__________________________________________________
(Name of Cooperative)
_________________, Iowa
HAZARD COMMUNICATION POLICY AND PROGRAM
Section 1 - General Cooperative Policy
The purpose of our policy is to inform all cooperative employees that our cooperative is complying
with the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard. This hazard communication standard for general
industry can be found at 29 CFR 1910.1200. It can be found for the construction industry at 29 CFR
1926.59. The cooperative has compiled a hazardous chemical list, it uses material safety data sheets
(MSDSs), it ensures that all containers are properly labeled, and it provides its employees with training.
This program applies to all work operations in the cooperative where employees may be exposed to
hazardous substances under normal working conditions or during an emergency situation.
_______________________________________________________________ is the person in charge
(name and position of person)
of our hazard communication program. This person is acting as the representative of the cooperative
manager who has overall responsibility for the program. _______________________________
(name of person)
will review and update this program as necessary. Copies of this written hazard communication
program may be obtained from _________________________________________________________.
(name of person)
Under this program, employees will be informed of the contents of the hazard communication standard,
the hazardous properties of chemicals with which they work, safe working procedures, and measures
the employees can take to protect themselves from these chemicals. Employees will also be informed
of the hazards associated with non-routine tasks [and the hazards associated with chemicals contained
in unlabeled pipes]. (If the cooperative does not have chemicals in unlabelled pipes, rather than
inserting the phrase in the [ ], you should insert a sentence which says there are no chemicals in
unlabelled pipes at our cooperative.) __________________________________ intends to rely on the
(name of cooperative)
evaluations of chemicals done by the chemical manufacturers and importers of these chemicals.
Any employee who does not wear personal protective equipment as he or she has been trained to do
and when required will be subject to disciplinary action.
Section 2 - List of Hazardous Chemicals
_____________________________________ has made a list of all hazardous chemicals known to be
(name of person)
present and used at our cooperative. This person will update the list as necessary. Our list of chemicals
identifies all of the chemicals used at the cooperative. A separate list is available for each work area
and is posted there. (If your cooperative only has one work area where chemicals are used, you can
adapt this sentence to fit your cooperative). Each list of chemicals also identifies the corresponding
MSDS for each chemical. A master list of all of these chemicals is maintained by and is available from
________________________________________ in his/her office at the cooperative. The master list
(name of person)
also identifies the corresponding MSDS for each chemical. A copy of the master list is attached to this
written Hazard Communication Policy and Program.
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Section 3 - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS's)
MSDS's provide employees with specific information about the chemicals they use.
__________________________________________ will maintain a binder in his/her office with an
(name and position of person)
MSDS on every substance on the list of hazardous chemicals. The Material Safety Data Sheet for each
chemical will contain all of the information required by 29 CFR 1910.1200(g).
________________________________ will ensure that each work site maintains an MSDS for
(name and position of person)
hazardous materials in that area. MSDS's will be made readily available to employees at their work
stations during their shifts. When hazardous chemicals are carried on trucks, MSDS's will be carried
on those trucks to correspond to the hazardous chemicals. (This is one method of ensuring that
employees have immediate access to information. See the attached Hazard Communication
information for discussion.)
_____________________________________ is responsible for acquiring and updating MSDS's.
(name and position of person)
_________________________________ will immediately contact the chemical manufacturers or
(name of person)
vendors orally and in writing if additional information is necessary or if an MSDS has not been
supplied with an initial shipment. All new purchases for the cooperative must be cleared by
_________________________________________, and an MSDS obtained for each new chemical.
(name of person)
Section 4 - Labels and Other Forms of Warning
_________________________________________ will ensure that all hazardous chemicals at the
(name and position of person)
cooperative are properly labeled and updated, as necessary. That person will verify that all labels list at
least the chemical identity, appropriate hazard warnings, and the name and address of the manufacturer,
importer, or other responsible party.
_________________________________________ will refer to the corresponding MSDS to assist in
(name and position of person)
verifying label information. Containers which are shipped to our cooperative will be checked by
____________________________ to make sure all containers are properly labeled.
(name of person)
[If there are a number of stationary containers within a work area which have similar contents and
hazards, signs will be posted on them to convey the hazard information. On our stationary process
equipment, regular process sheets, batch tickets, blend tickets, and similar written materials will be
substituted for container labels when they contain the same information as labels. These written
materials will be made readily available to employees during their work shift.] (I do not know whether
you have any such stationary containers or stationary process equipment at your cooperative. This
paragraph should be tailored to fit the specifics of your cooperative or left out entirely if that is
appropriate).
