Hazard Communication

The Hazard Communication Program (HazCom Program) is designed to educate and inform the university’s faculty, staff and students employees of the chemical substances that may be encountered in their daily operations. This program is in compliance with State of Arkansas Department of Labor Safety Code #12, Public Employees’ Chemical Right to Know Act, 12-(e) Hazard Communication Program. 

The university is firmly committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for each of its employees. It is recognized that some job-related procedures and other essential scholastic activities frequently require the use of chemicals which may have hazardous properties. When using these chemicals, it is important that faculty, staff and students are aware of the identity and hazardous properties of such chemicals, as well as what protective measures are available. The HazCom Program applies to shops and studios (e.g., paint shop/booths, grounds shops, garages, custodial, art studios, machine/wood shops). Those employees who work in laboratories fall under the Chemical Hygiene Plan. 

For more information on the HazCom Program, please see the University of Arkansas HazCom Policy as well as the supporting policy documents. For information on chemical handling, cleanup, and disposal, see our waste/hazardous waste page.

Program Requirements

Each work area where hazardous chemicals are used must maintain a workplace specific HazCom Plan and perform training in accordance with the university’s HazCom Program.  It is the responsibility of workplace leadership to implement their HazCom Plan and ensure its procedures are followed. The workplace specific HazCom Plan must include the following:

  • Appoint a workplace Designated Trained Individual (DTI)
  • Maintain a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Library
  • Maintain a Workplace Chemical Inventory
  • Display the required Arkansas Department of Labor notice of Act 556 of 1991 entitled Public Employees' Chemical Right to Know Act
  • Completion of HazCom training for all potentially exposed employees

Guidance on implementing a HazCom Plan in university workplaces is provided in the HazCom Implementation Guide. Additionally, the EHS office may be contacted for help at 575-5448 or enhs@uark.edu.

Training

A key requirement of implementing a HazCom Plan is completion of various trainings. There are four types of training included in the university's HazCom Program.

New employees receive this training through Human Resources during scheduled new employee orientations.

Workplaces where hazardous chemicals are used or encountered must appoint a workplace DTI that is responsible for implementing and managing the HazCom program within their assigned workplace. The DTI must complete the university’s general HazCom training, described below. Once training is complete and recorded in BioRAFT, the DTI will receive additional workplace-specific training from EHS.

This convenient training is located in BioRAFT and may be taken at any time. It is designed to be interactive with the user and includes a final exam. Employees who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals must complete this training annually.  It teaches basic knowledge on the following topics:

    • Safety Data Sheets

    • Labels

    • Methods to detect the presence of hazardous chemicals

    • Physical and health hazards

    • Methods employees can protect themselves from these hazards

    • Hazard Communication Program

    • Chemical handling, cleanup, and disposal

The DTI must conduct workplace-specific training for all potentially exposed employees. This training will include specific information including:

    • What hazardous chemicals are present in the work area

    • Any methods that are used to detect the presence of hazardous chemicals

    • The physical and health hazards from the workplace chemicals

    • Any chemical hazards associated with non-routine tasks and unlabeled piping

    • The specific workplace measures in place to protect the employees from the chemical hazards

    • The location of the SDS and Chemical Inventory. If online, the employees must be able to access this from their workplace.

    • Instructions on chemical handling, cleanup, and disposal within the workplace

 

SciShield

SciShield is a web-based tool used to help streamline safety and compliance management.  SciShield automates time consuming tasks, provides training content, tracks and documents training completion, sends training notifications to individuals and supervisors, tracks chemical inventory, equipment, and hazards, and encourages communication between EHS and users across campus.  SciShield is available to all university faculty, staff, and students.

SciShield Login

Additional resources regarding Hazardous Communications may be found on the OSHA HazCom Resource Page.