US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association
Mid-July, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued instructions to compliance safety and health officers on how to ensure consistent enforcement of the revised Hazard Communication standard. OSHA revised the Hazard Communication standard in March 2012 to align with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The revised standard improved the quality, consistency and clarity of chemical hazard information that workers receive.
Employers were required to train workers on the new label elements and safety data sheets by Dec. 1, 2013. Chemical manufacturers, importers and distributors had to comply with revised safety data sheet requirements by June 1, 2015. Manufacturers and importers had to comply with new labeling provisions by June 1, 2015. Distributors have until Dec. 1, 2015 to comply with labeling provisions as long as they are not re-labeling materials or creating safety data sheets, in which case they must comply with the June 1, 2016 deadline. The standard will be enforced during its current transition period and after it is fully implemented in 2016.
Additional information on the revised Hazard Communication Standard may be found at www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/index.html. For further assistance regarding this topic, UVICELL Safety in Paradise can help small and medium-sized employers by providing free OSHA On-Site Consultation Services. To learn more about this free and confidential safety and occupational health program visit:
- OSHA On-Site Consultation at https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html
- UVICELL Safety in Paradise at http://safety.uvi.edu/
Please do not hesitate to contact us directly with safety and health questions, to schedule a consultation, or with any other safety and occupational health concerns at our Safety in Paradise office at 340-713-1619 or safetyinparadise@uvi.edu. We look forward to helping you!