present in the workplace that employees may be exposed to under normal working conditions or may be exposed to in a foreseeable emergency. In addition to the hazard communication information noted above, it is important to realize that all employees, former employees, and their representative have access to the employer s injury and illness log and to the summary of recorded occupational injuries and illnesses at the facility.
Employees also have access to workplace monitoring and medical records.
Furthermore, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 established regulations that chemical plants and many other industrial facilities report on their five-year accident histories. This information is also made public. One of the key elements of this initiative is the Employee Health and Safety Code that consists of a rigorous examination of safety procedures. A separate Management Systems Verification process reviews the progress achieved in implementing safety measures. A number of chemical facilities are participants in OSHA s Star program because of excellence in safety performance.