If an employee transfers chemicals from a labeled container to a portable container that is intended only
for the employee's immediate use during that work shift, no labels are required on the portable
container. [Pipes or piping systems will not be labeled but their contents will be described in the
training sessions.] (I do not know whether you have any such pipes or piping systems. If you do not
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have any pipes which contain hazardous chemicals, please add a sentence which says there are no pipes
or piping systems at our cooperative which contain hazardous chemicals.)
Section 5 - Non-Routine Tasks
When employees are required to perform hazardous non-routine tasks (such as cleaning tanks or
entering confined spaces), a special training session will be conducted by the employee's supervisor or
the cooperative manager to inform the cooperative employee about the hazardous chemicals to which
the employee might be exposed, and the proper precautions to take to reduce or avoid exposure.
Section 6 - Training
Every cooperative employee who works with or is potentially exposed to hazardous chemicals will
receive initial training on the hazard communication standard and the safe use of those hazardous
chemicals by __________________________________________________.
(name and position of person)
A program that uses both audiovisual materials and classroom type training has been prepared to train
employees about the hazard communication standard. At times, employees of the Iowa Association of
Electric Cooperatives may come to our cooperative and provide training on the hazard communication
standard.
Whenever a new hazard is introduced, additional training will be provided to each employee exposed
to this new hazard. Regular safety meetings will also be used to review the information presented in
the initial training. ______________________________ will be extensively trained regarding hazards
(name of person)
and appropriate protective measures and will be available to answer questions from employees and
provide daily monitoring of safe work practices.
The training will emphasize these items:
1. Requirements of the hazard communication standard and details about this written program,
including its location and availability.
2. Any operations in the employee's work area where hazardous chemicals are present.
3. Chemical and physical properties of hazardous materials (such as flashpoint and reactivity)
and methods and observations that can be used to detect the presence or release of chemicals in
the work area (such as monitoring conducted by the cooperative, continuous monitoring
devices, visual appearance or odor of hazardous chemicals when being released, etc.) (including
chemicals in unlabelled pipes). (If you do not have any unlabelled pipes, you do not need to put
the material in your program.)
4. Physical hazards of chemicals in the work area (such as potential for fire, explosion, etc.).
5. Health hazards, including signs and symptoms of exposure, associated with exposure to
chemicals and any medical condition known to be aggravated by exposure to the chemicals.
6. Measures employees can take to protect themselves from hazards including specific
procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous
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chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective
equipment to be used.
7. Work procedures to follow to assure protection when cleaning hazardous chemical spills
and leaks.
8. Where the chemical list and MSDS's are located, how to read and interpret the information
on both labels and MSDS's, how to properly use the information obtained from an MSDS, and
how employees may obtain appropriate hazard information.
______________________________________________ will review the cooperative's employee
(name and position of person)
training program and advise the cooperative manager on training or retraining needs. This may be done
in cooperation and consultation with employees of the Iowa Assoc. of Electric Cooperatives and/or
lawyers for the Iowa Environmental Group. Retraining is required when the hazard changes or when a
new hazard is introduced into the workplace, but it will be the cooperative policy to provide training
regularly in safety meetings to ensure the effectiveness of the program. As part of the assessment of the
training program, ______________________________ will obtain input from employees regarding the
(name of person)
training they have received, and their suggestions for improving it.
Section 7 - Outside Contractors and Their Employees
________________________________________, upon notification by the cooperative manager, will
(name and position of person)
advise by letter any contractors whose employees come onto the cooperative property of any chemical
hazards that may be encountered in the normal course of their work at the cooperative. The contractor
will be informed of any precautionary measure(s) that need to be taken to protect employees during the
cooperative's normal operation and in foreseeable emergencies. Furthermore, the outside contractors
will be informed of the labeling system in use at the cooperative. In addition,
____________________________________ will notify the contractors of the location and availability
(name of person)
MSDS's. The cooperative will require that outside contractors inform their own employees of this
information as a part of the contract with the cooperative.
Each outside contractor bringing chemicals onto the cooperative site must provide the cooperative with
the appropriate hazard information on these substances, including the labels used and the precautionary
measures to be taken in working with these chemicals. ___________________________________ has
(name of person)
responsibility for ensuring that contractors provide the cooperative with such information.
Section 8 - Additional Information
All employees, or their designated representatives, may obtain further information on this written
program, the hazard communication standard, applicable MSDS's, and chemical information lists by
talking with ________________________________________.
(name and position of person)
This written program, MSDSs, the chemical list, and a copy of the hazard communication standard will
be given to any employee who asks by _______________________________________________.
(name and position of person)
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