Opinion ID: 518856
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The OSH Act and the OSHA Regulations

Text: 9 Section 6(b)(7) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 655(b)(7), and its implementing regulations, 29 C.F.R. Sec. 1910.1200, require that employers provide information to their employees concerning hazardous chemicals. Chemical manufacturers are required to develop a material safety data sheet that contains detailed information about each hazardous chemical they produce. Employers using these hazardous chemicals receive the material safety data sheets from the manufacturers and must ensure that they are readily accessible to employees. 29 C.F.R. Sec. 1910.1200(g). Employers must train their employees to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the work area, inform them of the physical and health hazards of work area chemicals, and train them in the measures necessary to protect themselves from these chemical hazards. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(h). 10 Employers must also label containers of hazardous chemicals with the identity of the hazardous chemicals and appropriate hazard warnings. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(f). Identity is defined as any chemical or common name indicated on the material safety data sheet for the chemical. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(c). Hazardous chemical is defined as any chemical that is a physical hazard or a health hazard. Id. Chemical manufacturers must evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce and must treat as hazardous chemicals regulated by 29 C.F.R. part 1910, subpart z. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(d). While the federal hazard communication standard originally applied only to the manufacturing sector, see Hazard Communication, 48 Fed.Reg. 53,280 (1983) (final rule), OSHA has subsequently amended the federal standard so that it covers the nonmanufacturing sector as well. See Hazard Communication, 52 Fed.Reg. 31,85 2 (1987) (final rule); Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. v. Brock, 862 F.2d 63 (3d Cir.1988) (upholding final rule). 11