DEEP DIVE: Industry Grapples with OSHA’s New HazCom Final Rule

The regulatory landscape for chemical safety continues to evolve, as the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has finalized its long-awaited updates to the Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom).

OSHA has made revisions that align with the United Nations (UN) Globally Harmonized System (GHS) Revision 7, introducing significant changes that have left industry stakeholders bracing to prepare to meet compliance deadlines and to clarify certain provisions that have puzzled some trade group leaders.

“We certainly support the objective of harmonization,” Jennifer Gibson, vice president of regulatory affairs for the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) told 3E. “But there’s the question of whether some of the elements in the final rule do harmonize.”

The revised HazCom standard requires extensive updates to safety data sheets (SDSs) and labels, impacting companies across the chemical industry. With a myriad of products to update, industry proponents argue the logistical and financial burden is substantial.

“The changes in the hazard communication standard are significant,” wrote Terry Wells, associate director of regulatory research at 3E. “The changes in the hazard classes, categories, hazard, and precautionary text are expected to require changes for most SDS and labels.”